Istanbul, Gallipoli, Troy & Ephesus Tour – 6 Days with Flight Back

The 6-day Istanbul, Gallipoli, Troy and Ephesus tour with a flight back: the key facts

This is a 6-day, 5-night group tour that starts with two nights in Istanbul and a guided Old City day, then travels by road along the coast to the Gallipoli battlefields, Troy and Ephesus. You sleep one night in Canakkale and two in Kusadasi/Selcuk, and on Day 6 you fly from Izmir back to Istanbul. There is no Pamukkale on this route, which keeps the Aegean part slower than on many similar trips.

It suits travellers interested in the First World War and ancient history who want Istanbul included without driving back up the coast. The guide is English-speaking, and departures run every day with no minimum group size. The price is from $1,097 per person.

How do we travel between the regions?

Day 3 starts between 06:00 and 07:00 with a drive of about five hours from Istanbul to the Gallipoli Peninsula. Pick-up is only offered from central hotels in Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Beyoglu, Taksim and Fatih, which matters if you choose your own Istanbul hotel. On Day 4, after Troy, an intercity bus leaves around 12:30 and reaches Izmir Bus Station at about 17:00, where our team drives you to Kusadasi/Selcuk. The only flight is on Day 6, from Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport to Istanbul, with 15 kg checked and 8 kg cabin luggage. Bus and flight times can change.

Where do we sleep, and what happens after the last flight?

Five hotel nights: two in Istanbul, one in Canakkale and two in Kusadasi/Selcuk. The Hotels section lists the properties for each class, and we confirm the names in writing. Note that the package ends when you land in Istanbul on Day 6: no Istanbul hotel night and no transfer from the airport are included that evening. If you are not flying home the same day, book an extra night and transfer with us or on your own. Our where to stay in Istanbul page helps with the choice.

Which meals are included?

The inclusions list five breakfasts and three lunches; dinners and drinks are extra. The lunches fall on Day 2 in Istanbul, Day 3 in Canakkale and Day 5 at Ephesus. The page contradicts itself on Day 3: the meal line shows breakfast and lunch, but the text says the breakfast stop on the drive to Gallipoli is at your own cost. Ask us to confirm in writing which breakfasts are covered. On Day 4 you have breakfast only, with the afternoon on the bus, so bring snacks.

What do we see at Gallipoli and Troy?

The battlefield afternoon on Day 3 covers ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, the Nek, Chunuk Bair and the Turkish Memorial, with a licensed guide; read more on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The page notes that tens of thousands of visitors come for the dawn services on 25 April, so expect heavy crowds and higher demand around that date. On Day 4 the guided visit to Troy starts at 08:15 and includes the Bronze Age walls and the Trojan Horse replica. Our Gallipoli destination guide and Troy guide give more background.

What should we wear for the mosques and the battlefields?

On Day 2 you visit Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, which are working mosques. Cover shoulders and knees, women should cover their hair, and shoes come off at the door. At Gallipoli you walk between cemeteries and memorials on open ground, so wear comfortable shoes, bring a hat in summer and a windproof layer in cooler months. The cemeteries are places of remembrance, so quiet, respectful clothing and behaviour fit best. Ephesus on Day 5 is a long walk on marble, which can be slippery.

How much free time is there?

Day 1 is free after your arrival transfer, and the page suggests a Bosphorus ferry, the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar or the Galata area. Day 6 has a free morning in Kusadasi/Selcuk before the airport transfer. The page gets this day wrong: its free-time ideas for Day 6 are Istiklal Avenue, a Turkish bath and Galata Tower, which are in Istanbul, not on the coast. In practice your free morning is on the Aegean, so think of the seafront or a short visit to Sirince village instead, and ask us how much time you have before pick-up.

Can we add Pamukkale or change the route?

Yes. The trip planner on the page lets you add days, swap cities or change hotels and shows the new price. If you want Pamukkale too, compare the 6-day Gallipoli to Pamukkale tour from $1,294 per person, or the 5-day bus tour of Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus and Pamukkale from $842 per person. A shorter option is the 5-day Istanbul, Troy and Ephesus tour from $1,595 per person. All our road trips on this coast are listed under Gallipoli tours.

How do we book this tour?

Pick your date and number of guests in the booking form on this page, or send us a WhatsApp message at +90 545 307 67 88. The form asks for a start time between 08:00 and 14:00, but the tour starts with your airport arrival, so send us your flight details instead. We confirm the Istanbul hotel area for the early Gallipoli pick-up, the flight time on Day 6 and the meals, and we send the full plan in writing before you pay anything. Get Turkey Tours is a TÜRSAB-licensed agency (A-15751).