Ankara is Turkey’s capital and second largest city after Istanbul. It’s about as European as Turkey gets. There are touches of the mystical east if you know where to look but the vast majority of the city is 20th century through and through. A lot of foreigners are here on business but tourism is beginning to have an impact on various aspects of the city. Despite its long history, it’s a thoroughly modern and well planned city. The city is distinguished by its wide avenues, green parks, elegant shops, embassies & government buildings and a large number of first-class restaurants and hotels.

Homosexuality is legal in Turkey, which may surprise many people due to it being a Muslim country. Ankara does have a gay-life but not so much a gay-scene, although there is one it’s not an obvious one, and it’s nowhere near as vibrant as Istanbul’s scene. Probably due to Ankara being the capital city, it has a more official life style and therefore it’s been toned down quite a bit. Many of the gay bars, opened in recent years only to close down again quite quickly  for various reasons, so listing the bars is quite difficult. However, many of the venues are frequented by gays, lesbians and straight people. You’ll not find gay saunas or sex clubs, as sex in public places is illegal, and any gay bars which are open will not have dark rooms. As in any city, there are cruising areas, but these must be used with great caution, as many people who frequent these places, are after the other thing in your pocket – your wallet!