Istanbul, Gallipoli & Ancient Troy History School Trip

Day 1

Fly to Istanbul

This morning you depart for the flight to Istanbul.  The modern metropolis which straddles the Bosphorus and which spans Europe and Asia was formerly the Ottoman capital of Constantinople and before that was the Byzantium of antiquity.  On arrival you are met by your guide and transfer by private coach to your hotel in the city centre.  After check-in and time to relax, you head out for an evening in the city including a visit to the Galata Tower and dinner on the Galata Bridge which offers stunning views over the Old City.

Day 2

Exploring Istanbul

Today you have a full day guided tour of Istanbul.  You begin in the Sultanahmet district where the main sites are all accessible by walking. You begin at the Hagia Sophia which was built as a Christian church in the sixth century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.  Your next visit is to the Blue Mosque which famously has six minarets and a spectacular dome suspended over the main prayer area.  Your final visit this morning is the sixth century Basilica Cistern which once brought water into the city from Thrace.  Don’t miss the upside-down head of Medusa that forms the bottom of one column.

After lunch you travel away from the Horn and visit the Chora Church, now a museum, dating back to the fourth century where you see early Christian mosaics and frescoes dating from the eleventh century.  The frescoes are vivid in colour and incredibly well preserved.

The day continues with a walk along the old city walls and visit the glorious Altın Kapı, the Old Golden Gate which was the main ceremonial entrance used for the triumphal entry of emperors into the city. You also visit the Yedikule Fortress – the Castle of the Seven Towers – fortified city walls built in the 5th century AD during the expansion of the city under Roman occupation.  The walls take their name from the seven substantial towers that rise above them.

This evening you return to your hotel in Sultanahmet and dinner at a city restaurant.

Day 3

Travel to the Gallipoli Peninsula

This morning you depart from Istanbul by private coach and travel to the city of Çanakkale which sits on the south side of the Dardanelles, the broad strait that separates Gallipoli and Europe from Asia.

The Dardanelles have been of great strategic importance for thousands of years and control access to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.  The Trojans and the Achaeans fought for control in the Trojan War, and it was considered of vital importance during the First World War.

This afternoon we visit the Naval Museum.  Naval history is of course a big part of Çanakkale’s history, and the museum provides an introduction to the events of 1915, if primarily from the Turkish perspective. Exhibits include the wreck of an Allied submarine destroyed during WW1, various artillery pieces of German manufacture, and a working replica of the minelayer which successfully mined the Dardanelles just before the arrival of the allied fleet in 1915.

Day 4

Exploring the ANZAC sites at Gallipoli

Today we visit the Gallipoli peninsula and some of the key sites of the ill-fated campaign and its aftermath.  We begin by taking the short ferry crossing to the European side of the Dardanelles and from there explore the various landing sites, memorials and Commonwealth cemeteries.  Our visits today will include:

• Anzac Cove
• Lone Pine Australian memorial and cemetery
• The Beach Cemetery and John Simpsons Grave (John Simpson was mentioned in dispatches for conspicuous gallantry)
• Shrapnel Valley
• Johnston’s Jolly Anzac Trenches
• The Nek and Walkers Ridge
• Chunuk Bair (the new New Zealand memorial)
• Bigali Village and the Ataturk House

Time permitting, we will also visit the Gallipoli War Museum.  This small but interesting museum includes military uniforms of the campaign, weapons and ammunition, photos and private possessions such as poignant letters to family back home.

In the late afternoon we return across the Dardanelles to Çanakkale and our hotel, with dinner in a city restaurant.

Day 5

Exploring Ancient Troy

This morning we visit the Ancient City of Troy, made famous in Homers Iliad and which was excavated by Schliemann in the 1870’s.  At the entrance to the extensive archaeological site stands a replica Trojan Horse which was said to have been used by the Greeks to trick their way into the city and win the war, recounted in the epic poem by Virgil.

After exploring the site, we have time for lunch and in the afternoon can visit the new Troy Museum which was opened in 2018.  Among the collections or artefacts excavated at the site are the 24 pieces of Troy Gold jewellery dating back to the Bronze Age.

In the afternoon we return to Çanakkale with time to explore the old part of the city with its cobblestone streets, shops and cafes, before dinner in a city centre restaurant.

Day 6

Return to Istanbul

This morning we depart Çanakkale and return to Istanbul, arriving in the early afternoon. There will be time to explore the labyrinthine Grand Bazaar before dinner this evening at a city centre restaurant.

Day 7

Fly Home

This morning we transfer to the airport for our homeward flight, arriving later in the afternoon.