This year Craig Martin attended ANZAC day services in Gallipoli, Turkey. Listen to this podcast for a brief background to New Zealand and Australia’s version of Memorial Day and why people are making the journey to Turkey rather than attending services at home.

 

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Arrive in Turkey by island-hopping through Greece or into Istanbul by train or flight. No visas are required for New Zealand citizens and are available, at varying rates, on the border for most other countres.

If you are interested in attending Gallipoli services, I would highly recommend booking a tour — at least for the 24th and 25th of April. The infrastructure surrounding ANZAC cove is limited: hostels and hotels are packed and public transport does not run in the service areas. Furthermore the security services only allow registered vehicles into the zone, leaving the few taxi-takers with a long, late-night walk.

While in the area you may wish to visit the ruins of Troy or catch an overnight bus to Selcuk to explore Ephesus or the coast.

Cover image by Janomie Leah.