A Wonderland in Ankara: Tunali Hilmi Street

Tunali Hilmi Street, which is connected to Kavaklidere district in Çankaya district of Ankara, is one of the places that attract the attention of local and foreign tourists who come to Ankara to visit. Tunali Hilmi Street may be a place that can be walked from top to bottom for those who have not explored it well, but someone who knows it well can make you feel like Alice in Wonderland! Now we will help you turn Tunali into a wonderland on your own.

LET'S MEET IN FRONT OF KUGULU PARK

We will start our tour on Tunali Hilmi Street with Kuğulu Park, one of the famous symbols of Kavaklidere district. Kuğulu Park is named after the swans, geese and ducks in its pool. Apart from this, it offers you a great opportunity to breathe in the most crowded part of the city with 24 different bird species and various trees, bushes and seasonal flowers. Everyone living in Kavaklidere region finds themselves here both in their most difficult and most enjoyable moments. This has now become a magic of the park. In one way or another, the ambiance of Kuğulu Park attracts people. When the park was first established, three of the swans in it were transferred to Seğmenler Park, and these swans later died after hitting apartment buildings while trying to get back to Kuğulu Park. In light of this sad information, we also understand why the people of Ankara go to Kuğulu Park when they feel homeless. Kuğulu Park has become a house in the middle of Tunalı Hilmi Street for everyone.

There are restaurants in Kuğulu Park where you can eat and drink something. Apart from that, you can sit on the benches and enjoy nature while drinking your own coffee. This park, which surrounds you with the music, laughter and friendships of various street musicians in good weather, will give you beautiful moments around its frozen pool in winter. Maybe you can also come across an ice ballet show in the frozen pool that day.

TOUR ON TUNALI HILMI STREET

It is customary to walk to the end of the street after leaving Kugulu Park. While walking, you will find various stores, bookstores, boutiques, restaurants and cafes on your right and left. You can do small shopping, have a coffee and have a meal at the end of the day according to your every desire. Apart from this, there are art galleries and both state and private theaters in Tunalı. If you plan ahead, you can also do an artistic activity during the day. You can enjoy Tunalı best by walking around with a coffee in your hand, getting your ice cream from an ice cream shop and walking slowly. So if you are going to spend a single day in Tunalı, be prepared to walk as much as possible that day. While walking straight down the street, take side streets and discover the shops selling vintage clothes and the dessert shops hidden in the side streets. Vegan cakes, healthy smoothies, delicious handmade hot chocolates and flavored coffees specially prepared for you... During this trip, you will see people walking with their dogs or sitting in a cafe, and street cats will be treated as warmly as you in the places you enter. If you are afraid of animals, you will have the best opportunity to overcome your fear, and do not forget to put wet food in your bag!

TIME TO REST AT SEĞMENLER PARK

After a long tour on Tunali Hilmi Street, definitely stop by Seğmenler Park to regain your energy for the evening. In this park, which covers a large area of ​​67 thousand square meters, you can lie down on the grass, read a book you bought from the bookstores you visited during your Tunali trip, chat with your friends, and discharge yourself with the joy of the lively human communities around you. In this park, you will also find thousands of trees, a huge pool, a children's park and sculptures that will satisfy you in terms of art. For a light dinner instead of a heavy meal or for a small picnic in the middle of the day, definitely come to Seğmenler with a picnic blanket. You will have a great time here with your sandwiches, drinks and nature and believe me, you will feel very rested.

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT ON BESTEKAR STREET

Located on Tunali Hilmi Street, Bestekar Street is lively in the evenings! From the moment you step foot, you will be greeted by a fun crowd and the sounds of music. Whether you have a place in mind here or not, we recommend that you walk around the entire street and see how lively the night is. There are entertainment venues for every budget in Bestekar. Embracing people of all ages and tastes with its taverns, wine houses, pubs and nightclubs, Bestekar Street offers the chance to go from one place to another and have fun on the go with the people you meet on the road. Here, you will meet the people of Ankara who will make you feel like you have been friends for forty years, even if it is for two minutes, and you will see better that Ankara is not the grey and cold city it seems from the outside. You can find a taxi no matter what time of night and come across a famous artist's concert at Bestekar and go there on foot.You will also have the chance to visit.

FAREWELL TO TUNALI HİLMİ STREET

Here, you can encounter anything that comes to your mind! You can watch a theater play, come across a concert of your favorite artist, go to the parks for a little nature refreshment, do something crazy and get a tattoo as a souvenir, or even have your fortune told to learn your future. You can buy vintage clothes, find the new issue of the magazine you love every month, visit book cafes where you can come across philosophy conversations. Or, it is also possible to forget everything and have crazy fun with electronic music.

In addition to all these, Tunalı Hilmi Street will introduce you to the people of Ankara very well. Seeing the helpful, warm-hearted, pleasant conversation and hospitality of the people of Ankara that embraces everyone, even in various styles, can be problematic in only one way; when you describe Ankara as a colorful place in other cities, they will claim that you are just dreaming!

Written by: Selin Hızarcı