Tuesday, 26th December 2017
If you have less than 12 hours in Canakkale and wonder what you can do or where to go without spending much money, you may be at the right place. From visiting museums, getting to the popular landmarks, experience local everyday life to watching sunset just by walking. Interested? Read on!
Start of Day
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So after a much fulfilling breakfast at Canak Hotel restaurant where we stay at, we head off for our morning stroll. Read more about our stay with Canak Hotel here.
We started off by walking along the western coast of Canakkale while enjoying the cool breeze and view of Dardanelles sea. The water is super clear and there were many boats getting to and out of Canakkale Pier.
If you have the time, we would encourage you to take a boat or ferry over to Gelibolu aka Gallipoli which is well known for the battlefields of the WWI campaign between the Ottoman Empire and Allied Forces.
Canakkale Naval Museum
Initially, we wanted to visit Naval Museum but it was closed. It was Tuesday at about 10:54 am when we arrived at the gate. So we are not sure why it’s closed.
If you’d like to visit, here are the entrance fees and timing. You may visit Canakkale Naval Museum website for more information.
MUSEUM ENTRY FEES
Adult : 8.50 TL
Student: FREE ADMISSION
Under 18 years: FREE ADMISSION
Photo Shooting: 17.00 TL
Video Shooting: 34.00 TL
Except Mondays, the museum is open everyday between 09.00 – 12.00 am and 13.30 – 17.00 pm.
Yali Cami and Fatih Cami
We went to Yalı Cami aka Yali Mosque which was previously known as Tavil Ahmet Aga Mosque. This mosque is home to a few of historical tombs which is believed to be dated back to 200 years ago who died between 1814 – 1903. Previously, no mosque was built beside these tombs which had been on fire 3 times.
After the first fire, Tavil Ahmet Aga built a mosque next to the tombs and called it Tavil Ahmet Aga Mosque. The name of the person who repaired this mosque after a 2nd fire is unknown. In 1853, Miralay Halil Bey built this mosque after the 3rd and last fire. You can read more about it here.
Canakkale City Museum and Archive
Then, we moved on to Canakkale City Museum and archive which is located in the historical center of the town, formerly an area of trade and commerce. The museum building was originally made in the late 19th century with two floors, similar to the other structures in the vicinity. The third floor was added in the Republican period.
Did you know..?
“The first city founded by the Ottomans that was not built upon a previous city was Kala-i sultaniye (Canakkale).”
Entrance is free. We were given a handbook and pamphlet filled with information for us to read as we go around. Every level depicts something different and it is really nice for you to come here and know more about Canakkale.
The one thing that attracts us both the most was a very old map with the word, ‘Singapur’ on it! Yes! We were excited to see the name of our country more than anything else.
This is one of the most interesting ways to know about a city. So do come here for a short visit! We feel that it is worth our time. Please note that it is closed on Monday as well.
Entrance Fee:
Free
Opening Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Streets of Canakkale
We then linger around Canakkale neighborhood and there was a vacant house under renovation. So well, like a curious cat, I popped my head inside. The house may be small but it certainly looks comfortable and beautiful to be called home. One word, cozy.
Cats of Canakkale
The cats here are everywhere! Some of it are friendly and most are shy. In Turkey, cats are called ‘Kedi’ and everyone cares for them. Which means they are free to roam in the neighborhood and not worry about food and drinks most of the times.
We passed by a home with more cats and happened to see a woman feeding them. It turns out that she is one of the cat feeder in the area. So we spoke a little and she showed us a cute little cat home which she placed outside her house for the cats to rest and sleep. It was lovely! Such is the spirit of the community in Turkey.
Walking down İnönü Köprüsü Bridge
We walked across İnönü Köprüsü bridge in Canakkale and was amazed at the gorgeous view. On one side, you are welcomed with a view of Kilitbahir while on the other side of the bridge, there are many gulls flying above and some dipping in the water. It was such a lovely sight.
This bridge is home to a few statues portraying a sailor, fisherman and a local man fishing. We spent a few minutes here enjoying the breeze and taking in the view that surrounds us.
