Destination · Dardanelles
On either side of the Dardanelles, two stories are written into the landscape. To the south lies Troy, the city of Homer's Iliad, where ten layers of history are piled one on top of another. To the north, on the Gallipoli Peninsula, quiet cemeteries and memorials recall the campaign of 1915. Few places in the world let you travel through so much history in so short a distance.
Plan your Gallipoli & Troy tripAbout Gallipoli & Troy
The Dardanelles, the narrow strait the ancient Greeks called the Hellespont, has always been a gateway between Europe and Asia, and whoever held it held the key to trade and power. That is why Troy grew rich here, and why in 1915 the Allied fleets tried to force their way through to Istanbul, leading to the long and bloody Gallipoli Campaign. Today the region is peaceful, green and welcoming, and the city of Çanakkale sits right on the water between the two shores. With a good guide, every site becomes a story, and some of them become deeply personal.
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Ancient Troy
South of Çanakkale, the plain of the Troad is full of history. Visit the ruins and the museum together, ideally with a guide who can separate Homer's poetry from the archaeology.
Troy is not one city but around ten, built on top of each other from about 3000 BC to Roman times. Walk the ramparts, the ramp and the houses of the different layers, and see where Heinrich Schliemann dug his great trench in the 1870s in search of King Priam. Troy has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1998. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours.
Opened in 2018, the striking rust-coloured cube of the Troy Museum holds the finds of Troy and the wider Troad: gold jewellery, pottery, sculpture and the marble Polyxena sarcophagus, carved with a scene from the Trojan War. See it before or after the ruins and the whole story falls into place. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours.
Founded around 310 BC and renamed in honour of Alexander the Great, Alexandria Troas became a great Roman port. St Paul sailed from here to Macedonia after his famous dream of a man calling him to Europe, taking Christianity west for the first time. Today its baths, arches and walls lie quietly among the oak trees. Allow 1 to 2 hours.
The Gallipoli Peninsula
From April 1915 to January 1916, Ottoman forces and the armies of Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand and India fought on this narrow peninsula, and more than 100,000 soldiers lost their lives. Plan a full day, and allow time for reflection.
The great four-legged memorial, more than 40 metres tall, stands above Morto Bay at the tip of the peninsula, honouring the Turkish soldiers who fell in the campaign. Below it, the strait opens into the Aegean. Its quiet gardens, the many cemeteries around it and the views make it a moving starting point for a battlefield tour.
At dawn on 25 April 1915, Australian and New Zealand troops landed on this narrow beach below steep ridges, a day still remembered every year as Anzac Day. Walk the shore, see the cliffs they had to climb and read the words of Atatürk on the memorial, honouring the fallen of both sides. Allow 1 to 2 hours.
Up on the ridges, Lone Pine is the main Australian memorial, named after a single tree that stood on the battlefield, and Chunuk Bair holds the New Zealand memorial and a statue of Mustafa Kemal, who commanded the Ottoman troops here. For travellers with family links to the campaign, we can include specific cemeteries and graves.
Çanakkale & the north Aegean
Between the ruins and the battlefields, enjoy the lively city on the strait, a castle on the European shore, an island of vineyards and the temple at Assos.
Çanakkale is a cheerful university town on the water, with a long seafront promenade, fish restaurants, cafés and its famous clock tower. Its name comes from the pottery bowls, çanak, once made here. Watch ships sail through the strait at sunset, then cross by ferry to the European side. Allow 2 to 3 hours, or a relaxed evening.
The giant wooden horse on the waterfront was made for the 2004 film Troy, starring Brad Pitt, and later given to the city. It is not ancient, but it is a fun photo stop, and children love it. Allow 15 to 30 minutes.
Sultan Mehmed II built Kilitbahir, the 'lock of the sea', in 1462–63, at the narrowest point of the Dardanelles, facing a twin castle across the water. Its inner keep has a unique clover-leaf shape. Take the short ferry over from Çanakkale and combine it with the Gallipoli Peninsula. Allow 45 to 90 minutes.
Homer's Tenedos, where the Greeks hid their fleet while the Trojans took in the wooden horse, is now a small island of vineyards, windmills, a castle and whitewashed streets. Taste the local wines, swim from quiet beaches and stay the night if you can. Check ferry times, especially out of season.
Further down the coast, the Temple of Athena stands on a hill above the sea, looking across to Lesbos, with the stone village of Behramkale and a tiny harbour below. It is a beautiful extension for travellers continuing along the north Aegean. See our Assos guide for more.
Experiences
Every private tour can mix these experiences in any order, at your own pace.
The layers of the ancient city and the Troy Museum, with the story of Homer and the Trojan War.
Memorials, cemeteries and battlefields, with the history shaped around your interests.
Fresh seafood, local dishes and evenings on Çanakkale's promenade.
Island scenery, vineyards, villages and coastal viewpoints.
Continue to Assos and the north Aegean for archaeology, village life and sea views.
Trip length
Troy and Çanakkale fit into one day, but we recommend two: one for Troy and one for Gallipoli. With three to five days you can add Assos and Bozcaada.
Troy and the Troy Museum, then an evening on Çanakkale's waterfront.
One day for Troy and its museum, one day for the Gallipoli memorials and battlefields.
Troy, Gallipoli and Çanakkale, with time for Assos or a coastal village.
Troy, Gallipoli, Assos and the north Aegean, with Bozcaada if the ferries suit your dates.
Good to know
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are best for walking the ruins and battlefields. Summer is hot and exposed but perfect for Bozcaada. Around Anzac Day, 25 April, the peninsula is very busy with the dawn services, so book early. Winter is quiet, cold and windy.
Çanakkale is about four to five hours by road from Istanbul, crossing the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. Troy is about 30 minutes south of the city, and ferries cross the strait to the Gallipoli Peninsula in about 20 minutes. Çanakkale also has a small airport.
The cemeteries and memorials are places of remembrance: dress modestly, speak quietly and take your time. Wear comfortable shoes for the ruins of Troy and the uneven paths on the peninsula.
Tailor-made for you
Every tour is built around your interests, your dates and your pace. These are some of the journeys our travellers love; each one can be shaped to suit you.
Let's plan your holiday
Whether you are drawn to the legends of Troy, want to understand Gallipoli or follow a family story, tell us your dates, where your journey begins and what interests you most. We will plan a private itinerary and email it with a price.
Choose the places you would love to see, how many of you are travelling and for how long.
We write a private programme just for you and email it with a personal price.
Change anything you like. We refine the programme with you until it feels just right.
From history and faith to hidden villages and the coast, find the journey that suits you. Every one can include Gallipoli & Troy.
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From Homer's Troy to the battlefields of 1915 and the quiet villages of the north Aegean, we design your private journey around your interests, your dates and your pace.
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