- Travel on a full-day Gallipoli tour from Istanbul with hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Walk along ANZAC Cove, where Australian and New Zealand troops landed on 25 April 1915
- Walk through Beach Cemetery and Arıburnu Cemetery beside the Aegean Sea
- Stand at the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, one of the most important sites on the peninsula
- See the preserved trenches at Johnston’s Jolly
- Pay tribute at the 57th Regiment Turkish Memorial and the Respect to Mehmetçik Statue
- Reach The Nek and the Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial for sweeping views
- Hear the story of the Gallipoli Campaign from a professional guide
- Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant on the Gallipoli Peninsula
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A Gallipoli Day Trip from Istanbul That Brings History to Life
Travel from Istanbul to the legendary Gallipoli Peninsula, where one of the defining campaigns of the First World War took place. This full-day guided experience is a moving journey through history, honoring the soldiers from Türkiye, Australia, New Zealand and the other Allied nations who fought here in 1915.
Your professional guide turns each stop into a story. Instead of reading dates on a plaque, you will hear the personal accounts, letters and decisions behind the battles, and understand why the name Gallipoli still carries so much weight more than a century later. It is one of the few day trips from Istanbul that leaves such a lasting impression.
Why Visit the Gallipoli Battlefields?
Visiting Gallipoli battlefields is unlike any other day trip in Turkey. The landscape has barely changed since 1915: the same cliffs, narrow beaches and quiet valleys where Allied and Ottoman soldiers faced each other. Today the area is a protected historical park, with cemeteries, memorials and trenches cared for by Türkiye and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
For Australian and New Zealand visitors, the journey is often a personal pilgrimage to the birthplace of the ANZAC legend. For Turkish travellers, it is where the modern nation’s story began. For every history lover, it is a powerful reminder of the cost of war and of the respect that former enemies now share. Few places in Turkey let you stand on the exact ground where such a significant battle took place, with Turkish and Allied memorials only minutes apart.
Who This Gallipoli Day Tour Is For
- History enthusiasts and students of the First World War
- Australian and New Zealand travellers tracing the ANZAC story or a family connection
- Visitors staying in Istanbul who want a meaningful day trip beyond the city
- Anyone who prefers a guided experience with transport, guide and lunch arranged in advance
Getting from Istanbul to Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Peninsula lies roughly 300 km southwest of Istanbul, on the European side of the Dardanelles, close to the small harbour town of Eceabat. After an early hotel pick-up, you travel in a comfortable vehicle through the Thracian countryside and arrive on the peninsula in around four and a half to five hours. Your guide uses the drive to share the background of the campaign, so you arrive ready to understand every site you visit.
Travelling independently from Istanbul to Gallipoli means long bus connections to Eceabat or Çanakkale, a local taxi or guide on arrival, and an overnight stay. An organized Istanbul to Gallipoli day trip removes that hassle: one booking covers the driver, guide, lunch and your hotel transfers in Istanbul.
1. Hotel Pick-up in Istanbul and Drive to the Peninsula
Your day starts with an early-morning pick-up from your hotel in Taksim, Sultanahmet or Karaköy. Relax as you leave Istanbul behind and head west toward the Dardanelles while your guide introduces the campaign, its commanders and the events that led to the 1915 landings.
2. Brighton Beach
Begin at Brighton Beach, the stretch of shore where Allied forces originally planned to land. Here your guide explains how the landing boats drifted north in the darkness on the morning of 25 April 1915, a change that shaped the entire campaign.
3. Beach Cemetery and ANZAC Cove
Continue to Beach Cemetery, the final resting place of many ANZAC soldiers, before walking along the famous ANZAC Cove. This small bay is where thousands of Australian and New Zealand troops came ashore under fire. Looking up at the cliffs they faced, you quickly understand the challenge of that first day. For many guests, this is the emotional heart of all ANZAC Cove tours from Istanbul.
4. Arıburnu Cemetery, ANZAC Commemorative Site and Mehmetçik Statue
Continue to Arıburnu Cemetery and the nearby ANZAC Commemorative Site at North Beach, where the Dawn Service is held every year on ANZAC Day. Then pause at the Respect to Mehmetçik Statue, which shows a Turkish soldier carrying a wounded Allied officer to safety, a symbol of the courage and humanity remembered on both sides.
5. Lunch at a Local Restaurant
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing your historical exploration. Drinks are not included.
6. Lone Pine Australian Memorial
Stand at the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, scene of fierce fighting in August 1915. The memorial and Lone Pine Cemetery also commemorate Australian and New Zealand soldiers who have no known grave.
7. Johnston’s Jolly and the 57th Regiment Memorial
At Johnston’s Jolly, preserved trenches reveal how close the opposing forces stood, in places only metres apart. Nearby stands the 57th Regiment Memorial, dedicated to the Turkish regiment that held the line under Mustafa Kemal on the first day of the landing, at the cost of almost all its men.
8. The Nek
See The Nek, a narrow ridge where Australian Light Horsemen charged on 7 August 1915, one of the most tragic episodes of the campaign.
9. Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial
Finish at Chunuk Bair, one of the highest points of the peninsula, home to the New Zealand Memorial and sweeping views over the battlefields and the Aegean.
10. Return to Istanbul
The guided visit concludes at approximately 17:30. You then return to Istanbul, with drop-off at your hotel in the late evening.
Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off (Taksim, Sultanahmet & Karaköy)
- Professional English-speaking tour guide
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Round-trip transportation between Istanbul and the Gallipoli Peninsula
Not included
- Drinks during lunch
- Personal expenses
- Tips (optional)
- Hotel pick-up is available from Taksim, Sultanahmet and Karaköy; if your Istanbul hotel is elsewhere, contact us before booking.
- This is a full-day tour with several hours of road travel in each direction.
- Moderate walking is required at outdoor historical sites.
- Many locations are open-air memorials with uneven ground.
- Dress respectfully; you will be visiting cemeteries and places of remembrance.
- The itinerary may be adjusted due to traffic, weather or operational conditions.
- The tour generally finishes around 17:30, followed by the return transfer to Istanbul.
Gallipoli ANZAC Day Tour: Visiting Around 25 April
ANZAC Day on 25 April is the most meaningful time of year to be at Gallipoli, with the Dawn Service at the ANZAC Commemorative Site followed by services at Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair. Access to the peninsula is controlled around these days, attendance arrangements apply and demand is very high, so the standard daily schedule may change. If you are planning a Gallipoli ANZAC Day tour, contact our team well in advance to check availability.
Best Days to Take a Gallipoli Tour from Istanbul
Gallipoli tours from Istanbul run all year, and each season offers something different. Spring and autumn days are mild and ideal for walking between the memorials. Summer days are long and bright, but the ridges have little shade. Winter tours are quieter, with cooler, windier weather. Most day tours from Istanbul stop in or near Eceabat, the small town on the peninsula that serves as the gateway to the battlefields, and many travellers who stay longer in the region use Eceabat or Çanakkale as a base for a second day at Troy. For a relaxed Turkey itinerary, plan your Gallipoli day tour between busier sightseeing days in Istanbul, as it is a long but rewarding day on the road.
Why Book Your Gallipoli Tours with Shop and Travel Turkey
We design tours for travellers who want history told well and logistics handled for them. Every one of our guided tours and day trips from Istanbul includes: - Local team based in Istanbul, with support before and during your trip - Hotel transfers from the main Istanbul neighborhoods included - Professional English-speaking guides who know the history in depth - Clear inclusions, with lunch and round-trip transportation in one price.
More Tours from Istanbul
Staying longer in Turkey? Pair this Gallipoli day tour from Istanbul with our other tours to build a complete Turkey itinerary:
- Daily Troy Tour from Istanbul – visit ancient Troy across the Dardanelles on a separate day
- 5-Day Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour from Istanbul – a multi-day itinerary covering the Aegean highlights
- Istanbul City Tour of the Old City – see Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace with a local guide
- Ephesus Classic Group Tour – an Ephesus tour of one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world
- Cappadocia Green Tour – a full-day Cappadocia tour of valleys and an underground city
Frequently Asked Questions About Gallipoli Tour From Istanbul
Can I do a day trip to Gallipoli from Istanbul?
Yes. Although Gallipoli is about 300 km from Istanbul, a guided Gallipoli day trip from Istanbul is the easiest way to visit. Transport, guide and lunch are arranged for you, and you are back at your hotel the same evening.
How far is Gallipoli from Istanbul?
The Gallipoli Peninsula is roughly 300 km from Istanbul, about four and a half to five hours by road each way, depending on traffic.
Is it worth going to Gallipoli?
Yes, especially if you have an interest in history or a family connection to the campaign. Standing on the landing beaches and high ridges gives the history a meaning no book or museum can match.
How much does it cost to go to Gallipoli from Istanbul?
The price of a Gallipoli tour from Istanbul depends on your travel date and the number of guests. Check the live price in the booking box on this page. It includes hotel transfers, an English-speaking guide, lunch and round-trip transportation, so there are few extra costs apart from drinks and tips.
What time does the tour finish?
The guided visit on the peninsula ends around 17:30. You then drive back to Istanbul, arriving at your hotel in the late evening.
Which sites does the tour include?
The tour covers the main landing beaches, cemeteries and memorials of the ANZAC area, from Brighton Beach and the cove where the troops came ashore to Johnston’s Jolly, The Nek and Chunuk Bair. See the itinerary above for the full list of stops.
Are there other Gallipoli tours from Istanbul?
Yes. Besides this daily tour, you can visit the peninsula on a multi-day tour from Istanbul that adds Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus and Pamukkale, or ask our team about private tours for your group.
Do I need tickets for the memorials?
The cemeteries and memorials on this tour are open-air sites and do not require entrance tickets.
Can I join a Gallipoli tour on ANZAC Day?
Special arrangements apply around 25 April because of access controls and high demand. Contact us early to check availability for ANZAC Day, as tours around these days fill up months ahead. Many visitors also arrive in Eceabat a day early.
Is a private Gallipoli tour available?
If you prefer a private tour for your family or group, contact our team to check whether a private option is available for your dates.
What is the best time to visit Gallipoli?
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November) offer mild weather for walking. Summer is hot and sunny, while winter can be cold and windy on the ridges.
Can I combine Gallipoli with Troy?
Yes. Troy sits across the Dardanelles near Çanakkale. Book our Troy tour from Istanbul on another day, or choose a multi-day tour that covers Gallipoli and Troy.
