Gallipoli Travel Guide

Gallipoli, called Gelibolu in Turkish, is the long, thin peninsula on the European shore of the Dardanelles. Allied troops landed here in 1915 to force the strait open towards Istanbul, and they pulled out after eight months of fighting. Over 100,000 soldiers on both sides were killed. Much of the peninsula is now a historical national park, its cemeteries and memorials scattered along roads through pine woods and fields.

Why go

Many visitors from Australia and New Zealand come as a family pilgrimage, hoping to find a name on a headstone or memorial wall. For Turks this is where the modern nation's story starts: Mustafa Kemal, who became Atatürk, earned his reputation commanding on these ridges. Most people are struck by how near the two lines were. In places only a few metres separated the trenches, and their faint outlines still show in the ground.

How long to stay

A long single day from Istanbul is enough for the main Anzac sector with a guide; our Gallipoli private tour from Istanbul is designed for exactly that. Two days are easier going: you can cover the Anzac area and the Helles sector in the south, and add ancient Troy on the far side of the strait. Our 2-day Gallipoli and Troy private tour does just this.

When to go

The best months are April to June and September to October, when the weather is mild for walking from cemetery to cemetery. On 25 April, Anzac Day, the Dawn Service is held at the Anzac Commemorative Site. It is a deeply felt occasion, but going means planning, security checks and a long night in the open, and rooms in Canakkale and Eceabat are booked months in advance. Summers are hot and dry; winters can be wet and windy.

From Istanbul

By road, Istanbul to the Anzac area is about 300 km, normally 4 to 5 hours each way depending on how heavy the traffic is out of the city. The road follows the Sea of Marmara. The 1915 Canakkale Bridge has joined the peninsula to Canakkale city on the Asian shore since 2022, and the car ferries between Eceabat and Canakkale are still running. Canakkale has the closest airport, but flights are few, so most visitors travel by road.

Highlights

• Anzac Cove and Ari Burnu, the landing place of the Australian and New Zealand troops on 25 April 1915.
• Lone Pine, the chief Australian memorial, with the Turkish 57th Regiment memorial close by.
• Chunuk Bair, home to the New Zealand memorial, with broad views across both seas.
• The Canakkale Epic Promotion Centre at Kabatepe, a modern museum about the campaign.
• Cape Helles, with the British memorial at the peninsula's tip.
• The Canakkale Martyrs' Memorial, the principal Turkish monument.

Where to stay

Across the strait, Canakkale city offers the most hotels and a busy seafront. Eceabat, on the peninsula, is small but nearer the battlefields. Either makes a good base for Gallipoli and Troy.

Food

As a fishing town, Canakkale is the place for grilled fish and meze by the water. Look out for peynir helvasi, a warm cheese dessert the area is known for, and enjoy the local tomatoes and olive oil.

Practical tips

• If you hope to find a relative, bring their name, unit and date of death. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website gives the cemetery and plot.
• The sites lie far apart, so you will need a vehicle.
• Wear comfortable shoes and carry water, as shops inside the park are few.

Gallipoli can also be part of a longer itinerary, such as our 3-day tour of Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamon and Ephesus. Browse every Gallipoli tour.