Stage 51: From Canakkale to Kücükkuyu

Today I actually wanted to start early, but after a hearty breakfast at the hotel buffet, it was almost 10 am again. The day's plan was full, with a visit to ancient Troy and a distance of 100 kilometers ahead. From Canakkale, it was about a 30-kilometer drive to 'Hisarlik Tepe' (Palace Hill).

It is likely that the ruins found here by Schliemann in 1873 belong to ancient Troy, but this has not been proven. The 'Treasure of Priam', as Schliemann called it, is also believed to be about 1000 years older than the time of Agamemnon and others, according to datings. A total of 10-12 settlement layers were found during the excavations, resulting in a 15-meter high hill over the years. The oldest layer dates back to the early Bronze Age (3000-2500 BC), while the 'youngest' layer is Byzantine. There is also a model of the Trojan horse here, even though it may not have been a horse at all, but a ship.

After a good hour of sightseeing and a short snack break, I headed back to the main road and cycled south towards Ezine, facing headwind. From there, I had to overcome some more vertical meters before reaching the Aegean Sea in Kücükkuyu at dusk. I didn't have any energy left for a stroll in the evening, so I went to bed early.