Kirklareli

Kırklareli is a city in Eastern Thrace, NW of Turkey. It’s located in the northern part of the region, near the Bulgarian border.

Kırklareli lies on the junction of highways D020 (which leads to Edirne in the west) and D555/E87, which leads to Babaeski in the south—where it connects to D100 and O-3/E80 which leads to Istanbul in the southeast—and Dereköy border post on Turkish-Bulgarian border to north.

(+90) 288 is city's telephone code.

• Igneada to the east, on the coast of Black Sea, is a town known for its long and almost desolate beaches, lush forests, and many lakes. A trip there can possibly be combined with a visit to Dupnisa Cave and to medieval foundry in Demirköy on the way.
• If Kırklareli is the first Turkish city on your route, you will possibly want to head to Istanbul next. However, with a short de-tour on your way, you may visit Vize, which with its well-preserved Byzantine-era cathedral (albeit functioning as a mosque now), can serve as a good entrée to Byzantine heritage, which awaits you in a much grander way in Istanbul.

• Kirklareli has a nice small museum. There are no international tourists, so you will meet the locals all the time. During Winter the air is filled coal with dust, so if you are anti-smoke, then don't go during Winter. • Nils M.