Tours » Other Tours » Edirne - Tekirdag Tour

Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople (Istanbul) became the empire's new capital.

Situated near the Greek (7 km) and Bulgarian (20 km) borders, this city is famed for its many mosques, domes and minarets. Edirne contains the ruins of the ancient palace of the Sultans and the Selimiye Mosque, one of the most important monuments in this ancient province; built in 1575 and designed by Turkey's greatest master architect, Mimar Sinan, it has the highest minarets in Turkey, at 70.9 meters and a cupola three or four feet higher than that of St. Sophia in Istanbul.

Besides the mosques, there are different sites to be visited in Edirne, all reflecting its rich past. The most prominent place being the Edirne Palace, which was the "Palace of the Empire" built during the reign of Murad II. There are caravansaries, like the Rustem Pasha and Ekmekcioglu Ahmet Pasha caravansaries, which were designed to host travelers, in the 16th century.

Edirne is home to the traditional oil-wrestling tournament called Kırkpınar. Held every year in June, it is said to be the oldest active sport organization after the Olympic Games that were refounded only after centuries of inactivity.

Tekirdag is situated on the northern coast of the Sea of Marmara, 135 km west of Istanbul. The picturesque bay of Tekirdag is enclosed by the great promontory of the mountain which gives its name to the city, Tekir Dagı (ancient Combos), a spur about 2000 ft. that rises into the hilly plateau to the north. The history of the city of Tekirdag dates back to around 4000 BC.

Tekirdag area is the site of many holiday homes, as the city is only two hours drive from Istanbul via a new four-lane highway. The villages of Şarkoy, Murefte and Kumbag are particularly popular with tourists.