Edirne

Last update October 2, 2026

Edirne was the capital of the Ottoman Empire before Istanbul acquired the title, and the city still has that status 230 kilometres to the northwest of the present capital, being close to the borders with both Greece and Bulgaria so that you can sense the edge of the country here. Most first-time visitors to Turkey leave it altogether, and this is truly a missed opportunity since there are actually some notable buildings in the town.

There are good reasons to take a detour and visit the Selimiye Mosque, since it was constructed between 1569 and 1575 by Mimar Sinan, the master architect of the Ottoman Empire, when he was eighty years old and is generally regarded as his best work; the mosque is also listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Its twin minarets stand over seventy metres tall and the size of the prayer hall underneath them is something that photographs do not do justice to. To get there, walk across the central park, pass through the old Cobbler’s Arcade which is still being used as a covered market, and spend some real time inside before proceeding to the Old Mosque, which was completed in the early 15th century and is one of the earliest surviving examples of Ottoman religious architecture in the whole country.

If you’re interested in oil wrestling, plan your trip for early summer. The Kırkpınar Festival has been going on for over six hundred years and is therefore one of the oldest sporting events in the world which is held continuously, as well as a genuine cultural event and not merely a performance put on for tourists. As many as a thousand competitors, who wear leather knickers known as kisbet and have their entire bodies slicked with olive oil, wrestle for the title of başpehlivan on an islet just outside the town. People from all over the country come to the area and set up camp for the week. When it’s not festival time, Edirne is much quieter than Istanbul, easy to walk around and sufficiently flat to be explored on foot.

If you have a tight schedule—about two and a half hours each way—a day trip from Istanbul is feasible and will allow you to see the Selimiye Mosque, the Old Mosque, and the bazaar within one day. However, Edirne offers greater rewards to visitors who stay for a longer period than most border towns. You should try the local fried liver dish known as Edirne ciğeri, visit the Grand Synagogue which has been restored, and in the evening walk down to the Tunca River to enjoy the open-air bars situated along its banks. The city is most suitable for someone who is planning a longer trip to Turkey and wishes to experience a real change from the crowds in Istanbul without having to leave behind the country’s Ottoman heritage.