The area around the famous Dardanelles is full of ancient and modern history, where the legend of the Trojan War takes place; The sultans of the Ottoman Empire built defensive castles that today remain the masters of the coast; In modern times, it is the site of the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I.
This leaves the area with plenty of historical sights and things to do for tourists, most notably visiting the Trojan ruins. As Canakkale is so close to Istanbul, both Gallipoli and Troy are easily included in Istanbul's itinerary and make for two of the best day trip locations from the city.
Take a look at the list of top attractions in Canakkale, Gallipoli, and Troy
Explore the ruins of Troy
By far one of the best things to do in Canakkale is to visit Troy, which is 31 km southwest of the town and is on the edge of the village of Tevfikiye.
The discovery of the ancient Troy (believed to be the site of the Trojan War in homer's epics) is largely due to amateur German archaeologist and treasure hunter Heinrich Schliemann, who began excavations here in 1871.
Later, archaeologists working here not only excavated the famous city of King Priam, who fought a 10-year war with the Greeks (as described in Homer's Iliad), but also excavated several layers of different settlements that flourished here over a period of 2500 years (from 3000 BC to 500 AD).
Due to the nature of the complex excavation work, the site may be difficult to understand, lacking standing monuments (mostly foundations seen). For most visitors, though, the wonder of this tourist attraction is to step into history from the myth of Achilles, Hector, Paris and the Trojan Horse.
A visit to the Troy Museum is highly recommended before visiting the archaeological site, as the museum has done a very good job in helping to explain the ruins.
Learn about the vast history of Troy at the Troy Museum
Opened in 2018, the Troy Museum is located in the village of Tevfikiye, a 750-metre walk from the entrance to the archaeological site of Troy. It exhibits 2,000 artifacts unearthed during excavations at the site, many of which have never been exhibited before.
This is a great opportunity for you to learn about the vast history of Troy, plus explore the site's famous place in myths and legends.
In the exhibition, you will find marble statues, coins, ceramics and altars that will take you through the different eras of the settlement of Troy. The main highlight is the museum's collection of gold jewelry unearthed in the ruins.
Visit the Kilitbahir Fortress
The beautiful Kiritbahir is located on the Gallipoli Peninsula, directly opposite the centre of Canakkale. This impressive fortress, like the Çimenlik Castle in Canakkale, was built by Muhammad the Conqueror in 1452. Suleiman the Great added a sturdy interior tower in the 16th century.
Climbing to the top of the city walls here is very interesting, and there is a great view of the return to Canakkale across the Dardanelle.
Ferries from Canakkale Pier to here can depart all day if full. If you are already in The Gallipoli Peninsula, there are regular minibuses between Eceabat (the main town of the Gallipoli Peninsula) and Kiritbahir.
Relax in Gökçeada
The peaceful atmosphere of Gökçeada (Gökçe Island) makes it a lovely place to rest for a few days, especially if you need a break from sightseeing.
Admire the white sand beaches with lush hillsides and olive groves in the background, and explore several ancient Greek villages of the Ottoman Empire, filled with abandoned and dilapidated stone houses.
During the summer months, the island can be packed with day trippers from Istanbul, especially on weekends, so if you're traveling at this time, try to schedule your visit on weekdays.
Visit the historic sights of Canakkale BeachFront Park
The Military Museum of Canakkale (officially known as the Museum of naval command of the Dardanelle) sits in a seaside park on the Gallipoli Peninsula across the Dardanelles, where the Allied offensive against the Turkish army took place during World War I.
The park is dotted with ancient military equipment, while the museum (set in an Ottoman-era building in the park) has interesting exhibits explaining the Battle of Gallipoli. Visiting here is a great opportunity to learn more about the battles that took place here from a Turkish perspective.
The panoramic view of the water from the park is another reason to come here. Nearby is the Cimenlik Castle, built in 1452 by the Ottoman Sultan Conqueror Muhammad (who seized Istanbul from the Byzantines). The castle's walls still have cannons pointing at the Dardanelles, with a great view of the entire area, and there are also some paintings depicting the Battle of Gallipoli.
Visit the Trojan horse of Canakkale
The waterfront in Canakkale is home to the wooden Trojan model used in 2004's Wolfgang Petersen film Troy.
Canakkale is an ideal base for visiting the historical sites of Gallipoli and Troy, but it doesn't have a lot of tourist attractions in itself, so almost every visitor will stop here to take photos of this old movie prop.
Explore the Dardanelles
The coastline that hugs the Dardanelles has many less conspicuous monuments and monuments that most visitors miss when rushing to see Troy or explore the battlefields of The First World War of Gallipoli.
If you have time, small sites like Alexandria Trois are well worth looking for because they boast a semi-forgotten atmosphere of glory.
For those who want to splash around in the Dardanelles, the only beach on the Gallipoli Peninsula that allows you to swim formally is Brighton Beach near the village of Kabatepe.
It's a great place to relax after sightseeing and enjoy the sand, sun and sea.
Overlooking the 1915 Canakkale Bridge
On March 18, 2022, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated the 1915 Canakkale Bridge. The bridge, which for the first time crossed Canakkale (Dardanelles) to connect Asia and Europe, is the longest midspan suspension bridge in the world. More than 5,000 workers and 740 machines were involved in the construction of the bridge, which began as early as March 2017 and was also involved in the construction of Sichuan Highway and Bridge Construction Group Co., Ltd. from China.