seeing Dardanelles and Gallipoli from cruise ship

[memoie]

We will be coming into Instanbul on the MSC Opera in Oct and I'm wondering if there will be anything to see as regard to Gallipoli and the Dardanelles? Are there any ruins/historic sites left over from WW1 that we should be looking for and will we be able to see them from the ship and if we can see them what side of the ship should we be standing on? Thanks in advance.

[aquilegia]

There is a big war memorial at Gallipoli, which was on the port side. However, we passed it in darkness, around 10.30pm I think, so you couldn't see much, although it is illuminated.

[kate52]

Hi- it's really interesting sailing through this area. You can clearly see the turkish memorial to the martyrs on the port side, and another very poignant memorial carved into the hillside- it's in turkish, but we were given a translation, something about reassuring bereaved mothers of other nations that their dead sons would always be looked after and respected.

On the starboard side there is a big war cemetery, but it was hard to make that out, also the Scutari Barracks where Florence Nightingale worked.

I think most ships run a commentary on the sights as you sail through.

kate

[KirkNC]

There is a big war memorial at Gallipoli, which was on the port side. However, we passed it in darkness, around 10.30pm I think, so you couldn't see much, although it is illuminated.

 

We were the same way, I would have loved to get a view during the day.

 

Kirk

[Dunmore2]

We have been on 3 cruises through there, so that means we've gone by 6 times, always in the dark. Be sure to be out on deck to view the site.

Very profound/emotional, especially when your table companions are from New Zealand and Australia.

[eh2zed]

I also found the experience a bit emotional.

[zqvol]

We have been on 3 cruises through there, so that means we've gone by 6 times, always in the dark. Be sure to be out on deck to view the site.

Very profound/emotional, especially when your table companions are from New Zealand and Australia.

 

or when your family is from that area.

[pilotdane]

Hopefully you will be passing through the Dardanelles in daylight. As mentioned the memorial is quite visible and there are numerous fortifications of various ages along the route so have your binoculars ready. You may also see the Turkish Navy out practicing maneuvers.

[Dunmore2]

or when your family is from that area.

 

Very true. Sorry, I should have included that part too.

[durante]

If your cruise starts in Istanbul in the afternoon, approximately how many hours does it take before you can see Gallipoli and how long does it take to go through the Dardanelles?

[zqvol]

If your cruise starts in Istanbul in the afternoon, approximately how many hours does it take before you can see Gallipoli and how long does it take to go through the Dardanelles?

 

 

You pass the Galipoli area around 3:00 a.m. (it is at the western end of the strait). It takes about 8 hours to go through the entire strait.

[chrisnkristy1018]

We have been on 3 cruises through there, so that means we've gone by 6 times, always in the dark. Be sure to be out on deck to view the site.

Very profound/emotional, especially when your table companions are from New Zealand and Australia.

 

Or when your assistant waiter in the dining room is Turkish. He spent 30 minutes the night we sailed through explaining what everything meant. Seeing his national pride, but also his willingness to explain the cultural importance of everything, is one of the many reasons that I greatly respect and admire the Turkish people.

 

The Gallipoli monument is a sight to behold, even at night. It truly is an emotional experience no matter who you are or where you're from.