The ancient Khrysa Population: 1,200
Old names: Hamaxitos, Kulahlı
If you’re staying in Assos/Behramkale and have a car you may want to drive out to the Biga peninsula to visit the remains of the Temple of Apollo Smintheion (Apollo Lord of the Mice) in Gülpınar.
Gülpınar itself won’t detain you for long although there are simple restaurants and shops. There was no hotel when I last visited in 2012.
Backstory of Khyrsa
An oracle supposedly advised would-be Cretan settlers to base themselves where “the sons of the earth” attacked them. When the men awoke to find mice nibbling their belongings they interpreted this as a sign that they had found the right place. The mice were then immortalised in marble running round the feet of a statue of Apollo in the temple (sadly, now lost).
Khrysa played a significant role in Homer’s great poem, The Iliad, which relates how Khryseis/Chryseis, daughter of the priest, was seized by Achaian raiders during the course of the Trojan War and given to King Agamemnon of Mycenae. When the king refused to return her, the priest prayed to Apollo who sent a plague of rodents to frighten the Achaians. When they too begged for Khryseis’ return, Agamemnon demanded that he be given Bryseis, the slave girl of Achilles, instead. Khryseis was then returned to her father in a fleet of ships commanded by Odysseus. Meanwhile Achilles became so incensed with rage that he withdrew from the fighting to sulk in his tent.
Around the site
A couple of columns from the temple have been reconstructed to hint at what must once have been. The temple dates back to the second century BC and was designed n what is called pseudodipteral style standing on a platform with eight marble columns along the front and back, and fourteen along the sides, all complete with Ionic capitals.
The events associated with the founding of the temple were originally depicted on its splendid friezes but unfortunately even though there is a custodian on site these are are kept locked in a shed and can only be inspected in July or August when archaeologists are on the site. 
Recently a lot of work has been done here and you can now inspect long stretches of Roman road complete with the pipes that conveyed water around town.
Transport info
A few daily buses travel from Çanakkale, Ezine, Ayvacık and Behramkale to Gülpınar and back; the Çanakkale/Ezine service is most frequent.
A few dolmuşes run from here to Babakale (9km) but you should check the times carefully to avoid getting stranded.
Day trip destinations
