Gallipoli & Troy 2-Day Tour: WW1 Battlefields & Ruins

Two days across two millennia: trench lines and Trojan ruins, then the landing beaches from the water

A 2-day tour from Istanbul to Gallipoli Peninsula and Ancient Troy with a local guide, overnight accommodation and boat access to WW1 landing beaches. Day one covers the full Gallipoli battlefield by foot—trenches, cemeteries, memorials—then an overnight stay in Canakkale. Day two moves to Troy's 3,700-year-old walls and houses, followed by a ferry crossing and boat trip past the beaches where soldiers landed in 1915, with snorkelling over a deliberately sunken steamer. Pickup from central Istanbul hotels (Taksim or Sultanahmet area) is included; the Simulation Centre closes Tuesdays.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Istanbul to Gallipoli tour

• Pick up from Istanbul hotel
• Transfer to Eceabat
• Arrive in Eceabat
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Guided Gallipoli tour visiting beaches and memorials
• Return to Eceabat and check in hotel

Day 2 — Troy visit and ANZAC boat trip

• Breakfast at hotel
• Guided Troy tour visiting ancient sites
• Return from Troy tour
• Ferry from Canakkale to Eceabat
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Visit Kabatepe Simulation Center
• Boat tour of landing beaches and snorkeling
• Return to Eceabat
• Bus transfer back to Istanbul
• Arrive in Istanbul and drop at hotel

The Experience

The tour starts with a 6am pickup from your Istanbul hotel in either Taksim or Sultanahmet, then a transfer to Eceabat on the Gallipoli Peninsula—a six-hour drive that gets you there by noon. After lunch at a local restaurant, a guide leads you through the full battlefield: Brighton Beach, ANZAC Cove, Ariburnu Cemetery, the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston's Jolly (where you walk the Turkish and Allied trenches and tunnels), Chunuk Bair, and the Nek. Each stop marks a moment from the 1915 campaign. You return to Eceabat by late afternoon and check into your hotel for the night.

Day two begins with breakfast, then a guided walk through Ancient Troy—the Trojan Horse, the 3,700-year-old city walls, houses from Troy I (3000–2500 BC), the Senate Building and Concert Hall, and the ongoing excavations showing nine layers of settlement. After the tour ends at noon, you ferry back to Eceabat and have lunch. The Kabatepe Simulation Centre then shows 3D videos of the Gallipoli Campaign (closed Tuesdays; no replacement offered). At 2:45pm, you board a boat to see the landing beaches from the water—Brighton Beach, ANZAC Cove, Ariburnu Cemetery and the North Beach commemorative site—exactly as the 1915 soldiers approached them. You'll have the chance to snorkel over the wreck of the Milo, a steamer deliberately sunk in late 1915 to form a breakwater. The boat returns by 5pm, and the tourist bus departs Eceabat at 5:30pm for the drive back to Istanbul, arriving around 11:30pm.

A local English-speaking guide is with you throughout both days. Snorkelling equipment is provided. Breakfast is included on day two; lunch both days is at local restaurants (your cost). The overnight stay is double or twin share for two people; single rooms require a separate booking. The tour runs May 1 to October 1 only. Transfers are approximate—exact timing depends on traffic and time of day.

What’s included

• Local English-speaking guide for both days.
• overnight accommodation in Canakkale (bed and breakfast).
• breakfast on day two.
• snorkelling equipment on the boat.
• entry to Gallipoli battlefield sites and Ancient Troy.
• 3D simulation centre visit.
• ferry crossing from Canakkale to Eceabat.
• boat trip past the landing beaches with snorkelling opportunity.
• hotel pickup from central Istanbul (Taksim or Sultanahmet area) and return drop-off.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Crowded House Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a guide who knows both sites and can explain the history as you stand in the trenches and walk the ruins—the pace is set, the transport is arranged, and you're not navigating between two separate day trips. The overnight stay in Canakkale makes the full Gallipoli battlefield and the boat approach to the landing beaches possible in a single journey, which a day trip from Istanbul cannot do.

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Top questions

What exactly do I see on the Gallipoli battlefield, and how much walking is involved?

The Gallipoli tour covers ten major sites across the peninsula: Brighton Beach, Beach Cemetery, ANZAC Cove, Ariburnu Cemetery, the ANZAC Commemorative Site, the Mehmetcik Statue, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston's Jolly (where you walk inside preserved Turkish and Allied trenches and tunnels), the 57th Regiment Turkish Memorial, the Nek, and Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial. The guide leads you to each; the walking is moderate and spread across the afternoon.

Can I snorkel, and what wreck am I seeing from the boat?

Yes—snorkelling equipment is provided on the boat trip. You'll snorkel over the Milo, a steamer deliberately sunk in late 1915 to form a breakwater for William's Pier. The boat also takes you past the landing beaches from the sea, showing you the approach the 1915 soldiers took.

What is the Kabatepe Simulation Centre, and when is it closed?

The Kabatepe Simulation Centre shows 3D videos recreating historical events of the Gallipoli Campaign. It is closed on Tuesdays with no replacement activity offered, so plan your tour dates accordingly.

Where do I stay overnight, and what is included?

You stay one night in a hotel in Canakkale on a bed-and-breakfast basis—breakfast is included on day two. The room is double or twin share for two people; if you need a single room, you must book it separately.

What are the pickup times and locations from Istanbul?

Pickup is between 6am and 6:30am from your hotel door in either Taksim or Sultanahmet (central Istanbul). The tour departs from Taksim at 6am or from Sultanahmet at 6:30am, then transfers to Eceabat, arriving by noon.

How much of Ancient Troy do I see, and what are the main ruins?

The Troy tour covers the Trojan Horse, sacrificial altars, the 3,700-year-old city walls, houses from Troy I (3000–2500 BC), the Bouleuterium (Senate Building), the Odeon (Concert Hall), and current excavation sites showing the nine layers of settlement from Troy I through Troy IX. The guide walks you through the site for roughly three hours before returning at noon.