Your 3-day tour introduces you to the history-rich sites of Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamum and Ephesus. Enjoy walking tours and free time to learn about Turkey while seeing time-honored landmarks, and travel between the historical sites with an expert guide.
Four-star hotel accommodation is included in both Çanakkale and Kusadasi, and all meals (excluding breakfast on Day 1 and dinner on Day 3) come as part of the package.Day 1: Istanbul – Gallipoli – Çanakkale (L, D)
Start your 3-day tour with a pickup from central Istanbul, and then travel by coach to the battlefields of Gallipoli. During the journey, listen to your guide give background on the historical peninsula region where one of the most bloody and lengthy campaigns of WWI was waged. On April 25, 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) followed Allied orders to mount an attack on Constantinople. The attack was met with fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turks and the campaign dragged out for more than half a year, with thousands of fatalities.
After a break for lunch in the area, set off on your Gallipoli walking tour to learn about the key battles and see several poignant memorials that are visited by countless nations. Stroll to Australia’s main memorial site at Lone Pine and explore the trenches of the Nek while hearing about the troops that stormed the surrounding woodland. See Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial, pay your respects to fallen soldiers at ANZAC Cove, and see exhibits relating to the battles at Kabatepe Museum.
In the early evening, travel across the Dardanelles Strait and check into your Çanakkale hotel in time for dinner.
Overnight: 4-star Kolin Hotel or Helen Hotel in Çanakkale
Day 2: Çanakkale – Troy – Pergamum – Kusadasi (B, L, D)
Enjoy breakfast before traveling with your guide to nearby Troy. One of the world’s most famous archeological sites, Troy was developed as a series of settlements, and enjoyed stints as a Bronze Age dwelling and a Byzantine town before falling into a state of ruin. Learn of its links to the Trojan War — the Greek mythological story of the Trojan prince (Paris) who ran away with Zeus’ daughter (Helen) and sparked a 10-year battle — while visiting the Trojan Horse. The impressive wooden sculpture serves as a symbol for the town, and your guide will make sure you have some free time to take close-up photos.
Take a break for lunch in town, and then travel to Pergamum, another of the country’s prominent ancient cities, for a tour of its ancient medical center: Pergamum Asclepion. The intriguing site started by offering holistic remedies (sunbathing or herb eating were commonly prescribed) but grew into a groundbreaking medical school — the work of which contributed to the basic principles of Western medicine.
Having explored the Asclepion, continue traveling to Kusadasi where your hotel awaits. Check in, enjoy dinner and then spend the rest of your evening at leisure.
Overnight: 4-star Pine Bay Marina or Grand Onder Hotel in Kusadasi
Day 3: Kusadasi – Ephesus – House of the Virgin Mary -- Kusadasi (B, L)
Check out of your Kusadasi hotel after breakfast and travel to the city of Ephesus, an archeological site that’s considered to be one of Europe’s best-preserved Classical cities. On a walking tour of the ruins, see incredible sights such as the colonnaded Arcadian Way and the Temple of Hadrian that was built to celebrate the Emperor’s visits to the city.
Take a break for lunch in town, and then continue to the House of the Virgin Mary, where some say that the Virgin Mary spent her final days. Look inside the chapel and hear from your guide about its history as a place of pilgrimage. Then, return to your coach and travel back to central Kusadasi where your tour finishes with a hotel drop-off.
