A local’s guide to Ankara ahead of the Nato summit

A local’s guide to Ankara ahead of the Nato summit Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Thu, 07/02/2026 - 11:02 Often overshadowed by Istanbul, Turkey’s capital offers a wide variety of delicious food, lively venues and sightseeing opportunities A view of Ankara's well-known Atakule from the gardens of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in June 2025 (MEE/Ragip Soylu) Off The Turkish capital of Ankara doesn’t have a great reputation, even inside the country. Many Istanbulians look down on this so-called “grey, soulless desert” in the middle of Anatolia. Yet the city, famous internationally mostly for hosting Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s mausoleum, is about to host a Nato summit on 7-8 July.