Things to Do in Eceabat: 6 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Eceabat

i Photo: Julian Nyča (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

1 🏛️ Historic

Kilitbahir Castle

Located in the ancient Kynossema settlement founded by the Thracians, this monumental castle dates from the Ottoman period.

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i Photo: RIFAT AĞAR (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

2 🏛️ Historic

Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial

The 41.7 metre tall monument, located near Morto Bay on the Gallipoli Peninsula, was erected in memory of the Turkish soldiers who died in the Çanakkale battles of 1915. With four legs representing the four directions, the monument is one of Türkiye's most important national monuments.

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3 🏛️ Historic

Conkbayırı

Conkbayırı, the scene of some of the bloodiest fighting in the Çanakkale campaign, went down in history with Mustafa Kemal's order to the 57th Regiment: 'I am not ordering you to attack, I am ordering you to die.' On the summit stand a statue of Atatürk and the New Zealand Memorial.

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4 🏛️ Historic

Seddülbahir Castle

Built on the European shore of the Dardanelles during the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmed, the castle was the scene of the British landing in 1915. The castle and its surroundings are protected as a battlefield.

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i Photo: Basriemin (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

5 🏛️ Historic

Anzac Cove

The cove where Australian and New Zealand (ANZAC) troops landed on 25 April 1915 is today an international memorial site. A dawn ceremony is held there every year on 25 April.

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6 🏛️ Historic

Gallipoli Peninsula Historical Area

The lands where the Çanakkale battles were most intense lie within the boundaries of Eceabat district on the peninsula.

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While you are in Eceabat, you can also see the highlights of Çanakkale province. These places are in other districts.

• Troy Ancient City — On the mound of Hisarlık, 30 km south of Çanakkale, the city of the Trojan War told in the Iliad; it was discovered in 1871 by Heinrich Schliemann.
• Troy Museum — A museum opened on 10 October 2018 in the village of Tevfikiye, at the entrance to the archaeological site; it displays more than 6,000 original artefacts from Troy and the Troad and was established with the aim of securing the return of Trojan finds smuggled abroad.
• Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial — A 41.7-metre-high four-legged monument at the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula, on Hisarlık Tepe above Morto Bay, built in memory of the martyrs of 1915; it opened in 1960. Beside it are the Turkish Cemetery, the Mehmetçik Monument and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
• Gallipoli Peninsula Historical Site — A 33,000-hectare area covering almost the whole of Eceabat district; it became a national park in 1973 and the "Gallipoli Historical Site of the Çanakkale Battles" in 2014. With its cemeteries, trenches, the Kabatepe Information Centre and monuments, it is an open-air museum of 1915.
• 57th Regiment Cemetery — A symbolic cemetery opened in 1992 at Bombasırtı in memory of the 628 soldiers of the 57th Regiment, all of whom fell as martyrs during the Anzac landing and the battles that followed.
• Çimenlik Castle (Kale-i Sultaniye) — A castle built in the time of Mehmed the Conqueror on the Asian shore of the strait, opposite Kilitbahir; today it is used as the Naval Museum.

Practical Information for Visiting Eceabat

Suggested time

1–2 days

Best time to visit

Spring (March–April)

Places to visit

6 places

• 🐟

  Sardalya Tava (pan-fried sardines)

  Fresh sardines caught in the Dardanelles are coated in cornmeal and fried. They are served fresh in restaurants on the Eceabat shore.

• 🧀

  Peynir Helvası (cheese halva)

  Prepared by mixing fresh cheese with flour and sugar and cooking it in a pan. One of the best-known desserts of the Çanakkale region. Being prepared with fresh, natural ingredients makes it a healthy option.

• 🫒

  Zeytinyağlı Enginar (artichokes in olive oil)

  Prepared by cooking fresh artichokes with olive oil, carrots and peas. One of the classic dishes of Aegean cuisine.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Eceabat

• ⚔️

  Legacy of the Çanakkale Battles

  Eceabat lies at the heart of the Gallipoli Peninsula, where the most intense fighting of the 1915 Çanakkale battles took place. The battlefields, cemeteries and memorials are of national and international importance.

• 🕊️

  ANZAC Day Commemorations

  The dawn ceremony held every year on 25 April at Anzac Cove attracts thousands of visitors from Australia and New Zealand. The ceremony symbolises the international dimension of the war.

Local Products

• Olive Oil — Olive oil obtained from the olive groves of the Gallipoli Peninsula is known for its light, fruity taste.
• Honey — Flower honey obtained from the peninsula's rich flora is known for its light colour and mild aroma.

Economy

Eceabat's economy is based on tourism and farming. The Çanakkale battlefields and memorial cemeteries attract hundreds of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year. Olive growing and small livestock farming are traditional sources of livelihood. Ferry transport also contributes to the district's economy.

How to Get to Eceabat

Eceabat is a 25-minute ferry ride from Çanakkale city centre. Ferry services between Çanakkale and Eceabat run regularly throughout the day. There is also a road connection via the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Çanakkale

Eceabat: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Eceabat Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Çanakkale The province's 20 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Çanakkale

• Çanakkale Central District 5 places Çimenlik Castle, Troy Ancient City and 1915 Çanakkale Bridge
• Ayvacık 8 places Assos (Behramkale) Ancient City, Babakale and Sivrice Beach
• Bayramiç 9 places Taş Köprü (Stone Bridge), Hadımoğlu Mansion and İda Dağı (Kaz Dağları)
• Biga 8 places Karabiga (Priapus), Biga Stream and Kemer Dam and Lake
• Bozcaada 10 places Bozcaada Castle, Ayazma Beach and Habbele Beach
• Çan 10 places Çan Thermal Park, Etili Höyük and Çan Castle Ruins
• Ezine 14 places Alexandria Troas Antik Kenti (Alexandria Troas ancient city), Gülpınar (Chryse) Apollon Smintheus Tapınağı (Gülpınar (Chryse) Temple of Apollo Smintheus) and Dalyan Köyü ve Plajı (Dalyan village and beach)
• Gelibolu 9 places Gelibolu Castle, Gelibolu Harbour and Gelibolu Peninsula Historical National Park
• Gökçeada 12 places Kaleköy (Kastro), Aydıncık Beach and Marmaros Waterfall
• Lapseki 7 places Lampsakos Ancient City Ruins (Lampsakos Antik Kenti Kalıntıları), Lapseki Seafront (Lapseki Sahili) and Lapseki Çarşı Mosque (Lapseki Çarşı Camii)
• Yenice 8 places Yenice Forests, Kazdağı National Park (Yenice Entrance) and Yenice Çarşı Mosque