I would like to plan a visit to Troy for my husband's birthday in September. What is the best way to travel to the site, are there any restrictions for visitors and what accommodation do you recommend? Elizabeth Klotz, Kesgrave, Suffolk

Sunday Times travel expert, Richard Green, responds: Many tourists arrive with the recent Hollywood blockbuster of the same name in their minds, and are thus rather disappointed in the scant and low-rise ruins that remain at the actual site. However, with a local guide and some imagination, you can blot out the wooden horse and children's play area at the entrance and delve into the many-layered and fascinating histories of Troy and its part in the Trojan Wars. There is a museum, video presentation, and well-marked pathway to explore.

The site is easy to get to from Canakkale, a small port town at the southern end of the Dardanelles, about 35 miles to the northeast. You can get a mini bus from there, book a day trip, or better still, hire a car and continue along more of the beautiful coastline.

Alistair Sawday lists three small guesthouses in the surrounding countryside, or you could stay in Canakkale itself. The Hotel Anafartalar (00 90 286 217 4454; B&B doubles from £38) is right on the waterfront and has simple, but comfortable rooms, and great views from the balconies across to Gallipoli.

Contact a Turkey specialist tour operator and you can easily arrange a fly drive holiday starting at Istanbul, then visiting Troy, and then onto the outstanding ruins or Pergamon and Ephesus. Companies include Anatolian Sky (0800 247 1011), Simpson Travel (0845 811 6500), and Pettitts (01892 515 966).

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