Çanakkale had long been one of the places we wanted to visit most in Türkiye. On one side lies the Gallipoli Peninsula, where the battles of Gallipoli left an enduring mark on history. On the other is the Ancient City of Troy, one of the world’s most significant archaeological sites. Add a lively waterfront, the beautiful scenery of the Dardanelles, and a city rich in history, and Çanakkale becomes a destination that offers far more than historical landmarks alone.
In this guide, we’ll take you through our route step by step, sharing what we saw, where we stopped, and what made this day one of the most memorable parts of our trip.
🚗 Heading to the Gallipoli Peninsula
We began our Çanakkale adventure early in the morning, leaving Bandırma by car. After a drive of about three hours, we finally reached the city.
If you’re visiting in August, one of the first things you’ll notice on the approach to Çanakkale is the endless stretch of sunflower fields lining the road. They were one of the nicest surprises of the drive. If you find a safe place to pull over, it’s well worth stopping for a few photos—the scenery looks like something straight out of a postcard.
Our plan was to visit the Gallipoli Peninsula before heading into the city centre, so instead of driving into Çanakkale, we turned towards Eceabat. To get there, we took the car ferry across the Dardanelles.
Although the crossing only takes a short time, watching the Dardanelles from the water felt like. It made for a great start to the day.
For me, though, the ferry ride carried a much more personal meaning.
The last time I had crossed the strait on this ferry, I was only six years old. Returning nearly thirty years later was surprisingly emotional. We even recreated a childhood photo taken on the same ferry—a small moment that turned into one of my favourite memories from the trip.
After arriving in Eceabat, we stopped at a small supermarket to pick up a few things for breakfast before heading to the waterfront. Sitting by the shore with homemade sandwiches while looking out across the Dardanelles was a peaceful way to start the morning.
Once breakfast was over, we continued towards the Gallipoli Historical Site.
One thing is worth mentioning before you visit: this isn’t a place where you simply drive from one attraction to the next. Throughout the peninsula, you’ll come across countless cemeteries, memorials, monuments, and historical landmarks. We stopped at some to walk around, pay our respects, and take in the atmosphere, while others we simply passed along the way.
Our first stop was Kilitbahir Fortress.
🏰 Kilitbahir Fortress
As its name suggests, Kilitbahir Fortress stands at one of the narrowest and most strategic points along the Dardanelles. It was commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II (Mehmed the Conqueror) in 1452, just before the conquest of Constantinople, to help secure control of the strait together with Çimenlik Fortress on the opposite shore. Historical records also suggest that a chain could be stretched between the two fortresses to prevent unauthorized ships from passing through.
The fortress immediately stands out for its unusual design. Rather than resembling a typical Ottoman fortress, it features a series of concentric defensive walls surrounding a distinctive central tower built in the shape of a three-leaf clover. This uncommon layout is believed to have strengthened the fortress’s defenses while allowing it to respond more effectively to attacks from multiple directions.
As you explore the fortress, you can walk along the ramparts for panoramic views of the Dardanelles before climbing the central tower. Inside, you’ll find exhibitions featuring Ottoman cannons, firearms, ammunition, ship models, and displays that tell the story of the fortress and its role throughout history.
Although the site isn’t particularly large, its historical importance and spectacular location make it an excellent first stop on any visit to the Gallipoli Peninsula. Standing above the strait also gives you a much better sense of why this waterway has been strategically important for centuries.
From the walls, you can also spot several other defensive structures overlooking the strait, including the nearby Rumeli Hamidiye Battery. Built by the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century, these coastal fortifications were designed to defend the Dardanelles against naval attacks. Similar batteries are scattered all across the Gallipoli Peninsula, and many played an active role during the Gallipoli Campaign. As you continue your journey, you’ll encounter these historic defenses time and time again.
🇹🇷 Çanakkale Martyrs’ Memorial
Just a few minutes’ drive from Kilitbahir Fortress, you’ll come across the Corporal Seyit Memorial, dedicated to Corporal Seyit (Seyit Onbaşı). During the Gallipoli Campaign, he became a legendary figure after lifting and loading a 276-kilogram (608-pound) artillery shell when the mechanical lifting system had failed. Today, the monument is one of the peninsula’s most visited landmarks. It’s well worth making a short stop to visit the memorial and enjoy the views of the Dardanelles from the nearby lookout points.
From there, we continued towards the Çanakkale Martyrs’ Memorial. Along the way, however, we passed countless cemeteries and monuments on both sides of the road. It quickly became clear that the Gallipoli Peninsula isn’t defined by a single memorial—it’s an enormous open-air historical landscape where nearly every kilometre tells part of the story. If your schedule allows, we’d definitely recommend stopping at some of the smaller memorials along the route as well.
After parking the car, we reached the memorial area following a short walk.
Located at the southern tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula, this site commemorates the Turkish soldiers who lost their lives during the Gallipoli Campaign. Beautifully maintained walking paths, symbolic graves, and sweeping views across the sea create an atmosphere that naturally encourages quiet reflection and respect.
