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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Edirne
Give Edirne one full day plus one night: the three imperial mosques and the bazaar sit in a 15-minute walk, and a day trip from Istanbul leaves you rushing.
Edirne was the Ottoman capital before Istanbul, and its Selimiye Mosque is a UNESCO site by Mimar Sinan. The old core is compact, flat and walkable, so a single night covers the mosques, the old quarter and the river bridges without a car. Most travellers pass through on the D100 or the Sofia–Istanbul train; stopping is the point.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, 30°C+), Dec–Feb (cold nights, rain and snow)Jul–Aug (hot, 86°F+), Dec–Feb (cold nights, rain and snow)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺1,200–2,000 excl. bed (2026 estimate, check) · Mid ₺2,000–3,500 excl. bed (2026 estimate, check) · High ₺3,500+ excl. bed (2026 estimate, check) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Turkish coffee | ₺60–120 |
| Köfte or döner plate | ₺200–350 |
| Simit from a street cart | ₺15–30 |
| Beer in a café / tea | ₺120–200 / ₺20–40 |
| Museum entry | ₺100–300 |
| City bus ride | ₺36 card / ₺46 card tap |
| eSIM, about a week | ₺300–600 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IST · Istanbul Airport
- Istanbul Seyahat coach to Edirne, about 2.5 h, several times a day (check current timetable)
- SAW · Sabiha Gökçen
- Asia-side; you cross Istanbul first, so allow 4 h+ to Edirne (check)
Typical fares
- IST Airport → Edirne, Istanbul Seyahat coach
- about ₺600, 2.5 h (check)
- Edirne otogar → centre, town bus
- ₺36 with card, about 20 min (check)
- Taxi centre → otogar
- ₺300–450 (check)
Get around
The centre is flat and walkable; the three imperial mosques, Arasta Bazaar and the old quarter are within about 15 minutes on foot. Town buses run to the otogar and outer districts roughly every 10 minutes; pay with a Kent Kart or a one-ride QR ticket from a kiosk, or tap a credit card on board for a higher fare. Taxis and dolmuş cover the bridges and Sarayiçi.
See and do
Known for
- Selimiye Mosque (UNESCO)
- Old Mosque and Üç Şerefeli Mosque
- Kırkpınar oil-wrestling festival
- Ottoman bridges over the Tunca and Meriç
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Uzunköprü | Bus or dolmuş south, or the regional train | About 1 h (check) |
| Keşan | Bus on the D550 south | About 1.5 h |
| Tekirdağ | Bus east on the D100/O-3 | About 2 h |
| Gelibolu and Eceabat | Bus via Keşan to the Gallipoli peninsula | 3–4 h |
| Gökçeada | Bus to Kabatepe, then ferry | 5 h+ (check) |
| Çorlu | Regional train or bus east | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Old quarter (Kaleiçi)
- Wooden 19th-century houses, Maarif Cd, walking distance to all three imperial mosques.
- Around Selimiye
- Closest to the mosque and Arasta Bazaar; some caravanserai and boutique conversions.
- Near the otogar or D100
- Only for a late arrival or an early bus; 5 km from the centre, town bus in.Only for a late arrival or an early bus; 3.1 mi from the centre, town bus in.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Merhabamer-hah-BAH |
| Thank you | Teşekkürlerteh-shek-kewr-LER |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?neh kah-DAR |
| Can I pay by card? | Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?kart-LAH ur-day-eh-bee-LEER mee-yim |
| Where is the toilet? | Tuvalet nerede?too-vah-LET NEH-reh-deh |
| Excuse me | Affedersinizaf-feh-der-see-NEEZ |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- Mosques are working places of worship: cover shoulders and knees, and women cover their hair; take shoes off at the door.
- The Archaeology and Ethnography Museum and the Museum of Islamic Arts have posted weekday-only hours (Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00); weekend access is not confirmed, so check before you go.
- Some sights close for restoration without notice: the Şükrü Pasha museum and parts of the Macedonian Tower have been shut.
- Border roads west of town carry trucks; if you walk or cycle to Kapıkule, stay off the carriageway.
- Summer heat and winter ice on the stone bridges are the two real seasonal hazards.
Edirne is a small, calm city and the centre is easy to walk by day. Practical cautions: traffic on the D100 and the border roads, summer heat and winter ice on the stone bridges, and any price you agree with a guide or seller near Selimiye — settle it before you commit.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Edirne yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Selimiye Mosque (UNESCO)
- Old Mosque and Üç Şerefeli Mosque
- Kırkpınar oil-wrestling festival
- Ottoman bridges over the Tunca and Meriç
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Edirne Municipality: edirne.bel.tr
- TCDD (Turkish State Railways): ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr/
- Wikivoyage: Edirne, revision 5286287 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5286287
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Edirne
Bu adrese lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All emergencies112
No embassies in Edirne; consulates-general are in Istanbul. For a lost passport, contact your Istanbul consulate first.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/edirne). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.