2-Day Pergamon, Gallipoli and Troy Tour from Kusadasi or Izmir

Your day begins with hotel pickup between 10:30 and 11:00 AM from Izmir, Kusadasi, or Selcuk. You'll travel north by air-conditioned coach toward Pergamon, one of the great powers of the ancient world. Your guide meets the group at the site itself, not on the drive, so settle in and enjoy the countryside.

There's a lunch break before the site visit, and lunch is included. Then you'll set out with your guide for a fully guided tour of the Acropolis of Pergamon, high above the modern town of Bergama. You'll see the ruins of the Altar of Zeus and the steep Hellenistic Theatre, which seated about 10,000 people.

The walk continues to the The Library at Pergamon, said to have held some 200,000 scrolls, then the terraced Gymnasium and the Lower Agora. You'll also visit the Temple of Dionysus, the Temple of Athena and the Temple of Trajan, with its rebuilt white columns.

Expect uneven marble, loose gravel and steps, so wear closed shoes with grip. There's little shade on the hilltop, so bring a hat, sunscreen and water in warm months. Afterward you'll be driven to your hotel in Çanakkale for the night. Dinner isn't included, and you're free to pick a restaurant near the hotel at your own expense.

• Overnight in Canakkale.
• Included Meal(s): Lunch

After breakfast, you'll be picked up at around 8:30 AM for the short drive to Troy, the city of Homer's Iliad. Your guide joins the group at the site. You'll start at the wooden reproduction of the Trojan Horse before walking into the excavations.

Inside, you'll trace the layered settlements and hear how the story of the Trojan Wars took shape. Stops include the Sacrificial Altars, the ancient city walls, the houses of Troy, the Bouleuterion, the Odeon and the current dig areas. The ground is flat but dusty, with some narrow paths.

Next you'll cross the Dardanelles by ferry, over the stretch known as "the Narrows," to the fishing village of Kilitbahir with its fort built by Mehmet the Conqueror. Lunch is included in Eceabat, then you continue to the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Your battlefield visit covers Brighton Beach, the intended landing place, and Beach Cemetery at the southern tip. You'll stand at Anzac Cove, where the first wave of Australian and New Zealand troops came ashore, then Ari Burnu Cemetery and the Anzac Commemorative Site. Later come the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston's Jolly with its original Allied and Turkish trenches, the 57th Regiment Turkish Memorial, The Nek and the Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial.

The tour wraps up around 6:00 PM, and you'll then travel to Istanbul. It's a long drive, with arrival around 11:00 PM and a transfer to your Istanbul hotel. That drop-off is the end of our service. Bring a jacket for the exposed ridges and something to snack on for the evening road.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch