Day Trips from Kirklareli: Where to Go

By All Over InformationUpdated August 10, 20268 min read

Kirklareli is the ideal base for exploring the far northwest of Turkish Thrace, a compact province of forests, Black Sea coast and ancient towns that most travelers never reach. Within an hour of the city you can walk the Byzantine walls of Vize, eat fish in the harbor of Kiyikoy, or lose yourself in the floodplain forests of Igneda, and a little further lies the great Ottoman city of Edirne or even the border of Bulgaria. These are the day trips that make Kirklareli a destination rather than a stopover.

Vize: Walls and the Little Hagia Sophia

Vize, less than an hour south of the city, is the most atmospheric day trip in the province. The town was an important center of the ancient Thracians and a Byzantine stronghold, and its walls still encircle the old quarter in an almost complete circuit.

The church of Hagia Sophia, a small Byzantine building of brick and stone that dates from the early centuries of the Byzantine era, is the town’s treasure. It survives in use, and its plain, powerful interior is a world away from the great churches of Istanbul.

A half-day is right: walk the walls, visit the church, wander the lanes inside the fortifications and have lunch in the town. Vize is almost undiscovered, and its quiet, layered atmosphere is the best of the province. The hill above the town gives the classic view over the walls and the plain, and the climb, though short, is the finest way to finish the visit.

Kiyikoy: The Black Sea Village

About an hour south of the city, Kiyikoy is the Black Sea village of the province, and its harbor is one of the most picturesque in Turkish Thrace. The fishing boats, the colorful houses and the fish restaurants make it the natural coastal day trip from Kirklareli.

Beyond the harbor, the cliffs hold the Aya Nikola cave church, a rock-cut monastery that has been a pilgrimage site for centuries. The walk along the shore to the cave is beautiful, and the little beach at its mouth invites a swim on a warm day.

The village is at its best in summer, especially on weekday afternoons, when the weekend crowds are absent. A meal of the day’s catch by the water is the essential experience, and the drive there and back is quick. The stretch of coast around the village, with its red-brown cliffs and its quiet coves, is the most scenic in the province, and the sunset over the Black Sea is the proper ending to the day.

Kirklareli, Turkey — Photo by Christian_Crowd on Pixabay

Igneda: Longoz Forests and Lakes

The longoz forests of Igneda, at the southern tip of the province, are among the rarest habitats in Turkey: floodplain forests flooded by the rivers in the wet season, creating a swamp-forest of alder and ash. The area is protected as a national park.

The forest is threaded with trails and boardwalks, and the lakes among the trees mirror the canopy. It is home to wild boar, wolves and a rich bird life, and the wild Black Sea beaches nearby complete the landscape.

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, when the water levels are high and the forest is full of life. Bring boots and binoculars, allow a full day, and the longoz will feel like the discovery of the trip. The lakes and the beaches make the area a complete excursion in itself, and the picnic spots under the big trees are the province at its most peaceful.

Dupnisa Cave and Demirkoy

In the forests of Demirkoy, about an hour from the city, the Dupnisa cave opens one of the most impressive underground systems in the Balkans. Its galleries of stalactites and stalagmites are lit for visitors, and the setting, deep in the forest, adds to the sense of adventure.

The cave is home to one of the largest bat colonies in the region, and the visitor route is managed to protect it. The cool interior is a welcome escape in summer, and the forest walks around the entrance complete the visit. The drive to the cave, through the forested highlands, is itself one of the prettiest roads in the province, and the sudden cool of the cave mouth is a memorable arrival.

Combine the cave with the town of Demirkoy, where the restored Ottoman ironworks show the province’s industrial past. Together they make a full, varied day in the highlands.

Pinarhisar and the Countryside

The countryside of the province is the quiet backdrop to all its day trips, and Pinarhisar, about forty minutes from the city, is the classic rural destination. The town itself is modest, but the rolling farmland and the villages around it are the province at its most typical.

The roads between the villages pass through fields of wheat and sunflowers, past grazing herds and the occasional old manor or mosque. It is a landscape of enormous skies and slow rhythms, and it rewards a drive with no particular destination.

