Ankara

The present day Ankara is a respectively new town that has become the capital of Turkey in 1923 after the War of Independence. It has a population of 4 million people now.

During the Roman era Ankara was an outstanding trade and administrative center.

Gordion, a 2 hour drive town on the northern part of Ankara is said to have been the place where King Midas, of the golden touch, was born.

A residential rather than a touristic city, Ankara has its own subtle charms, and is a place where you can eat out in style, tour private art galleries or explore the antique shops.

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations situated on top of the Medieval Ankara castle is a must to see. It has artifacts discovered in Turkey that date back from 250.000 BC to our time. Search for the houses of Catalhoyuk for instance, one of the earliest known settlement areas of the world.

Ataturk's Mausoleum is another place not to be missed in Ankara. The founder of Turkish Republic is buried here.

One should also take a look at the Turkish Parliament while here. This is where the country is being ruled from with 450 parliament members.