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Gallipoli Tours from Istanbul: How to find the Best One

As an Australian who was living in London for 12 years, it had gotten to the point that I felt like a bit of a disgrace for never having visited Gallipoli.

The battle at Gallipoli took place in 1915 and is a story known by all Australians and New Zealanders. Today there are memorials and cemeteries in the area that allow visitors to pay tribute to the many young men who lost their lives.

So I investigated Gallipoli Tours from Istanbul and came up with the following.

➡️ Book Your Istanbul to Gallipoli Tour Now

Turkish War Memorial on the way to Gallipoli from Istanbul
Turkish War Memorial on the way to Gallipoli

Things to Book Before You Leave Home
Few things are more frustrating on vacation than missing out on that amazing hotel or tour because it is sold out. Here are our top things to book before your vacation.

🕌 Most Popular Tours in Turkey:
1. Skip the line ticket for Hagia Sophia -my top pick
2. Skip the line tickets for Topkapi PalaceInstagram heaven
3. Gallipoli Day Trip from Istanbul – an unforgettable and moving day
4. Cappadocia Balloon Ride – Do not miss this!!!

🛏️Where to Stay in Turkey:
1. Empress Zoe – stylish boutique hotel in the heart of Istanbul & where I stayed
2. Four Seasons Sultanahmet – super luxurious in a former prison
3. Argos in Cappadocia – super stylish boutique cave hotel & where I stayed

Gallipoli Tours from Istanbul – Getting there and Getting Around

It isn’t easy to get to Gallipoli – particularly if you are only interested in going for one day. One option is to fly to Alexandroupolis in Greece. It is then 2 1/2 hours by car to the Gallipoli Peninsula.

However, there are no direct flights to Alexandroupolis Greece from London and there aren’t loads of good options.

The nearest airport to Gallipoli is Canakkale. There are no direct flights from London and even with just one stop the shortest total journey is about 10 hours.

Also, there are flights from Istanbul and Ankara to Canakkale (you’ll have to change airports in Istanbul) but they seem to always be terrible flight times like 23:55 departures.

After quite a bit of research, I decided that the best option was to fly to Istanbul. Also, Istanbul is a fantastic city with loads of interesting things to do – and I was planning on heading on to Cappadocia afterwards and it is quite easy to get from Istanbul to Kayseri, the main airport in Cappadocia.

British Airways and Air France both fly from London to Istanbul. Next up was figuring out how to get to the Gallipoli Peninsula from Istanbul.

Public buses are an option but the average journey time is 8 hours. Driving was by far the best option but again it is a 4-hour drive each way.

Personally, I wouldn’t be keen to drive in Istanbul, and driving for 8 hours in one day didn’t appeal to me at all. So a Gallipoli tour from Istanbul was definitely the best option.

➡️ Book Your Istanbul to Gallipoli Tour Now

⇒ Turkey is a fascinating blend of east and west. Check out my Turkey Itinerary 7 days, Istanbul 3 day itinerary and my Cappadocia Itinerary.

sign for Anzac beach with water behind seen on gallipoli tours from istanbul
Looking onto Anzac beach

Choosing your Gallipoli Tour from Istanbul

There are several options when it comes to taking a Gallipoli tour from Istanbul:

⇒ A classic one day visit to the Gallipoli Peninsula and the key sites such as Lone Pine and ANZAC cove

⇒ Combining the Gallipoli Peninsula and ANZAC battlefields with nearby Troy in one day trip

⇒ Taking a 2-day trip covering both Gallipoli and Troy

Private Gallipoli Tour from Istanbul

Within all of those options, there will then be choices around whether or not your trip includes meals, a pick-up and drop-off at your hotel etc.

Also, for the one-day trips from Istanbul the tours do vary in time. The shortest option is about 14 hours but several run for 20 hours so do make sure you check the duration of the tour.

Most tours will pick up and drop off at your hotel. Of course, the more people on the tour the longer the pick-up and drop-offs will take – one to remember.

➡️ Book Your Istanbul to Gallipoli Tour Now

graves on the gallipoli peninsula
Memorial at Gallipoli

What to Expect on a Day Trip to Gallipoli from Istanbul

When I arrived at my hotel the day before my day trip to Gallipoli the tour company had already called and confirmed my 6 am pick up time – ugh.

If your tour company hasn’t confirmed the day before via email or phone or your hotel I would contact them and double-check. You don’t want to get up that early if you don’t have to.

I was also able to ask my hotel if I could have a coffee before the pick-up and some fruit. If you have chosen a tour option without breakfast I would suggest asking your hotel to put together breakfast for you as there may not be anywhere to stop with takeaway food that you want to eat.

Book these popular Istanbul tours before you leave home to avoid disappointment.

1. Skip the line ticket for Hagia Sophia
2. Skip the line tickets for Topkapi Palace
3. Bosphorous Cruise

4. Skip the line ticket for Basilica Cistern

the words of Ataturk engraved on a memorial on the gallipoli peninsula
Moving Tribute from Ataturk

Expect your bus to be quite high quality. When I went we had a smaller minibus on the way to Gallipoli but a much larger bus on the way back.

I assume some of the tour companies work together and share passenger numbers. If possible I would check what kind of bus will be used.

If the description says luxury bus and the tour costs a bit extra I would take this option as you will be spending a lot of time on the bus.

the trenches on the gallipoli peninsula
The actual trenches at Gallipoli

My tour included breakfast. We made the stop just under 2 hours into the trip. The breakfast and restaurant which it was in were basic but absolutely fine. And importantly there was a clean bathroom.

For most tours, the first stop will be the town of Eceabat and lunch. It is a small town. Nice enough but nothing special. Lunch is normally some type of hot meal/meze etc. Again, the food won’t be amazing but it will be absolutely fine.

