Troy (Truva)★
Troy — the setting of Homer's Iliad, the Trojan War, and the legendary Trojan Horse — is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Expectations are often greater than reality: What you see are the superimposed layers of nine settlements over 4,000 years — without dramatic buildings like in Ephesus.
The most fascinating aspect of Troy is the story of its discovery itself: Heinrich Schliemann, the German merchant, who began excavating the hill of Hisarlık in 1870 and proved Homer's Troy. His "Treasure of Priam" (now in Moscow) made him world-famous. The new Troy Museum (opened in 2018) at the foot of the hill is excellent and provides the context that the ruins themselves do not offer.
The wooden Trojan Horse at the entrance is a replica for tourists — kitschy but a must-photo.
💡 Tipp
Troy alone hardly justifies the journey — combine it with Çanakkale (Dardanelles, Gallipoli) and the World War I battlefields. The Troy Museum is excellent and makes the visit truly worthwhile. Come in the morning when the buses haven't arrived yet.