In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
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 (86°F)+), Dec–Feb (cold nights, rain and snow)Jul–Aug (hot, 86°F (30°C)+), 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)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
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 (3.1 mi) from the centre, town bus in.Only for a late arrival or an early bus; 3.1 mi (5 km) 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.