5 Days Istanbul Gallipoli Troy Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul & Transfer to Hotel

Upon your arrival at Istanbul airport, you will be met by your driver with a sign with your name and you will be transferred to your hotel. Enjoy a free day in İstanbul and an overnight stay in a hotel in the city.

Day 2: Istanbul

Hagia Sophia: The Byzantine emperor Justinian I, had Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) built, in all its glory, in less than five and a half years. Finalized in 537 AD, this patriarchal basilica persisted as the largest cathedral in the world until 1453, when Constantinople was conquered by Ottoman armies and Sultan Mehmet, the Conqueror, converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque.
This was the former spiritual heart of the Byzantine Empire, considered to be the 8th Wonder of the World; Hagia Sophia is now a museum.

Blue Mosque: Dating from the 17th century, this architectural masterpiece is well-known for its exquisite blue tiles and six elegant minarets. The Sultanahmet Mosque, or as it is commonly known, the Blue Mosque, took its name from the ruler at the time of its construction, Sultan Ahmet I. Built between 1609 and 1616, it is also known as the Blue Mosque for its thousands of blue and green toned tiles adorning its ceiling.
It stands next to Hagia Sophia, architected by Sedefkar Mehmet Aga, and it’s said that the Sultan built the Blue Mosque in an attempt to rival the beauty of the former basilica.

Hippodrome of Constantinople: The construction of the Hippodrome began in 203 AD by a Roman Emperor and it was completed by Constantine the Great in 330 AD. Because of its immense capacity, the population of Constantinople came to observe the ceremonies, sporting events, demonstrations, and even executions which took place at the Hippodrome. During the Ottoman era, the Hippodrome was especially used for chariot races, leading to its Turkish name ‘At Meydani’- literally ‘Horse Square.’

Grand Bazaar: Being one of largest covered markets in the world and the oldest one, the Grand Bazaar has more than 60 streets and 4.000 shops, where you will find in an authentic oriental atmosphere and all kind of gifts: from leather clothing and to jewellery and hand-woven fabrics.

Topkapi Imperial Palace: The palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments and nowadays is a major tourist attraction, containing the most holy relics of the Muslim world such as the prophet Muhammed’s cloak and sword. Topkapı Palace is among the monuments which belong to the “Historic Areas of Istanbul”, becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and is described in Criterion İV as “the best example of palaces of the Ottoman period.”

Suleymaniye Mosque: Built by the famous architect Sinan in 1557 for Sultan Suleyman, known as Suleyman The Magnificent. It combines tall, slender minarets with large domed buildings supported by half domes in the style of the Byzantine museum Hagia Sophia.

At 17:00 after the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Day 3: Gallipoli

To join the Gallipoli Tour, you will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and we will drive you to the tour’ starting point: the waterfront where one of the most well-known battles of the WWI took place. There, you will learn more about this battle, its history and facts.
Later on, we will continue to the Kabatepe War Museum, which contains relics from the battle including original diary extracts and letters. Next, we visit the Brighton Beach, the intended landing place by the Allies and the Anzac Cove where dawn services are held on each Anzac Day (25th of April).
You will also visit the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston’s Jolly and the Chunk Bair New Zealand Memorial. After visiting the Kilitbahir fortress, our last stop, which was built in 1453 by Mehmet II, the Conqueror (to honor his successful siege of Constantinople), you will be transferred to your hotel at around 18:00. Spend the night in a hotel in Eceabat or Canakkale.

Day 4: Troy Tour

After breakfast we will drive to Troy. Here you will learn the mythology surrounding Troy, The Trojan Horse and Helen of Troy. Until now, 10 cities have been discovered there, one built on the top of the other, dating back to 3500 BC. You will also hear about the battle between Archillies and Paris, the Remains of Troy IX, the Alters and the Houses of Troy I, dating back to 2500 BC.
After our morning Troy tour we will depart from Canakkale and drive back to Istanbul. After arrival we will transfer you back to your hotel.

Day 5: Departure from Istanbul

After breakfast check out from hotel (before 10:00), and we will transfer you to Istanbul Ataturk Airport regarding your flight details.

If you like, you can extend your trip by adding extra nights in Istanbul, please request it.