Hattusha

Hattusha, the former capital of the Hittite Empire, sits around 200 km east of Ankara near the town of Bogazkale, roughly a 3-hour drive each way, so it's best planned as a full day trip rather than a half-day add-on. The site spans several square kilometres of ruins, including temples, royal residences and the city's fortified walls. The Lion Gate, Royal Gate and the nearby Yazilikaya rock sanctuary, carved with reliefs of Hittite gods, are the highlights most visitors prioritise if time is short.

UNESCO inscribed Hattusha as a World Heritage Site in 1986, both for the scale of the ruins and for the Yazilikaya open-air rock sanctuary nearby, considered one of the best-preserved examples of Hittite religious art. Guided tours and rented cars both work; public transport from Ankara is limited, which is the main reason the site sees fewer visitors than its historical importance would suggest. Comfortable walking shoes matter more here than at most Ankara sights, since the ruins are spread out and mostly uncovered.