This full-day trip from Canakkale brings you to Edirne, the former Ottoman capital on Turkey's western frontier, to see the Selimiye Mosque, the Mosque with Three Balconies, the Bayezid II Complex and the historic Kanuni and Fatih bridges with a professional guide. Before Istanbul became the imperial seat, Edirne served as the capital of the Ottoman state and as its gateway towards Europe, and the city still carries that heritage in its domes, minarets and stone bridges.
The tour begins at the Selimiye Mosque, the masterpiece of the architect Sinan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose enormous dome and four slender minarets dominate the skyline. After your visit there is free time in the arcade beside the mosque, where local products such as the city's famous soaps and sweets are sold. A short walk then leads to the Uc Serefeli Mosque, the Mosque with Three Balconies, named after the three galleries on its main minaret. You continue to the Sultan Bayezid II Complex, a historic foundation whose former hospital and medical school now house a health museum, and your guide explains how its departments once operated.
The drive then passes the ruins of the old Edirne Palace, viewed from the vehicle, and crosses the historic Kanuni and Fatih bridges, two of the Ottoman-era stone bridges that span the rivers around the city. On the way back the tour pauses for a tea break on the banks of the Meric River before the return journey to your hotel in Canakkale. This day trip from Canakkale is ideal for travellers interested in Ottoman architecture and history who want to discover a less visited corner of Thrace.
Your full day programme — click to see every stop.
Edirne Programme After breakfast at your hotel you are picked up in Canakkale and set off by air-conditioned coach towards Edirne in Turkish Thrace. Along the way your guide introduces the city that served as the Ottoman capital before Istanbul and acted as a buffer zone in the empire's dealings with the West. The first visit is the celebrated Selimiye Mosque, designed by the great architect Sinan and admired for its vast dome and graceful minarets. After the mosque you have free time in the market area beside the Selimiye Mosque, where local products are sold. You then walk a short distance to the Mosque with Three Balconies (Uc Serefeli Mosque), named after the three balconies of its minaret. The tour continues to the Sultan Bayezid II Complex, today home to a museum that recalls its past as a hospital and medical school, where you learn about its various departments. You then see the ruins of the Edirne Palace from the vehicle and cross the historic Kanuni and Fatih bridges, among the city's most distinctive landmarks. On the return journey there is a tea break on the bank of the Meric River before you are dropped back at your hotel in Canakkale.
Canakkale → Edirne → Canakkale Selimiye Mosque → Ottoman Bridges
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
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Real, verified reviews from travellers who explored Turkey with us.
My husband and I chose Inca Tour for our honeymoon and we are so glad we did. The boutique hotel selection was beautiful and the Bosphorus dinner cruise was so romantic. Thank you for making our trip special!
It was important for us to have a guide who spoke Russian, and Ender was wonderful. He explained every detail at Dolmabahce Palace. The Princes Islands day trip was a beautiful break from the busy city.
Our guide Ender was incredibly knowledgeable about Turkish history. The hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia was the highlight of our trip. Everything was perfectly organized — from airport pick-up to the last d...
Ender was our Italian-speaking guide and we felt like family. He took us to local spots tourists never see. The hotel choice in Sultanahmet was perfect for walking everywhere.
10+ years later we still talk about our Cappadocia balloon ride and the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Some memories are timeless. Thank you Inca Tour!