Next, we moved on and saw a park which we didn’t get in. Passed by a middle school where we could see students having fun running around catching one another. Took some photos at the bus stop and walk a little further to a street and then decided to head back to the hotel for lunch and check-out.
Saying Goodbye to Canak Hotel
Saying goodbye to our first hotel stay was hard. Especially when the view is awesome with friendly staff around to assist. We wished we could come back to Canakkale and stay here to work and live for a few years. Anyone willing to hire us?
Upon checking out from Canak Hotel, Mahmud was kind and patient enough to answer most of our questions and even introduce us to moovit app for public transportation and to get around in Turkey.
Search of Bus to Next Destination
After checking out at around 2 pm, we started off by searching for a bus to our next destination from a few bus services. More on this in the next post. Once that was done, we left our bags at the bus office and head off to continue exploring Canakkale. Yup, just ask the staff if there is any place to store your backpack and they will show you. We bought a bottle of mineral water at 0.50 TL.
Canakkale Fisherman Catch and Cats
Earlier in the day, remember we walked towards the western part of the coast? So this time, we explored the eastern coast of Canakkale if you faced towards Dardanelles Sea. We passed by Canakkale Feribot and stopped a while to observe the locals getting in and out of the ferry with cars and motorbikes.
As we moved on along the coast, it was here that we learnt of how tamed a cat in Turkey can be.
The left side of the photos shows 2 cats sitting nearby eyeing the fishermen catch of the day as per in the right side of photo. It is indeed a fresh catch as the fishes are still moving and jumping in the bowl.
Trojan Horse in Canakkale
If you are in Turkey and have watched the movie ‘Troy’, a visit to Canakkale would be worth it especially if you love to see items used in the set. This Trojan horse was a model horse used in the movie which Brad Pitt acted as the leading role, has been on displayed since 15th September 2004.
“Do you know?”
The first war to take place on a worldwide scale can be considered the Trojan War?
We bought a bagel that cost 1 TL.
Now, which 2 photo with the Trojan horse below is the best? Right or left? I taught whirling how to snap such photos!
Best Sunset View in Canakkale
If only we had another night in Canak Hotel, we would definitely view sunset from there. So if you get to stay in a hotel at a high storey with a great view of Canakkale, I would suggest that as another option too.
But if you prefer to be in the open space while sipping a cup of cay aka ‘tea’ in Turkish, then Şakirin Yeri cafe and restaurant located right at the end of the western part of the coast is the best place. Try to get here early as it will get crowded even before sunset begins.
There are more cafes and restaurants around for you to choose from in case there are no more available seats. We ordered a hot tea which cost us 1.25 TL and a cup of cappuccino which cost 5 TL. Total cost: 6.25 TL.
Dinner at Napoli Pizza in Canakkale
Feeling satisfied with our sunset moment, we had our dinner over at Napoli Pizza with a view which is also located along the coast. We had a lovely pizza set which consist of Mexicano Pizza, 2 pcs of Chicken, 2 pcs calamari with fries and a bottle of coke for 26 TL.
That was pretty much how we spent our day in Canakkale as a honeymoon couple who just want to have a fuss free moment together. Besides, since I had a bad fall the night before in the hotel, this is pretty much doable for me while enduring a little pain.
We spent a total of 33.75 TL excluding bus ticket to our next destination. Our lunch was a sandwich bread which we bought from the previous day.
Where did we head on to next? Subscribe and follow us to know more and note that this is only the beginning of our trip and there are more to come! So don’t forget to subscribe to join us for the upcoming adventures we’re about to share! =)
***PS: If you love history and visiting more sites, a 2 day in Canakkale will be more recommended as you can take the ferry to Gelibolu and spent a day exploring the other side. Or probably a night in Canakkale and a night on the other side will do too.
Hope you love this post as much as we love sharing it with you. If you have any questions or just love to comment on this post, feel free to do so below!
Till then…
Xoxo;
Lia Schmolphin
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