Troy
Winding through layers of myth and stone, Troy's archaeological ruins spread across a hillside overlooking the Aegean plain where heroes once fought.
Also part of UNESCO World Heritage in Türkiye
The ruins of ancient Troy occupy a hill above the Scamander plain, a landscape that has drawn visitors for centuries in search of the city Homer brought to life in the Iliad. The site is layered — nine distinct settlements stacked one above another, spanning roughly three millennia of continuous habitation. Walking the excavation paths means moving through those layers, past the remains of city walls, tower foundations, and the outlines of what was once a fortified citadel.
What survives at the site
The most visible structures belong to Roman Troy, built after the earlier Greek city had been damaged and later rebuilt under Roman rule. Visitors see the foundations of a colonnaded street, fragments of a baths complex, and the remains of a small odeon. The ancient walls, substantially rebuilt in places, trace the perimeter of the citadel. Excavation trenches cut deep into the hillside expose the stratigraphy — bands of stone and rubble that mark different periods of construction, destruction and rebuilding. Schliemann's famous trench, dug through the centre of the site in the 1870s, is still visible and still divides the archaeological landscape.
The landscape and the sea
From the upper terraces the view opens over the Troad, the coastal plain that drops gently toward the Dardanelles. On a clear day the strait is visible to the north and the Aegean beyond. This is the terrain that frames the stories of the Trojan War — the plain where, according to tradition, battles were fought and armies camped. The air carries salt from the sea and the dry scent of the hillside scrub. There are no restaurants or cafes within the archaeological area itself, though the nearby town has simple options for lunch after a morning visit.
The wooden horse and the museum
A large wooden horse stands near the site entrance — a reference to the legendary stratagem rather than an ancient object, but one that most visitors find worth climbing inside. The archaeological museum near the site entrance holds objects found during the excavations: terracotta figurines, a bronze serpent from the Serpent Column, fragments of painted pottery and everyday items that give a sense of domestic life in the city. Troy remains an active research site, and the story of the excavations continues to be written as work progresses.
Find it on the map
- Troy Ancient site
Tours that visit Troy
No tours visit this place just yet — tell us where you want to go and we'll build one. See all tours
Before you book you should know
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Is this trip right for you?
Our groups are capped at eight travellers, which is about a third of what the industry calls a small group. Eight people share one vehicle, one table at dinner and one guide's attention, and the day can change on the road without anybody being left behind. If you are looking for a coach, a fixed script and a microphone, this is not that.
Most days involve real walking, often on ground that was laid two thousand years before walking shoes: marble worn smooth, cobbles, uneven steps and long site paths with little shade. Bring shoes you can spend a morning in.
Some days move between regions and are largely a drive, with stops along the way. Summers are hot — well over 35°C inland — and winters are colder than most people expect, so layers, a hat and sunscreen earn their place in the bag whatever the month.
How demanding a particular trip is, is written on the trip itself: the physical rating in the header, and the day-by-day itinerary above.
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Rooms, and travelling on your own
Trip prices are per person, sharing a twin room. Each traveller picks their own room while booking, so a party can mix the three:
- Twin share — two single beds, shared with someone you are travelling with or with a traveller of the same gender.
- Travelling as a couple — one double room.
- Individual room — a room of your own, for a single supplement on top of the trip price. Availability is limited, and the supplement for a given date is shown next to the option when you book.
Solo travellers are welcome on every departure, and most of our groups have one or two aboard.
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Accommodation
The hotels named in an itinerary are a guideline rather than a guarantee. Where one is full, or has dropped below the standard we booked it for, we substitute a property of a similar standard in the same area — we would rather change the hotel than the trip.
Check-in is usually mid-afternoon. If you arrive early we will ask for the room, but no hotel can promise one before its own check-in time; luggage can normally be left at reception in the meantime. If you want the room from the night before, ask us and we will add the extra night to your booking.
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Passports, visas and insurance
Entry requirements depend on your nationality and change without much notice, so the only reliable source is the official one: the government of the country you are travelling to, and your own foreign ministry's travel advice. Check both before you book a flight.
Many countries ask for a passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, and for blank pages. It is worth looking at yours now rather than at the airport.
We ask every traveller to carry travel insurance covering medical treatment and repatriation, and we would strongly encourage cover for cancellation and for your luggage as well.
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Your departure is guaranteed — the day can change
Once a departure is on the calendar it runs. We do not cancel a trip for want of a minimum number of bookings, so a booked date is one you can plan flights and leave around.
What can move is the shape of a day. Museums and archaeological sites change their hours, roads close, weather turns, a local holiday lands in the middle of the week. Where that happens your guide reorders the day, or swaps a stop for one of the same weight, and tells you why. Changes to a booked itinerary are covered by our Booking Terms & Conditions.
