The ancient city of Troy is connected to myths, epic battles, and a love story. When I started planning my first trip to Türkiye, Troy topped my list of places to visit. If you’re a history lover and dream of seeing what remains of this legendary place, my guide to the city of Troy has you covered.
This post is the ultimate guide to visiting the ancient city of Troy.
Location
The remains of Troy lie next to the tiny village of Tevfikiye in Türkiye. The closest city, Çanakkale, is half an hour away. And Istanbul is a five-hour drive. Troy’s location was highly strategic, located near the Dardanelles, the narrow strait connecting the Aegean and Black Seas.
Today, the ruins of the city of Troy seem too far inland, 4.8 km (3 miles) from the entrance of the Dardanelles. But over Troy’s 4,000-year history, the coastline has changed as sediment from the Scamander and Simois rivers built up, landlocking the ancient city.
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase through my links (at no extra cost to you). I ONLY recommend companies and products that I have personally used, love, and trust.
The BEST Way to Visit the Ancient City of Troy
There are two options for visiting Troy: drive yourself or take a tour.
I’ve done both. While the roads and highways are good, I find city driving in Türkiye somewhat terrifying, especially in Istanbul. But if you do a Turkish road trip, it’s incredible. There are many places to see, like Pamukkale, Ephesus, and Cappadocia. But remember, Türkiye is a big country, so don’t try to cram too much into one trip, or you’ll spend more time driving than sightseeing.
Tours from Istanbul
A tour from Istanbul to Troy is doable, but a one-day tour is an exhausting 18 hours, with hotel pick-ups starting at 6 am. Most of your time will be on the bus, with only two hours spent on a guided tour at Troy. But if a day is all you have, then do this one-day tour!
I highly recommend a two-day tour, although departure from Istanbul is still early. After lunch (included in the tour), the first stop is Gallipoli, where you can explore World War I battlefields and cemeteries. The area is dramatically beautiful, with white sand beaches, turquoise water, and pine-covered mountains. I was deeply moved as I learned about the nearly year-long Gallipoli campaign that resulted in high casualties on both sides. And even if you aren’t into military history, you’ll fall in love with the landscape.
The two-day tour cost includes your hotel in Çanakkale. And you’ll have the evening and the following morning free to stroll along the waterfront. Don’t forget to take pictures of the Trojan Horse statue that was used in the 2004 movie, Troy. Then spend the afternoon exploring Troy before heading back to Istanbul.
Where to Stay Near the Ancient City of Troy
The closest city to the Troy archeology site is Çanakkale. I stayed at the Akol Hotel and splurged for the sea view room. Located on the Dardanelles, my room had views across to the Gallipoli peninsula. But even if you book a cheaper city view room, you can still stroll along the waterfront and watch the sunset over the strait. It’s close to the Trojan Horse statue, and most bookings include breakfast.
If you are road tripping and heading further south, recommend Assos Kayalar Terrace. It’s about a 50-minute drive from the Troy ruins. And wow!! The views! Great price, wonderful breakfast and incredibly kind host.
Myth and History of the City of Troy
For a long time, the city of Troy and the Trojan War were thought to be myths, made famous in Homer’s epic poem The Iliad. The poem tells the tale of Achilles, a warrior with incomparable strength and fury. A prophecy foretold that Achilles would either die young in glory or live a long, boring life. Spoiler alert: Achilles’ life wasn’t boring.
Achilles joins Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek forces, to secure the return of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. Helen, aka Helen of Troy, fled her husband, the King of Sparta, to be with Paris, a Trojan prince, resulting in the decade-long Trojan War.
When the poem ends, the Greeks have still not secured Helen’s return, and Achilles watched his best friend die on the battlefield. He then seeks revenge by killing Paris’s big brother, Hector.
The Iliad is more than a tale about revenge and a long-besieged city. It includes the whims of the Greek gods, such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Apollo, and Poseidon. They would sit at Mount Ida to watch the war, entertaining themselves by interfering and picking sides. But the famous Trojan Horse isn’t part of the Iliad. Virgil, a Roman poet, wrote the tale of how the deceptive wooden horse helped end the war in the Aeneid.
While the Trojan War and its heroes are myths and exaggerations, Troy was a real city. And definitely a fascinating visit.
Finding the City of Troy
Over time, Troy was abandoned, and the exact location of the ancient city was forgotten. In 1822, Charles Maclaren suggested that the city had once stood near the Turkish Aegean coast at the mound of Hisarlık. But it wasn’t until the 1870s that Heinrich Schliemann, an amateur archaeologist with a Homer obsession, started digging a trench at the Hisarlık mound.
Schliemann discovered the ruins of Troy, but his discovery came at a high cost. His excavation methods damaged the site and destroyed artifacts. He also smuggled many of his most precious findings, like golden jewellery and silver vessels, out of the country.
Things to do before you Visit
Obviously, watch the movie Troy, which features Brad Pitt as Achilles. However, the movie was primarily filmed in Malta.
Visit Istanbul’s Archaeology Museum, which has an excellent Troy exhibit. The museum is located in the heart of Sultanahmet, beside Topkapı Palace.
Read the Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. It tells the story of the Trojan War from the point of view of Patroclus, Achilles’ great friend. Or you might like The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier. The heroine is a Homer expert and obsessed with the legendary female warriors, the Amazons. Part of the plot takes place at the ruins of Troy.
What remains today of the City of Troy
The ruins of Troy are an active archaeological site. When you visit, you’ll likely see archaeologists at work. Troy is a city of layers. In fact, there are nine layers of cities in Troy, as over the course of 4,000 years, the city was destroyed and rebuilt again and again.
You’ll see Roman numerals at the site, denoting which layer of Troy you’re witnessing. The oldest layer is Troy I, and Troy IX is the most recent. Sadly, Schliemann’s destructive methods destroyed layers of historical debris. He believed he’d found Homer’s Troy due to the exquisite artifacts when he reached Troy II. He called his findings Priam’s Treasure, named after the Trojan King in the Iliad. However, more recent archaeologists date these treasures back to 2,500 BC, a thousand years before the Trojan War.
The layers that most closely resemble the Troy of myth are Troy VI and VII, due to the massive defensive walls that best match the description in the Iliad. But when you visit, don’t expect to see a reconstructed Troy, with marble columns and facades of ancient buildings like you do in Ephesus. Troy contains the remains of defensive walls and ancient foundations. There is a small amphitheatre, the Odeon of Troy, which dates back to the time of Emperor Octavian Augustus, which is a much more recent construction dating to the first century BC.
The most precious finds that remain in Türkiye are at the Museum of Troy or the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. These include some magnificent golden earrings, marble statues, and clay vessels. But if you look on the ground, you can still find marble coffers from ancient ceilings. And, of course, there is a wooden Trojan horse that you can pose with near the front entrance.
The museum at Troy is excellent, with abundant information about the site and its layers. Unfortunately, due to timing, it is not included in many of the day tours. But if you are road tripping, it is worth a visit. Make sure that you go up to the top terrace for sweeping 360-degree views.
If you love unique historical places, check out The Ultimate Guide for Visiting the Hagia Sophia, Beautiful Mosques by Ottoman Women and Five Fabulous Cisterns in Istanbul.