As you walk through the grounds, you’ll come across memorials dedicated to different military units, symbolic graves, and long walls engraved with the names of fallen soldiers. Each section tells another part of the story of the Gallipoli Campaign. Today, the site bears the names of more than 59,000 soldiers whose identities have been confirmed.
At the end of the walk stands the Çanakkale Martyrs’ Memorial, the most iconic landmark in the region.
Completed in 1960 and rising approximately 42 metres (138 feet) above the peninsula, the monument was built in memory of all Turkish soldiers who lost their lives during the Gallipoli Campaign. Its simple yet powerful design, supported by four massive columns, makes it visible from many points along the Dardanelles, and it has become one of the defining symbols of Çanakkale. Relief sculptures beneath the monument depict scenes from the Gallipoli Campaign, adding another layer of meaning to this already moving place.
⚔️ Chunuk Bair and the 57th Regiment Memorial
After visiting the Çanakkale Martyrs’ Memorial, we got back in the car and continued towards the southwestern end of the peninsula, in the direction of Seddülbahir. This area witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the Gallipoli Campaign and holds a special place in history as one of the main landing sites of the Allied forces during the opening stages of the campaign.
We stopped briefly to view Seddülbahir Fortress and the nearby Ertuğrul Battery from a distance. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to explore them properly, but even a short stop was enough to appreciate the historical significance of the area.
🇹🇷 57. Alay Şehitliği
From there, we headed towards Chunuk Bair (Conkbayırı), one of the most decisive locations of the Gallipoli Campaign.
As we drove deeper into the peninsula, we began passing not only Turkish memorials but also cemeteries dedicated to British, ANZAC, French, and other Allied soldiers. Beautifully maintained and remarkably peaceful, They also remind you how devastating the campaign was for everyone involved.
The drive itself is one of the most memorable parts of visiting Gallipoli. Almost every kilometre reveals another reminder of the battles fought here—preserved trenches, regimental memorials, monuments, and information panels scattered across the landscape.
One of the most meaningful stops along the route is the 57th Regiment Memorial.
The memorial honours the soldiers of the 57th Infantry Regiment, remembered for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s famous order:
“I am not ordering you to attack. I am ordering you to die.”
It is one of the most visited places on the Gallipoli Peninsula and, without question, one of its most emotional.
🏔️ Chunuk Bair (Conkbayırı)
Eventually, we arrived at Chunuk Bair.
The moment you reach the summit, it becomes immediately clear why this hill was one of the most strategically important positions of the Gallipoli Campaign. From here, you can overlook Anzac Cove, the surrounding beaches where the landings took place, and much of the peninsula itself. Whoever controlled this high ground held a significant tactical advantage over the battlefield below.
Standing there, it’s easy to understand why the fighting for this hill became one of the turning points of the campaign. Had Chunuk Bair fallen, the outcome of the battle—and perhaps the entire campaign—might have been very different. Thinking about the sacrifices made by the Turkish soldiers who defended this ridge gives the place an emotional weight that’s difficult to put into words.
Today, you can still walk among preserved trenches, memorials, and other traces of the battlefield. Taking a quiet moment to imagine what happened here more than a century ago, it’s almost impossible not to feel a deep sense of respect and sadness.
Of all the places we visited on the Gallipoli Peninsula, Chunuk Bair was the one that affected us the most.
As you explore the hill, you’ll notice several marble plaques placed at different viewpoints. Take the time to read them. They feature Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s own reflections on Chunuk Bair and the Gallipoli Campaign, along with accounts of key moments in the fighting. Reading these events through the words of a commander who experienced them firsthand makes the history feel remarkably real.
Another important landmark marks the place where Atatürk’s pocket watch saved his life. During the assault on 10 August 1915, a piece of shrapnel struck his chest but hit the watch in his pocket, changing its course and preventing what could have been a fatal wound. Today, a monument marks the spot where this extraordinary moment took place.
After the deeply moving experience at Chunuk Bair, we said goodbye to the Gallipoli Peninsula and returned to Eceabat. Just as we had arrived that morning, we boarded the car ferry once again, crossed the Dardanelles, and this time headed towards Çanakkale city centre.
🛍️ Aynalı Bazaar
After returning to Çanakkale city centre, we parked the car near the old town and set off to explore on foot. We stopped for a late lunch before making our way to one of the city’s best-known landmarks: Aynalı Bazaar.
Built in the late 19th century, the bazaar is one of Çanakkale’s most historic buildings. Its name, which translates to “Mirror Bazaar,” comes from the decorative mirrors that were once sold here. It’s also famous throughout Türkiye thanks to the traditional folk song “Çanakkale İçinde Aynalı Çarşı,” making it an important cultural symbol as well as a historic marketplace.
Today, the bazaar is home to small shops selling souvenirs, ceramics, local delicacies, magnets, and plenty of Troy- and Çanakkale-themed gifts. It isn’t particularly large, but its stone architecture and historic atmosphere make it a pleasant place to wander for a while.