Eceabat is a great place to grab some snacks. Remember, by the time you return to Istanbul it will be quite late and not many tours include dinner.  

➡️ Book Your Istanbul to Gallipoli Tour Now

statue of one soldier carrying another on the gallipoli peninsula
Statue of Soldiers

As an Australian, the highlights of my Gallipoli tours were ANZAC Cove and Lone Pine, the Australian war memorial. It was very moving to see the graves of all these young boys who were most likely naively expecting the adventure of their lives.

Seeing the beach and seeing the landscape brings home how difficult a task was faced. It was a very moving trip and something I think every Australian should do.

My tour also visited the New Zealand memorial, several memorials featuring moving words, and the ANZAC commemorative site (this is where the dawn memorial service is held on Anzac day).

Most of the day is spent driving around the Gallipoli Peninsula and getting out at key sights.

My tour had an outstanding tour guide who really brought the stories of Gallipoli to life. Also, we were given a generous amount of time at each stop.

stone memorials on the gallipoli coast
Impactful Memorials

Finally, we hopped on a much bigger bus for the trip back to Istanbul – which took considerably longer than the trip out as the traffic was bad. I got back to my hotel at about 1030pm.

A 1 day Gallipoli tour from Istanbul is a long day but a great day and so worth doing. The tour company was fantastic and I think it was also excellent value for money.

➡️ Book Your Gallipoli Day Tour from Istanbul Now

Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula
The moving Anzac Cove

Where to stay in Istanbul – Boutique Hotels

Empress Zoe

Empress Zoe is a lovely little boutique hotel in the heart of the historic district of Sultanahmet in Istanbul. There are several reasons to stay here.

empress zoe
empress zoe

First is a fabulous location. When it comes to what to do in Istanbul they are all an easy walk from Hotel Empress Zoe –  the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya, and the Grand Bazaar.

Second is it is a lovely stylish boutique hotel at a very reasonable price. The third is the incredibly lovely staff. And the fourth is the breakfast – Yum.

Fabulous fresh treats and make sure you’re there when the warm savory pastries come out. Finally, it is also fantastic value with rooms starting at just 60 pounds.

Book Empress Zoe Now

Hotel Ibrahim Pasha

ibrahim pasha hotel
ibrahim pasha hotel

Another lovely boutique option in Sultanahmet is Hotel Ibrahim Pasha. This small hotel has only 24 rooms and features a great balcony with a view of the Blue Mosque. Prices from 100 pounds a night.

Book Hotel Ibrahim Pasha Now

listed names of those who died carved into stone on the gallipoli peninsula
One of the many moving memorials on the Gallipoli Peninsula

➡️ Book Your Istanbul to Gallipoli Tour Now

The Weather on the Gallipoli Peninsula

Summer in Istanbul is hot and generally quite muggy. As the Gallipoli Peninsula is a peninsula the climate is not as muggy as Istanbul in the summer and you may get some sea breezes.

Surprisingly winter can get very cold and the temperature often drops to low single degrees. It is often even colder on the Gallipoli Peninsula with the wind. Grab a forecast for your visit here.

⇒ If you’re planning a trip to Turkey try this terrific 2 Week Turkey Itinerary.

Currency

The currency of Turkey is the Turkish Lira. Most large places take credit cards but you will need cash for taxis, public transport, street vendors, water bottles, etc.

And you may be able to negotiate a discount if you are able to pay in cash at places like the Grand Bazaar. There are many ATMs around Istanbul, so getting cash isn’t hard.

When to go on a Gallipoli Day Trip from Istanbul

Spring (April to May) and Autumn (September to mid-November) are generally the nicest times to visit this part of Turkey. The temperature is still warm but not too hot and the skies tend to be clear.

What to pack for Gallipoli day tours from Istanbul

Istanbul and the Gallipoli area are quite relaxed when it comes to dressing and more accepting of tourists wearing fewer clothes than many of its neighbors.

If you’re taking a day trip to Gallipoli from Istanbul dress comfortably as you will be spending quite a few hours sitting on a bus. Once you’ve arrived there will be quite a bit of walking so bring some sensible shoes, a day pack and some water.

I would also definitely bring some type of power bank so you can charge your devices for that long bus journey. Some of the buses have USB ports but I wouldn’t risk my bus having one or it working. And definitely bring a kindle or your favorite book.

Lone Pine Memorial with graves and tree
Lone Pine Memorial

➡️ Book Your Istanbul to Gallipoli Tour Now

Who Paid for What in this Istanbul to Gallipoli Post

I covered all of the costs associated with my Istanbul to Gallipoli day trip myself. However, this Gallipoli Tours from Istanbul post does contain affiliate links. That means if you click through on them and end up making a purchase I will receive a small commission. I just wanted to make sure that you were aware of this,

READ NEXT: 7 DAY TURKEY ITINERARY

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Planning a trip to Gallipoli? Here is everything you need to know to find the best Gallipoli tours from Istanbul depending on your needs #gallipoli #turkey

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GiGi Eats

Wednesday 7th of February 2018

I've BEEN HERE! And I have to say my travels through TURKEY has quite possibly been my FAVORITE vacation of all time. SO MUCH HISTORY and SO MUCH AMAZING FOOD!!!! I have been to Greece and Italy too, but Turkey truly sticks out as being THE BEST!

The Boutique Adventurer

Thursday 8th of February 2018

Turkey is brilliant isn't it - I think alot people associate it with just beach holidays but it has so much more on offer! Thanks for the comment Gigi

Maky

Sunday 4th of December 2016

Beautiful.I love that break fast.

http://makychurchill.blogspot.ca

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