Istanbul Trip Overview
Get to know Troy, Gallipoli and Istanbul’s Sultanahmet neighborhood on an action-packed Super Saver from Istanbul that’s spread over three days. Combining a 2-day tour of Troy and the Gallipoli First World War battlefields with a full-day tour of Istanbul’s highlights, this Super Saver offers everything you need to see three must-visit Turkish sites with ease. Learn about the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and their historical battles at Gallipoli; immerse yourself in Greek mythology at the archeological site in Troy; and admire Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and more on the final day’s tour. Overnight accommodation is included in Çanakkale on Day 1.
Additional Info
Duration: 3 days
Starts: Istanbul, Turkey
Trip Category: Tours & Sightseeing >> Super Savers
Explore Istanbul Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Istanbul, Turkey, Turkey
Get to know Troy, Gallipoli and Istanbul’s Sultanahmet neighborhood on an action-packed Super Saver from Istanbul that’s spread over three days. Combining a 2-day tour of Troy and the Gallipoli First World War battlefields with a full-day tour of Istanbul’s highlights, this Super Saver offers everything you need to see three must-visit Turkish sites with ease. Learn about the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and their historical battles at Gallipoli; immerse yourself in Greek mythology at the archeological site in Troy; and admire Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and more on the final day’s tour. Overnight accommodation is included in Çanakkale on Day 1.
Itinerary
Day 1: Istanbul – Gallipoli – Çanakkale
Stop At: Gallipoli Battlefield, Eceabat Turkey
Leave Istanbul and travel by air-conditioned coach to the Gallipoli Peninsula. After approximately four hours on the road, arrive at the historic WWI battlefields in Gallipoli where the brutal and lengthy battles raged towards the end of the war. On April 25, 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) followed Allied orders to mount an attack with the aim of capturing Constantinople. The attack was met with fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turks and the fatal fighting lasted for roughly eight months.
Walk around the Gallipoli battlefields and learn of the key fights that took place while discovering the poignant memorials, visited by people from all over the world. Stop to visit the Australian memorial site of Lone Pine and explore the trenches of the Nek. See Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial, one of the few sites that Allied troops captured, and pay your respects to lost soldiers at ANZAC Cove where some of the most significant Gallipoli battles took place. Stroll around Ari Burnu Cemetery, and see other stirring sites including the Beach Cemetery, Brighton Beach and the trenches at Johnson’s Jolly.
Your day at the site includes ample free time for independent sightseeing, plus lunch in a restaurant halfway through your tour. Travel to your hotel in central Çanakkale after your tour, and then spend your evening at leisure.
Duration: 10 hours
Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: 4 star hotel
Day 2: Çanakkale – Troy – Istanbul
Stop At: Troy (Truva), Tevfikiye Koyu, Intepe, Canakkale Turkey
After breakfast, travel with your guide to the ancient city of Troy, approximately half an hour away. One of the most famous archeological sites in the world, Troy dates back some 4,000 years and is thought to be the city where contact between Anatolia (ancient Asia) and the Mediterranean region was first made.
On a walking tour, hear stories about Troy’s history and of its development as a series of settlements. Having started out as a Bronze Age dwelling, Troy enjoyed a stint as a prosperous Byzantine town before falling to ruin. The city is also famous for its links to the Trojan War, the Greek mythological story of the Trojan prince (Paris) who ran away with Zeus’ daughter (Helen) and sparked the 10-year battle. Explore the ruins, and then visit the wooden Trojan Horse, a symbol of the town.
Before returning to Istanbul, enjoy a break for lunch in a local restaurant. Then, relax on the journey north, and finish your 2-day experience with a drop-off in central Istanbul in the evening.
Overnight: no Istanbul accommodation is included on this night. Make your own arrangements for your Day 2 overnight stay
Duration: 10 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 3: Istanbul
Stop At: Hagia Sophia Mosque, Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya MeydanI No:1, Istanbul 34122 Turkey
Start your tour with a hotel pickup, and then travel by coach to Istanbul’s historical Sultanahmet neighborhood for your day of exploring Istanbul’s top attractions and landmarks. The order of your day’s itinerary varies, but all attractions mentioned will be seen (with the exception of Topkapi Palace if Day 3 falls on a Tuesday).
Visit the church-mosque-museum of Hagia Sophia with its medley of Ottoman and Byzantine architecture
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Mah At Meydani Cad No 7, Istanbul 34122 Turkey
And then head inside the city’s Blue Mosque, an elaborate place of worship that’s known for its skyline-dominating minarets. Admire its ornate interior with your guide and marvel at its ceiling — consisting almost entirely of blue tiles — that attributes to the building’s name.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Basilica Cistern, Alemdar Mahallesi, Yerebatan Caddesi, No:1/3, Istanbul 34410 Turkey
Step underground on a visit to the Basilica Cistern and discover the subterranean passages that featured in James Bond’s From Russia with Love.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Topkapi Palace, Cankurtaran Mahallesi Gulhane Park, Near Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul 34122 Turkey
After making your way around the underground columns of the cistern, continue to Topkapi Palace — one of the world’s oldest and largest palaces that has been transformed into a museum. Explore the courtyards and marvel at the rich ornamentation that was lavished on the palace rooms by the sultans and harems of bygone days.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Hippodrome, Binbirdirek, Sultan Ahmet ParkI No:2, Istanbul Turkey
See the Hippodrome, the site that represented the center of politics and sports during the Ottoman era, and pose for photos by the Egyptian obelisk that dates back around 3,500 years. Finally, visit the Grand Bazaar to browse the stalls spread around the narrow streets, thick with the fragrance of spices. The souk sells almost everything from Turkish carpets to kebabs, so, let your guide show you its highlights while walking around.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Neon Tur, Istanbloom Residence, Esentepe, Kore Şehitleri Cd. 16/1, 34394 Şişli/İstanbul, Turkey
Your tour includes lunch at a traditional Turkish restaurant roughly halfway through the day. Dishes are subject to change but typically you can expect grilled meat, dips and vegetables. Drinks are available at your own expense.
After visiting the final attraction, finish your tour with a drop-off at your Istanbul hotel in the early evening.
Please note: Topkapi Palace (Closed on Tuesdays; will be replaced with Istanbul Archaeology Museum), Hagia Sophia (Closed on Mondays; will be replaced with Chora Museum), Grand Bazaar (Closed on Sundays; additional time will be spent at the other locations).
Duration: 1 minute
Meals included:
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.
