Having lived in Australia for the past 13 years, the ANZAC day commemoration ceremony is a day I have always participated in. So, I thought, visiting the Gallipoli battlefields in Turkey might be great. It wasn’t too much of a detour on my trip from Greece to Bulgaria and I had time. However, Turkey is not in the EU, and although driving in Turkey was easy, getting into Turkey not so.
Coming all the way from Germany I think the custom and police is wondering what I am doing here. ”Why do you want to come to Turkey?”
Entering and Driving in Turkey
Turkey is a big country and I would have loved to see more of it but given that I still had a few countries to visit, I focused on visiting the Gallipoli battlefields only. I was also a little bit worried about driving in Turkey. Maybe I fly to Istanbul on a seperate trip? (P.S. I did, the year after… with my dad! Read here more).
Arriving at the border I had to purchase extra car insurance as the existing one didn’t count. It was an extra and unexpected cost but easy done. Then the border police asked me for ownership proof of the car, which I didn’t have. (My car is registered under my dad’s name). I played dumb and they let me through but said I need an authorisation form from my dad next time. Ok. So after all this was done and once I crossed the border, I really enjoyed Turkey and its people.
Small tip: Check whether you need a visa before entering. I had a German passport so I was ok, but as an Australian or non EU you might need a visa.
I read that driving in Turkey can be a challenge, but I found it pretty doable. Yes, there were plenty of police and speed cameras but nobody stopped me and I always drive within the speed limit (well, I try). In addition, the roads were the best I had for a long time. There was no need to use the toll highway either. Perfect!
Visiting the Gallipoli Battlefields
History: The Gallipoli Campaign was a 9 months campaign (1915-1916) of the First World War that took place on the Gallipoli peninsula between the Ottoman Empire and the Allied powers (British Empire).
Australia and NZ played a big role in this campaign. The battle has always been known for the difficulties the soldiers had to face as well as the big amount of casualties.
Today, the Gallipoli battlefields are preserved as a national historic park spread across the area with marble and bronze monuments. It was amazing seeing it in real, feeling the history and the courage all those soldiers showed back then. I could even see the old trenches at some areas.
For the night, I stayed in Eceabat and therefore had time to drive around the memorials all day. I visited the memorial at Eceabat, the Kilitbahir Castle, the ANZAC Cove site as well as the Kabatepe (Gaba Tepe) Museum (Çanakkale Epic Presentation Centre), which was amazing! Having always read a lot about WW2 this trip taught me a little bit more about WWI, so I am glad I did it. Visiting the Gallipoli battlefields in Turkey was definitely worth the detour!
P.S. One year later (2019), I can call myself a regular in Turkey. I absolutely love this country and the friendly people. Not to mention the Mediterranean Food! Whether it is relaxing, diving or history, there is so much to see in Turkey. Read all about my trips to Kas, Pamukkale and more here!
