Starts April 21st and ends April 26th

Istanbul – Bursa – Ayvalik– Troy – Canakkale/Gallipoli – Istanbul

Day 1
Merhaba and welcome to Turkey!  Your arrival transfer will take you to your hotel which is in close vicinity to some of Turkey’s most famous landmarks. Today you are free to explore Istanbul and we welcome you to visit our office in Sultanahmet to arrange optional Istanbul tour extras. Indulge in a Turkish bath (hamam), buy a Turkish rug, experience the hubble bubble pipe or make arrangements to explore the local cuisine or nightlife; our staff will advise you of the most authentic places in town. Overnight in Istanbul.
Tonight you have the option of attending the Turkish Cultural Extravaganza – with local cuisine, belly dancers and folk entertainment at a price that can’t be beaten. (If you would like to take this offer please let us know when booking or else contact us on the ground in Istanbul).

Day 2
After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel. Expect your luxury coach to depart from 7am onwards, when you will meet your guide and the rest of your tour group.
First stop is Bursa – established in 1299 AD as the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. There you will see the magnificent Yesil ‘green’ Mosque and tomb. Also the silk centre of Turkey, you’ll visit the nearby silk market for some great bargains. Most famous of all – Bursa is known as the home of the ‘doner kebab’. We stop for lunch at Iskender ‘Alexander’ Kebab and we highly recommend you try the doner with yoghurt.
After lunch we drive to Ayvalik (the antique city of Kydonia), known for its magnificent sandy beaches and the best fresh seafood in Turkey. You will fall in love with its winding streets and wooden houses. Visit the Devil’s Table (Seytan Sofrasi) to get the most spectacular view of Ayvalik bay and see countless islands in the Aegean, including Lesbos, from the distance at sunset. Tonight we rest at our seafront resort in Ayvalik, with cultural activities available to suit your taste.

Day 3
After our seaside breakfast, we have full day boat tour on Aegean Sea with Lunch included. Today is an unstructured day, giving you the opportunity to visit the many beaches.  There will be optional island tours available for those wanting to know and see more. Head back to Ayvalik in the early evening. Overnight in Ayvalik.

Day 4
After breakfast we head for the ancient city of Troy, enroute to Gallipoli. Arriving in Troy you will see a replica of the world famous Trojan Horse. Your guide will take you on a full guided tour of the area where the battle of Troy took place.
We continue travelling to the port of Canakkale, where we catch the ferry to Ecebeat for lunch, followed by an afternoon tour of the Gallipoli Peninsular memorial sites. You will have time to explore Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, the Turkish Memorial Sites, the trenches, the battlefields, the ‘Neck’ and the ANZAC Museum, etc ahead of tomorrow’s crowds.
We depart for ANZAC Cove. Your guide will be with you through the night, helping you to find the best vantage point in the crowd. You will experience the genuine electricity in the estimated 20,000 strong crowd as you rug up with your mates in preparation of the day ahead.

Day 5
Awake for the ANZAC Dawn Service and commemorate our fallen forefathers on this special day.  After the dawn service, you will be taken by your guide to the national services at Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair and the Turkish service at the 56th Regiment memorial.
When the services have ended in the afternoon, we head back to Istanbul, stopping for a traditional Turkish dinner of ‘kofte’ along the way. Overnight – Istanbul.

Day 6
After breakfast you will experience the Golden Horn of Istanbul on the farewell Bosphorus cruise. This fully guided tour will take you along some of the most spectacular waterways of Istanbul, where you will experience the awesome feeling of cruising between two continents – Europe and Asia.
This tour officially finishes at the end of the Bosphorus cruise. Though, we encourage you to check your luggage with the hotel concierge and spend the rest of the afternoon visiting the Grand and Spice Bazaar True Blue Tours, or you can take our fully guided Istanbul Classic Tour or Double Decker Bus Open Air tour of Istanbul available to you at an unbeatable cost price.
Please note – Istanbul Classic Tour includes – Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Underground Cistern.

Why not spend a few more days on the Blue Cruise?

What you will see and experience

• Istanbul (+ optional Turkish Cultural Extravaganza at low extra cost)
• Bursa
• Ayvalik (antique city of Kydonia)
• Boat Tour with Lunch.
• Troy
• Gallipoli Peninsula and War Memorials
• Commemorative Dawn Service and National Services
• Marmara Coast
• Cannakale, Ecebeat and Tekirdag
• Bosphorus Cruise

What you will get (what’s included)

• Personal Travel Insurance
• Arrival airport to hotel transfer
• 4 Hotel Breakfasts/4 nights 3 or 4 star hotel accommodation
• Hotel pick up at the start of the tour
• Boat Tour with Lunch on Ayvalik Coast
• Hotel drop off when you return from Gallipoli
• Hotel pick up and drop for the Bosphorus Cruise
• Extra optional pre/post tour accommodation at cost price
• Fully guided tour with the services of an experienced and qualified professional tour guide
• Luxury non-smoking air-conditioned coach
• ANZAC Day Program and map
• On ground support and access to TRUE BLUE TOUR Istanbul offices should you require any further assistance
• One ANZAC Day Breakfast Pack with Soft Drink
• One ANZAC Day Lunch Pack with Soft Drink
• ANZAC Eve Dinner Pack with Soft Drink
• Only with True Blue Tour – if you have ancestors buried in Gallipoli let us know when you book your trip and we will locate their gravesite for you to visit with your guide.

What you don’t get (what’s not included)