Kirklareli is the border province of northwest Thrace, a land of forests, Black Sea villages and ancient towns that most travelers drive past on the way to somewhere else. The city itself has a handsome old town and a historic mosque, and the province around it holds some of the most rewarding countryside in the region: the Byzantine walls of Vize, the fishing harbor of Kiyikoy, the floodplain forests of Igneda and a cave deep in the highlands. These are the top things to do in and around Kirklareli.
Wander the Old Town’s Traditional Houses
The old town of Kirklareli, climbing the slope above the center, holds the finest collection of traditional Thracian houses in Turkey. The buildings, with their overhanging wooden upper floors, the cumbas, their carved details and their red-tiled roofs, line the lanes in a remarkable state of preservation.
The houses were built for the climate and the life of the region: deep eaves for the rain, bay windows for the light, and courtyards for the summer evenings. Many have been restored, and the lanes are quiet enough that you can look at your leisure. The best streets are those that climb toward the upper town, where the houses step up the slope and the gardens spill over the walls.
A slow morning is the right amount of time. Start at the foot of the old town, wander uphill, and let the streets decide the route; the views open out as you climb.
Visit the Hizirbey Mosque
The Hizirbey Mosque, built in the fourteenth century as the Ottomans took Thrace, is the oldest and most important historic building in the city. Its sturdy, unadorned architecture speaks of the early Ottoman frontier, and the complex once included a bath and a school.
The mosque stands at the edge of the old town, and the streets around it hold fountains, old houses and the traces of the market that has served the city for centuries. The restoration has returned the building to its original dignity.
The mosque is in use, so visitors come outside prayer times, and modest dress is expected. It is the spiritual heart of the city, and it rewards a quiet visit. The courtyard, shaded and calm, is a good place to sit for a while, and the neighborhood around the mosque has kept the feel of the old Ottoman quarter better than anywhere else in the city.
Explore the Kirklareli Museum
The Kirklareli Museum, in a restored building of the old town, tells the story of the province from prehistory to the present. Its archaeological rooms hold the finds of the Thracian settlements, and its ethnographic rooms show the life of the region’s people.
The ethnographic collection is the highlight: traditional costumes, household goods, tools, textiles and the objects of daily life from the farms, the pastures and the villages of Thrace. The displays are clear and the building is a pleasure in itself.
An hour is enough, and the museum makes everything you see afterward more meaningful. It is the essential indoor stop of the city, and it is especially welcome on the hot afternoons of summer or the cold days of winter, when the old town is less inviting. The museum shop sells local products and books, which make good gifts.
Taste Hardaliye
Hardaliye is the signature taste of Kirklareli, a traditional drink made from grapes and mustard seeds and fermented without alcohol. It has been made in the region for centuries, and it is served in the restaurants and sold in the markets of the province.
The flavor is gently tangy and grapey, with the faint warmth of the mustard, and it is served chilled, often with food. The production is a point of local pride, and the drink is protected as a regional product. It is made in the autumn, after the grape harvest, and the bottles you buy in the market carry the taste of the season in which they were pressed.
For the visitor, a glass of hardaliye is the essential local experience, the taste that you will not find anywhere else in Turkey. Seek it out in the old town, and ask the shopkeepers about the making.
See Vize: The Ancient City
Less than an hour from the city, the town of Vize is one of the most atmospheric places in Thrace. It was an important settlement of the ancient Thracians, and it remained a stronghold through the Byzantine centuries, when it was known as Bizye.
The town’s Byzantine walls still encircle the old quarter, and the church of Hagia Sophia, a small Byzantine building of brick and stone, survives in use. The narrow streets inside the walls hold old houses and a quiet, layered atmosphere.
A half-day is right for Vize: walk the walls, visit the church, and have lunch in the town. It is the closest thing in the province to a medieval town, and it is almost undiscovered. The hilltop above the town gives the classic view over the walls and the plain, and the climb is well worth the effort.
Visit Kiyikoy on the Black Sea
Kiyikoy, about an hour south of the city, is the Black Sea village that anchors the province’s coast. Its harbor, ringed by colorful fishing boats, is the center of life, and the restaurants along the water serve the day’s catch.
The village is also the site of the Aya Nikola cave church, a rock-cut monastery in the cliffs by the sea, which has been a pilgrimage place for centuries. The walk to the cave along the shore is beautiful, passing the red-brown cliffs that give the coast its character. The little beach at the cave mouth is a fine place to swim on a warm day.
Kiyikoy is at its best on a summer evening, when the fish restaurants fill and the sun sets over the water. For a quieter visit, come on a weekday, when the weekend crowds from Istanbul have gone.
Explore Igneda and the Longoz Forests
The longoz forests of Igneda, at the southern edge of the province, are among the rarest habitats in Turkey: floodplain forests that are flooded by the rivers in the wet season, creating a swamp-forest of alder and ash that is home to wolves, wild boar and many birds.
The forests, protected as a national park, are threaded with trails and boardwalks, and the lakes among the trees mirror the canopy. The nearby Black Sea beaches, long and wild, complete the picture.
The best seasons are spring and autumn, when the water levels are high and the forest is full of life. Igneda is the wildest corner of the province, and it rewards the traveler with patience. Bring boots for the trails and binoculars for the birds, and allow a full day, since the forest, the lakes and the beaches together make a long and beautiful circuit.
Discover Dupnisa Cave and Demirkoy
In the forests of Demirkoy, about an hour from the city, the Dupnisa cave is the largest show cave in the region. Its galleries of stalactites and stalagmites, lit for visitors, open off a long, atmospheric entrance system.
The cave is home to one of the largest bat colonies in the Balkans, and the visitor route is managed to protect them, with the bat gallery seen from a distance. The setting, deep in the forest, adds to the sense of discovery. The cave is cool inside, so a light layer is useful even in summer, and the walk from the entrance through the woods is part of the experience.
Combine the cave with the town of Demirkoy, where the restored Ottoman ironworks show the region’s industrial past. Together they make a full day in the highlands.
Enjoy the Market and the Local Food
The market life of Kirklareli is the daily rhythm of the province. The market streets of the city hold the butchers, the grocers and the bakeries, and the weekly market brings the villages into town with their produce.
The food is the Thracian table: cheeses and yogurt from the pastures, breads and pastries in the Balkan style, fish from the Black Sea, and honey from the forests. The breakfasts are long, and the hardaliye is the local drink.
For the visitor, the market is the best place to taste the province: buy cheese, take a pastry from the oven, and drink your tea in the square. The food of Kirklareli is the taste of Thrace at its best, and the pastries, in particular, carry the influence of the Balkans that gives the local cooking its particular character.
Plan Your Route
The province of Kirklareli is compact enough that a few days cover its highlights. A sensible pattern is a day for the city, with the old town, the mosque and the museum, then a day for Vize and the coast, and a third day for the forests and the cave.
The distances are short by Turkish standards, and the roads are good, which makes the province easy to cover at a gentle pace. The sites are rarely crowded, and the discovery feel is part of the appeal.
For most visitors, the combination of city, coast and forest is the perfect shape of a Kirklareli trip, and the province rewards the traveler who does not rush. The days can be built around the weather: the city for uncertain days, the coast for sunshine, and the forests for the cool of the summer heat, which makes Kirklareli an easy place to travel well.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most impressive sight in Kirklareli province?
The old town of Kirklareli itself, with its traditional houses, is the city’s greatest sight, and the longoz forests of Igneda are the province’s most remarkable natural wonder. Vize’s Byzantine walls and the Black Sea village of Kiyikoy are the other highlights, and all of them are within an hour of the city.
Is Kiyikoy worth visiting?
Yes. Kiyikoy is the Black Sea village of the province, with a lively fishing harbor, fresh fish restaurants and the rock-cut Aya Nikola church in the cliffs nearby. It is at its best on summer evenings, and the drive from the city takes about an hour.
How many days do I need for Kirklareli?
Two or three days cover the province well: one for the city, one for Vize and the coast, and one for the forests and the cave. The sites are close together and rarely crowded, so the pace can be relaxed, and the province rewards staying a little longer.
All Over Information
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