The Best Places to Visit in Çanakkale

Troy, identified by Heinrich Schliemann’s 1871 excavations at Hisarlık hill, is one of the most important archaeological sites in human history. Nine successive cities were built on the same mound between 3000 BCE and 500 CE; the Trojan War of Homer’s Iliad is associated with Troy VI or Troy VIIa (c. 1300–1180 BCE). The site museum (opened 2018) is excellent, contextualising the finds before you walk through the ruins. Highlights include the city walls, the paved main street, the Temple of Athena and the famous wooden Trojan Horse replica at the entrance. Allow 3–4 hours including the museum.

The Gallipoli Peninsula(Gelibolu) holds the densest concentration of WWI memorials and cemeteries in Turkey — 31 Allied and Turkish cemeteries, memorials at ANZAC Cove, Chunuk Bair, Lone Pine, Cape Helles and the Turkish memorial at Çanakkale Martyrs’ Monument. The 1915 campaign was the first major engagement for Australian and New Zealand troops and remains central to both countries’ national identity. The Turkish defense of Gallipoli, led by Mustafa Kemal (later Atatürk), was the founding event of modern Turkey. The atmosphere is quiet and profoundly moving; plan a full day with a guide or audio guide.

Assos, 80 km south of Çanakkale on the Aegean coast, is an ancient Greek city where Aristotle lived and taught from 348–345 BCE. The ruins — including a well-preserved Temple of Athena on the clifftop (6th century BCE), the city walls, theatre and agora — look across the Aegean to the Greek island of Lesbos. The village of Behramkale below has a cluster of stone houses and good fish restaurants overlooking the harbour. Assos is the most beautiful ancient city setting on the Aegean coast.

Bozcaada (ancient Tenedos), a 45-minute ferry from the Çanakkale coast, is a small Aegean island famous for its wine production, Greek stone houses, Ottoman castle and clear water beaches. The island is car-free in the centre; cycling is the main mode of transport. Bozcaada vineyards produce distinctive Karalahna and Vasilaki grape wines — varieties unique to the island. In summer it draws a younger Turkish crowd seeking a quieter alternative to Bodrum; off-season it is extremely peaceful.