The simplest plan is a loop drive: out through Pinarhisar, lunch in a village, and back by a different road. The province is small enough that the whole circuit fits an afternoon. The tea gardens of the villages are the natural stopping points, and the hospitality of the countryside, with tea offered and directions given, is one of the pleasures of the drive.

Saray and the Southern Plains

Saray, on the southern edge of the province, is the market town of the Thracian plain, and its weekly market is the social event of the region. On market days the villages empty into town, and the stalls fill with produce, livestock and household goods.

The town’s position makes it a natural stop on a route toward the south, and its position in the plain gives views across the farmland in every direction. The market is the attraction, and the atmosphere is the genuine life of the province.

For most visitors, Saray is a market-day excursion, and the timing matters: come on the market day, and the town shows its true face. On other days it is a quiet provincial town with a tea garden and not much else. Ask at your hotel in Kirklareli which day the market falls, and plan the trip around it, since the market is the life of the town.

Edirne: The Great Ottoman City

If you have not visited Edirne, the great Ottoman capital is a day trip from Kirklareli, about an hour and a half by road. The Selimiye Mosque, the masterpiece of the architect Sinan, is reason enough, and the old bazaar and the rivers add a full day of wandering.

The drive passes through the flat Thracian plain, and the contrast between the quiet province and the historic city is part of the pleasure. Edirne is a proper destination in its own right, and a day there is a day well spent.

Plan an early start, and the day divides naturally: the mosques in the morning, the liver lunch at noon, and the rivers and the bazaar in the afternoon. It is the biggest day trip on this list and one of the best, and it gives the traveler of the province the full sweep of Thracian history in a single day.

Into Bulgaria: The Derekoy Crossing

Kirklareli is one of the easiest places in Turkey to cross into another country, and the border gate at Derekoy, about half an hour from the city, connects to the Bulgarian side. A day trip across the border is a genuine possibility.

On the Bulgarian side, the roads lead to the border towns and beyond, and even a short crossing, for lunch and a walk in a Bulgarian town, has the thrill of a second country in a day. Your passport and a little planning are all you need.

The crossing involves customs and possible queues, so allow time and carry the necessary documents. For many travelers, the border day is the highlight of a Kirklareli visit, the proof of the province’s position at the edge of Europe. Check the gate hours before you go, and remember that the Bulgarian side runs on a different time zone in winter, a detail that catches out even experienced travelers.

Planning Your Trips: Transport and Timing

All of these trips are best made with a car, and the province is ideal driving country: short distances, good roads and light traffic. Public transport connects the main towns, with minibuses to Vize, Kiyikoy and Demirkoy, but the forests, the beaches and the villages are far easier with wheels.

Plan one destination per day, start early, and build in time for a long lunch, which the province takes seriously. The distances are short enough that you can be back in the city for dinner every evening.

The best seasons are spring and autumn, when the forests are at their most beautiful and the coast is quiet. Summer is for Kiyikoy and the beaches, and winter, when it snows, gives the province a different, quieter face. Whatever the season, the golden rule is the same: one destination per day, a good lunch, and the willingness to stop whenever a view or a village invites it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best day trip from Kirklareli?

Vize and Kiyikoy are the two essentials, both less than an hour from the city: Vize for its Byzantine walls and church, and Kiyikoy for the Black Sea harbor and the cave monastery. If you have time, the longoz forests of Igneda are the most remarkable natural experience of the province.

Can I visit Edirne in a day from Kirklareli?

Yes. Edirne is about an hour and a half from Kirklareli by road, and a full day covers the Selimiye, the old bazaar, the rivers and the famous liver lunch. Start early, and you can be back in Kirklareli by evening, having seen one of the great cities of Ottoman Turkey.

Is the border crossing to Bulgaria worth it?

For many travelers, yes. The Derekoy gate is about half an hour from the city, and a day trip across the border is straightforward with a passport. Expect customs queues at busy times, and treat the crossing itself as part of the experience of this frontier province.

All Over Information

The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.