Ankara tour: Anatolian Museum, Citadel & Atatürk Mausoleum

Eight hours through ten millennia of Anatolian history, from Paleolithic artifacts to modern Turkey's founding monuments.

A full-day Ankara tour with private transportation and a live guide takes you through the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, the Citadel of Ankara, and the Atatürk Mausoleum, plus lesser-known sites across the capital. The tour includes lunch, bottled water, and air-conditioned transport. Guides speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and six additional languages. Pickup is included. Some museum sections may be closed during your visit.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Ankara's historical sites

• Visit Anatolian Civilizations Museum
• Tour the Citadel of Ankara
• See the Mausoleum of Ataturk
• Explore Ankara Ethnography Museum
• Visit Roman Baths of Ankara

The experience

The day starts at the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, where the collection spans from the Paleolithic era through Roman times: Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian and other civilizations arranged in a chronological spiral that takes you back 9,000 years. The museum occupies two restored Ottoman-era buildings: a 600-year-old caravanserai and a covered bazaar designed to protect trade goods. From there, the tour moves to the Citadel of Ankara, built on the highest hill overlooking the plains, where 17th-century houses and the Alaaddin Mosque (the oldest religious building in the city) still stand. The panoramic view from the city walls shows why this position mattered through every era that ruled here.

The Atatürk Mausoleum anchors the afternoon. Built between 1944 and 1953 on a 750,000-square-meter complex, the neoclassical structure sits at the end of a granite-lined ceremonial avenue. Inside, a wax statue, letters, texts and photographs document Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's life and the founding of the modern Turkish Republic. The tour also includes the Ankara Ethnography Museum, which houses Turkish folkloric artifacts and once held Atatürk's sarcophagus during the mausoleum's construction, plus the Roman Baths: third-century ruins built under Emperor Caracalla with separate chambers for cold, cool and hot water.

Private transport with air conditioning and WiFi carries the group throughout the day. Lunch and bottled water are included. The vehicle is wheelchair accessible, and infant seats are available. A live guide fluent in your chosen language navigates the stops and provides context for each site. The tour also ventures to off-the-beaten-path locations in Ankara that most visitors miss, grounding the day's arc in the city itself rather than only the major monuments.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned transport with WiFi on board.
• lunch and bottled water.
• parking fees and fuel surcharge.
• a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or six additional languages.
• entry to the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, Citadel of Ankara, Atatürk Mausoleum, Ankara Ethnography Museum and Roman Baths.
• hotel pickup.

Options for this experience

2 options

Prime LanguagesGuide in 4 languages · No fixed timeThis tour is available in English, German, French and Turkish. Check the other language options as well. Pickup is included.

Other LanguagesGuide in 6 languages · No fixed timeBookable in Spanish, Italian, Russian, Greek, Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, Arabic and other languages. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Turkish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Deren Koray Tourism

Is this one for you?Choose the Prime Languages option if your group speaks English, Spanish, Italian or French. Select Other Languages if you need a guide in one of the six additional languages available. Either way, the eight-hour span and private transport let you move at a single pace through all four major sites without switching vehicles or guides mid-day.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Japanese and Turkish.

What exactly is inside the Anatolian Civilizations Museum?

The museum holds Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian and Roman artifacts arranged chronologically, spanning from the 7th millennium BC onward. The collection is one of the world's most comprehensive records of Anatolia's successive civilizations, housed in two restored Ottoman buildings: a 600-year-old caravanserai and a covered bazaar.

How long does the tour take and what's included in the price?

The tour runs eight hours and includes private transportation, a live guide in your chosen language, lunch, bottled water, WiFi on board, an air-conditioned vehicle, fuel surcharge and parking fees. Pickup from your hotel is included in the booking.

Can I visit the Atatürk Mausoleum and what will I see there?

Yes, the Atatürk Mausoleum is a major stop on the tour. The complex covers 750,000 square meters and features a neoclassical building designed on a large esplanade. Inside you'll see a wax statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his letters and texts, and a photo exhibition documenting his life and the founding of the Turkish Republic.

What is the Citadel of Ankara and why is it worth visiting?

The Citadel sits on the highest hill in Ankara's center and bears marks from every civilization that ruled the region. The tour includes 17th-century Ottoman houses and the Alaaddin Mosque, the oldest religious building in Ankara still in use. From the city walls, you get a panoramic view of Ankara that shows why this position was strategically important throughout history.

Is the tour accessible for travelers with mobility concerns?

Yes, the vehicle is wheelchair accessible and the tour accommodates travelers with moderate physical fitness. Specialized infant seats are available, and service animals are allowed. Infants can ride in a pram or stroller.