“What on earth was I thinking when I made my reservation for this day tour?”, I thought as we set off way too early in the morning from Istanbul for the 335km drive to the ancient city of Troy. Since I was only in Turkey for a week, and did not know when I would return, I booked the day tour that would take us far out of Istanbul, including a ferry crossing, all the way to Troy.
Our first stop for the morning was in the town of Tekirdag. We enjoyed a quick breakfast before heading back onto the coach, for the drive to Eceabat, on the western shores of the Dardanelles. The Dardanelles connects the Sea of Marmara with the Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea while also allowing access to the Black Sea by extension through the Bosphorus Strait.
After a stop for lunch in Eceabat it was onto a ferry for a 20-minute crossing of the Dardanelles Strait between Kilitbahir and Çanakkale, followed by the 30 minute drive to the Ancient City of Troy, found on Google Maps here. When I was writing this article I managed to figure out that the Ancient City of Troy is different from what is now the city of Troy, in Çeşme, about 400kms further south and found here on Google Maps. I did wonder how on earth I could have done such a long journey in one day until I realized that the two locations are totally different. A drive to the city of Troy is shown on Google Maps as being 746km one-way, whereas the drive to the Ancient City of Troy is a more manageable 335km.
Upon arriving to the ancient city of Troy you are greeted by a most impressive replica wooden horse, detailed by Homer in the book The Iliad, wherein Homer describes the Trojan War. Troy is one of the world’s most famous ancient cities, and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city contains the ruins of many ancient settlements, some dating back 5,000 years and is well worth a visit.
Having taken many photos at the wooden horse, we then explored the ancient site for around an hour during which we had the chance to listen to the guide explain the history of the site and the living conditions that existed many centuries ago. The wooden walking paths are particularly well done, making your visit that much easier. We learned how Troy evolved from the Bronze Age, under both Greek and Roman rulers, and even as a small city in the Byzantine empire before collapsing. The site is currently undergoing excavation to further understand the lives of many people who lived in Troy across millennia.
Having completed the circular walking route, we headed back to the main gate. It was then time to climb into the large wooden Trojan horse, a defining image of the Trojan War. The stairs into the horse are very easy to navigate so there should be no worries about falling. Take the chance to explore the interior of the horse with about four of your new best friends. The space inside the horse is rather small but it is an experience that you should not miss while at the site.
After a long drive to Troy, and an entertaining afternoon exploring the site and the wooden horse, our tour headed back to Istanbul, retracing our route from the morning. Many people took the chance to catch up on some much needed sleep having left Istanbul so early in the morning. We arrived back into Istanbul well into the evening, after braving the rush hour traffic, but with great memories of an interesting day exploring ancient history.
Like I always do when I am traveling, I arranged my day tour through Viator. The tour that I did may be found here. Prepare yourself for a long and tiring day, but one that will allow you to experience the ancient culture of fascinating Turkey.
When I visited Istanbul I stayed at the wonderful Neorion Hotel Istanbul which, at the time of making my booking was ranked Number 1 on TripAdvisor. Make your booking by clicking here if you would like accommodation right in the middle of Istanbul, close to all the tourist attractions and within walking distance to the Bosphorus Strait. You will love the Turkish Delight that they leave on your pillow each evening and the views from the roof, over towards the Bosphorus Strait, will have you spending many hours on the roof admiring the sights of this ancient city.
Otherwise consider one of the other accommodation options in Istanbul by clicking in the box below with booking.com or with Agoda here.
Booking.comOur other posts on Turkey may be found here.
(Visited December 2014)