Get off the beaten track and experience Turkey through a local lens in Kirklareli. The city offers unique sights and attractions, including a replica of the traditional house where beloved Turkish statesman Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was born. Visit an engaging local history museum and enjoy delicious Turkish cuisine at family-run restaurants. The city is a popular base for day trips to nearby Dupnisa Cave.
Things to do in Kırklareli
Visit Ataturk House and learn about the life and legacy of the beloved Turkish statesman. The museum is housed in a perfect replica of the Turkish-style house where the former president and “Founding Father” was born. See items owned by Ataturk and snap photos with lifelike wax figures of the famous Turkish revolutionary.
See traditional Turkish folk costumes and Ottoman artefacts at the Kirklareli Museum. The collection is housed in a handsome 19th-century building and explores the rich history and culture of Kirklareli Province. Some of the oldest items in the collection date to Roman and Neolithic times.
Descend into Dupnisa Cave and explore a magical subterranean world. Walkways wind through the cave system and take you past underground rivers and otherworldly rock formations. Look for bats hanging from the ceiling.
Kirklareli is packed with local restaurants where you can try specialties from the Marmara Region. Order favourites like “paçanga böreği” phyllo pastry and “islama köfte” Turkish meatballs. For dessert, enjoy melt-in-your-mouth “kemalpaşa” cheesecake balls boiled in sugar syrup and topped with ice cream. Local sweet shops tempt passersby with “lokum” Turkish delight flavoured with lemon, rose water and pistachios.
Getting around Kırklareli
Kirklareli is pedestrian-friendly and easy to get around on foot. Taxis are a fast and affordable way to get around the city and cover longer distances. The city is in Kirklareli Province, a 2.5-hour drive from İstanbul. Istanbul Airport is a two-hour drive away.