Çanakkale & Troy Day Trip from Istanbul

Ancient Troy (Truva)

UNESCO World Heritage · 9 layered cities · Trojan Horse replica · Troy Museum

Gallipoli (Gelibolu)

WWI Anzac battlefields · Chunuk Bair · Lone Pine · Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial

1915 Çanakkale Bridge

World's longest suspension bridge · 2,023 m main span · Dardanelles crossing

Çanakkale City & Dardanelles

Charming waterfront · Ottoman clock tower · Wooden horse monument · Fish restaurants

Dardanelles Strait

Mythological and historical corridor · Hellespont · Leander & Hero legend

Cape Helles

Southernmost tip of Gallipoli · Allied landing beaches · Stunning Aegean views

Troy (Troia/Truva) is one of the most famous names in all of history — the city of the Trojan War, immortalised in Homer's Iliad. The archaeological site near the village of Tevfikiye, 30 km south of Çanakkale, has been continuously excavated since Heinrich Schliemann first dug here in 1871. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1998.

What makes Troy extraordinary is that archaeologists have discovered 9 distinct cities built on top of each other, spanning 4,000 years of continuous human occupation (3000 BC to 500 AD). Troy VI/VII (1700–1200 BC) corresponds to the legendary Trojan War period. The walls, ramp, and towers are remarkably intact.

Troy Practical Info

• • Entry: site and Troy Museum tickets are set by the Ministry of Culture and change each season — check before you go
• • Opening hours: Apr–Oct 08:00–19:30, Nov–Mar 08:00–17:30
• • Time needed: 2.5–3 hours with museum
• • From Çanakkale city: 30 km, 30–40 min by taxi or tour minibus
• • Don't miss: Trojan Horse replica, megalithic city walls, Troy Museum interpretation centre

The Gallipoli (Gelibolu) peninsula is the site of one of WWI's most significant and tragic campaigns. In 1915, Allied forces (including Australian and New Zealand troops — the ANZACs) attempted to seize the Dardanelles strait and open a supply route to Russia. The campaign failed after 9 months, with 130,000 deaths on all sides.

Today the peninsula is a national park and deeply moving place to visit. Key sites include Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery, Chunuk Bair (the highest point seized by Anzacs), and the majestic Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial. Turkish commander Mustafa Kemal (later Atatürk) famously wrote: "Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace." The quote is inscribed at the memorial.

ANZAC Day — April 25

The annual ANZAC day dawn service at Anzac Cove draws 10,000–20,000 visitors from Australia, New Zealand, and beyond. If visiting on April 25, book accommodation and transport many months in advance. The atmosphere is deeply solemn and extraordinarily moving.

Opened on March 18, 2022 — the 107th anniversary of the Çanakkale naval victory — the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge spans the Dardanelles with a record-breaking main span of 2,023 metres (the year 2023 being the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, encoded in the length). The two towers are 318 metres high, matching the date of the March 18 victory. Crossing it by car is genuinely spectacular — the pylons dwarf everything around them and on a clear day you can see the Aegean opening to the south. Toll each way: approximately €5–8.

07:00

Depart Istanbul (private transfer)

10:30

Arrive Ancient Troy · Museum + archaeological site (2–3h)

13:00

Lunch in Çanakkale city centre · Waterfront fish restaurant

14:30

Cross 1915 Bridge or take Dardanelles ferry to Gallipoli peninsula

15:00

Gallipoli: Anzac Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair (2h)

17:30

Depart for Istanbul via 1915 Bridge

21:00

Arrive back in Istanbul

This is a very full day — best suited to history enthusiasts. For a relaxed experience, consider 2 days (overnight in Çanakkale).