🐴 The Ancient City of Troy
Without spending too much time in the city centre, we continued to one of the places we had been looking forward to the most: the Ancient City of Troy.
The drive from central Çanakkale takes about 30 minutes, and reaching the site by car is very straightforward. There’s a large parking area at the entrance, and the archaeological site is included with the Museum Pass Türkiye (MüzeKart).
One of the first things you’ll see is a large wooden Trojan Horse standing near the entrance. Visitors can climb inside it, making it especially popular with children and one of the site’s favourite photo spots.
With a history stretching back around 4,000 years, Troy is one of Türkiye’s most important archaeological sites and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although it’s best known as the legendary setting of the Trojan War described in Homer’s Iliad, the site is much more than a single ancient city. What you see today is the result of thousands of years of continuous settlement, with multiple cities built one on top of another over the centuries.
Archaeological excavations are still ongoing, and visitors follow a well-designed walking route through the site. Information panels along the way explain which historical period each structure belongs to and how Troy evolved over thousands of years. That makes the visit far more rewarding than simply looking at ancient ruins—it helps you understand what you’re actually looking at.
Most of the surviving remains are now at foundation level, so you won’t find many standing buildings. That’s largely because each new settlement was built over the remains of the previous one. As you walk through the site, you’re actually moving across the different archaeological layers of Troy, all preserved within the same landscape.
Today, Troy lies several kilometres inland. However, archaeologists believe that in ancient times it stood much closer to the coastline and functioned as an important port city. Over the centuries, sediments carried by nearby rivers gradually pushed the shoreline farther away, leaving the site where it stands today.
🏺 Troy Museum
After exploring the archaeological site, we drove just a few minutes to the Troy Museum.
To be honest, it completely exceeded our expectations.
If you’re visiting Troy, don’t skip the museum. In our opinion, the archaeological site and the museum are two halves of the same experience—you really need to see both to fully appreciate the history of this extraordinary place.
Opened in 2018, the museum presents thousands of artefacts unearthed at Troy and nearby ancient settlements in a beautifully designed modern exhibition space. Pottery, sculptures, sarcophagi, everyday objects, and countless archaeological finds help bring thousands of years of history to life. The stone foundations and ruins you see at the archaeological site suddenly gain much more meaning once you’ve seen the artefacts displayed here. Visiting both places together makes it far easier to imagine what ancient Troy once looked like.
One part of the museum, however, left us with mixed emotions.
Many of Troy’s most famous treasures were taken abroad during the excavations led by Heinrich Schliemann. I won’t get into the long-running debate over their rightful ownership, but seeing the famous photograph of Schliemann’s wife, Sophia, wearing what became known as “Priam’s Treasure” was genuinely frustrating. Knowing that many of those remarkable artefacts are still displayed far from the land where they were discovered gives that photograph an entirely different meaning.
Despite that, the Troy Museum ranks among the finest archaeological museums we’ve ever visited.
🌅 Çanakkale Waterfront and the Trojan Horse
By the time we returned to Çanakkale city centre after visiting the Troy Museum, the sun was beginning to set. We parked the car on one of the side streets and headed down to the city’s lively waterfront, known simply as the Kordon.
We started with a relaxing dinner before taking a leisurely walk along the promenade.
On summer evenings, the waterfront is full of life. Restaurants, cafés, and live music venues line the shore, creating a vibrant atmosphere that lasts well into the night. Watching ships glide through the Dardanelles while strolling along the seafront was the perfect way to unwind after such an eventful day. If you’re looking for the best place in Çanakkale to slow down and enjoy the atmosphere, this is definitely it.
One of the waterfront’s most famous landmarks is the Trojan Horse.
Unlike the replica at the entrance to the archaeological site, this is one of the original wooden horses built for the 2004 film Troy. After filming was completed, it was donated to Türkiye and has stood on the Çanakkale waterfront ever since. Today, it’s one of the city’s most photographed landmarks, and it looks especially impressive once it’s illuminated after sunset.
Another place that caught our attention during our walk was Doğan Pastanesi. The long queue outside made us curious enough to join it ourselves. Thankfully, although the line looked intimidating, it moved surprisingly quickly.
The bakery is famous for its ice cream, so naturally we ordered a couple of scoops before continuing our evening by the waterfront.
Sitting by the sea, enjoying our ice cream and watching the lights reflect on the Dardanelles, felt like the perfect ending to an unforgettable day.
📍 Final Thoughts
For us, Çanakkale became much more than a city we had only known through history books.
Standing on the battlefields of the Gallipoli Peninsula, walking through the thousands of years of history preserved at Troy, and ending the day beside the Dardanelles made this a trip we’ll remember for a long time.
Even though we spent just one day here, we left with the feeling that Çanakkale still had many more stories waiting to be discovered.
One day, we’re certain we’ll return to these remarkable historic lands.
See you on the next adventure!
🧭 Keep Exploring
→ Seven Summer Days from Bursa to Bergama — Follow our complete seven-day road trip through Bursa, Bandırma, Çanakkale, Altınoluk, and Bergama, and discover the route day by day.
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