Carrots, Cobblestones, Caravansaray...oh, my! -- Beypazarı

Along one of the many dusty Ankaran roads, roughly 100 kilometers northwest of the city center, lies one of the more quaint day trip destinations possible from Ankara’s city center-- Beypazarı. Translating roughly as lord’s bazaar, the town lives up to its name with narrow cobblestone streets crisscrossing through the old town, where you can still find local craftsmen plying their handcrafted (normally metal or wooden) goods to passersby.

As you stroll, it probably won’t be long after the giant carrot statue for the town’s motif to become clear (hint: it’s carrots). Carrots are the thing that the town is known for and, like many small Turkish towns, amongst the artisans there are also local vendors selling homemade lokum (Turkish Delight), cevizli sucuk (basically nuts on a string covered in a kind of gelatin made from grapes) and other Turkish desserts but Beypazarı is one of the few places that you can try carrot versions of the normal Turkish street treats. Also, carrot juice. Carrot juice is everywhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if it came out of the taps there. While not my personal favorite, getting a bottle/glass is definitely part of the Beypazarı experience and, regardless of taste, you will appreciate having some liquid on you when you try the town’s other specialty: Ankara kurusu.

Ankara kurusu is essentially a small piece of bread that is completely saturated in butter before having absolutely every semblance of moisture drained from it. The result is like a denser crouton with no spices and a very strong buttery taste. I can’t recommend it but I have friends who love it, so it very much is a matter of personal preference. The good news is that pretty much every bakery passes out free samples on the street, which allows you to figure out which camp you’re in before committing to the full sized bag.

Apart from the street bazaar, the town also has an impressive number of old Ottoman style houses throughout the old town. While not nearly as well advertised as Safranbolu (a town to the north recognized by UNESCO for its Ottoman houses and architecture) the feel of walking the streets of the two towns is very similar and the nice architecture along cobblestone streets provides an undeniable relief from the amalgamation of apartment towers and highways that most of the bigger cities have devolved into.

Also worth mentioning/visiting is the Suluhan Nasuh Paşa Hanı (also found in the old city). Hans were essentially hotels that were used both during and before Ottoman times and, as Beypazarı is on the old silk road, this han has a lot of history behind it. It has been very well maintained and you can easily spend an hour just sipping coffee or tea in the courtyard if the weather is nice. Bonus tip: There is seating of the second floor of the courtyard that is easy to miss but highly recommended as you can get some mountain views over the walls of the han to enjoy with your drink.

Recommendations for going, staying, and leaving

Getting there:

Driving is the easiest way to get to Beypazarı from Ankara. It takes about 1hr and 30 minutes depending on traffic and can even be as quick as 1hr and 10. For the less vehicularly enabled, there are two ways to reach the town.

1.)None of the major bus companies go to Beypazarı but there is a local bus company called Beytaş Turizm. It can take you from Aşti (the main bus hub in Ankara) to Beypazari. Unfortunately, the company has no online presence and the timetable can change from week to week, so I would recommend going to their kiosk in Aşti a day beforehand to buy your tickets and guarantee you get the time you want.

2.)The second option is slightly more adventurous and involves catching a different bus as it goes along the highway. There are obviously no timetables for this bus as you are just hailing it down but you shouldn’t have to wait more than 35 or 40 minutes. To get to the pick up spot you need to get to the Akköprü stop on the metro system’s yellow line. Once you leave the station you should be looking directly at a huge shopping mall called Ankamall. Do not head towards it. Turn to your left and go behind the building you just came out of. You should see a big multilane highway that you will need to cross (there’s a pedestrian path, don’t worry). Once you’re on the sidewalk on the other side continue along the road following the direction of traffic until the lane directly adjacent to you merges from its outlet onto the main freeway. The spot where the freeway and the road meet is where the bus will stop. There is also a 90 percent chance there will be a sizeable group of locals waiting for the bus so keep an eye out for them. The bus will have Beypazarı written on it in big letters. Just wave it down and you’re off!

Cost of both bus options as of 2018: 12-15 Lira each way.

Duration: 1.5-2 hrs

Staying:

There are hotels in the city but I truthfully would just recommend doing a day trip. You can see the whole old city within 2-5 hrs depending on how much you stop to eat and shop and, after the bazaar shuts down, there wouldn’t be much to do in the town. Go in the morning and leave close to sunset.

Leaving:

Leaving is much easier than getting to the town as all the buses leave from Beypazarı’s small main bus station, which is right across from the entrance to the old town. Be careful when getting your ticket though. Not all buses go to Aşti. Some stop at the Akköprü metro stop. Make sure you get the ticket you want.