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The Dardanelles, formerly known as Hellespont ("Sea of Helle"), is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey, 61 km long but only 1.2 to 6 km wide. Separating Europe (the Gallipoli peninsula) from Asia (Anatolia), it connects the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara and further on to the Bosphorus leading to the Black Sea. It has thus alway played a strategic role in history.

On the way to Troy we first stop on the Gallipoli peninsula, venue of a battle from 19 February 1915 to 9 January 1916 in World War I. The Enteinte Powers (Britain, France and the Russion Empire), sought to weaken the Ottoman Empire, one of the Central Powers (the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria) by taking control of the straits and attacking Istanbul. After the Entente fleet failed to force a passage through the Dardanelles an amphibious landing on the Gallipoli peninsula began in April 1915. In January 1916, after eight months' fighting, with approximately 250,000 casualties on each side, the land campaign was abandoned and the invasion force was withdrawn.

The campaign was considered a great Ottoman victory and the basis for the Turkish War of Independence and the declaration of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who rose to prominence as a commander at Gallipoli, as founder and president.

On the peninsula of Gallipoli trenches of the fights are still remaining. And there are a number of gigantic Turkish memorials.

Above and below: Looking from Gallipoli to the Dardanelles.

Below: Arriving in the provincial capital Canakkale, some 30 km North of ancient Troy.