AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Ihlamur Vadisi — the "Linden Valley" — is a long green recreation park carved along the Gümüşdere creek through Keçiören, one of Ankara's most populous northern districts. Instead of a single square garden, it unfolds as a valley: tree-lined promenades, open meadows and terraced viewpoints that give city residents a place to walk, cycle and linger outdoors without leaving Ankara.↗
The park is built around linden trees and seasonal flower beds, with a shaded amphitheater, splash-pool shows and an unusual open-air museum tracing Turkic history. Admission and parking are free, the grounds stay open around the clock, and the entrance and parking are wheelchair accessible, making it an easy low-key day out for families.↗
A green corridor in the middle of the city
What makes Ihlamur Vadisi distinctive is its shape. Rather than an enclosed garden, it is a linear park that follows the natural valley of the Gümüşdere, planting the slopes with hundreds of shrubs and trees — the municipality's first development phase alone set out 600 plants of various kinds, 31 linden trees, the park's namesake, and 35,000 seasonal flowers across newly laid lawns. The effect is a ribbon of green cutting through a dense urban district, with 1,000 m² of turf, benches and pergolas scattered along the paths to tempt you to sit a while.