Tekirdağ

Tekirdağ (pronounced TEH-keer-daa) is a city in Eastern Thrace, the European part of Turkey, 132 km west of Istanbul. It is on the northern shoreline of the Sea of Marmara. In 2019 its population was 204,000.

Understand
There are signs of human settlement here right back to the dawn of the Stone Ages. The first recorded settlement of "Byzanthe" was founded by Thracians in what is now Barbaros, a village 9 km to the southwest. The seed of the modern city was a colony of Greeks from Samos in 550 BC, who called it "Rhaidestos". When the Roman Empire divided, Tekirdağ became part of the Byzantine portion, and equally Byzantine was the evolution of its name. In 14th century it was captured by the Ottomans, who called it "Rodosçuk". In the 19th century it became "Tekfurdağı" meaning "Byzantine lord" but by the 20th century this had mutated into Tekirdağ which means "tabby mountain" and refers to the range to the southwest. The old name persists in some other languages, eg "Rodostó" in Hungarian. The Hungarian connection was important in the 18th century, with exiles such as Francis II Rákóczi and Kelemen Mikes settling here, but that emigre community has long disappeared.

Tekirdağ has grown into a large industrial town, based on the agriculture of its hinterland, which has become dotted with industrial units as businesses move out of congested Istanbul. It's too far out (and public transport is insufficient) for it to be part of Istanbul's commuter belt, but it's certainly within the weekend-escape zone and gets busy in summer. It's the capital of Tekirdağ Province, with its other main towns described elsewhere (insofar as they have any interest to travelers): Çerkezköy, Çorlu, Ergene, Hayrabolu, Kapaklı, Malkara, Marmara Ereğlisi, Muratlı, Saray and Şarköy. Süleymanpaşa is the district containing Tekirdağ itself.

The climate is typical of the west Marmara region: Mediterranean but with colder winters. Summers are very warm, and usually dry, nevertheless with occasional downpours. Spring and autumn are ideal times to visit, and in autumn the sea is warm and usually calm. Midsummer breezes can stir up heavy surf. Winters are cool to chilly with frequent rain and occasional snow.

The TIC is in the park near the ferry pier. It wasn't open in 2021.

By plane
Quickest if you fly into Istanbul's new airport. The Asia-side airport has budget flights but means crossing the metropolis.

Istanbul Seyahat bus runs direct from IST airport to Tekirdağ, about every two hours round the clock for 230 TL (Nov 2023). Otherwise by public transport you have to go into Istanbul city centre then travel out again to Tekirdağ.

Çorlu Airport, about 60 km northeast, is much closer, but it is only served by infrequent flights from Ankara, and isn't well-connected to public transport.

By bus
Several bus lines run from Istanbul to Tekirdağ, taking two hours for a fare in late 2023 of around 200 TL. Some terminate here, but most are heading down the Gallipoli peninsula to Çanakkale. You should be able to stroll into Istanbul Esenler station any time of day or night and find a bus departing within the hour.

The main bus lines are Pamukkale, Flixbus, and Metro Turizm who run from Istabul Bayrampaşa via Silivri.

Other destinations with a less frequent service are Şarköy on the coast, and Keşan and Gelibolu down the peninsula – most buses nowadays bypass these on the new motorway and Dardanelles bridge. For nearby Çorlu take a dolmuş.

In normal times Flixbus also run via Sofia and Bucharest from western Europe, but these routes remain suspended in 2022.

A new bus station,, was opened in 2022 on the outskirts north of the highway bypass. Public bus lines 10 and 17 run into the centre with 15–30 min intervals through the day. Alternatively it's a 3 km gently downhill walk along Muratlı Cd, but part of the route lacks a sidewalk and you need to negotiate across the on-ramp system of the bypass.

The (eski otogar), 500 m east of city centre on Şht. Yüzbaşı Mayadağlı, remains a hub of the local public buses.

By road
From Istanbul city centre follow O-3 / E80 toll motorway and from IST airport follow O-7. These meet at Kınalı, where you take D110 / E84 west through Marmara Ereğlisi, reckon 90 min to two hours. If you're aiming for west end of the city or Kumbağ beach resort, stay on E84 bypass rather than dragging through the centre.

From Bulgaria you'll probably cross the border at Kapitan Andreevo / Kapıkule. Take E80 which bypasses Edirne and becomes O-3 / E80 toll motorway. (Or you can exit to follow D-100, but it's hardly worth it to avoid the tolls.) Follow O-3 to exit at signs for Lüleburgaz and Muratlı. Here you join D-100, signed eastbound for Çorlu and Istanbul. Some 10 km east turn onto D-565 which brings you through Muratlı to Tekirdağ. It's 160 km from Kapıkule so two hours should do it.

However from Burgas you enter Turkey at Tirnovo / Dereköy on D-555 / E87. Stay on it south through Kırklareli to Babaeski to join D-100 - you cross O-3 but it's not worth joining. Head east via Lüleburgaz to the D-565 turn-off then south as above. From Dereköy to Tekirdağ is about 155 km.

From Greece you enter at Peptos / İpsala on D110 / 84. Follow it past Keşan all the way to town, about 110 km so say just over an hour.

By thumb: Lots of trucks and private cars pass Tekirdağ on their way to Istanbul, Gallipoli and the border. The main highway bowls along the promenade, and the trick for the outbound hitcher is to be not too close in, clogged among local traffic, or too far out where traffic picks up speed and it becomes an expressway. Eastbound, try Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bulvarı at its beginning, a block south of the old otogar. Westbound this highway becomes Atatürk Bulvarı towards Keşan: try the stretch west of the Archaeology Museum.

By boat
Marmara RoRo sail five times a day from Erdek; some call at Marmara Island or Avşa. These ferries dock at Barbaros pier.

They also sail twice a day from Bandırma, docking at Ceyport pier.

By train
The nearest station is Çorlu, which has trains twice a day from Istanbul, continuing west to Edirne or Uzunköprü. The branch line to Tekirdağ nowadays only handles freight.

Get around
Walk for anywhere downtown.

Dolmuş: public buses run by the city council are white with blue and green stripes. They ply from the old otogar to outlying residential areas — some via city centre, so this is the only occasion you might have to use them. Privately-run minibuses share the same colour pattern with the buses and you're most likely to use them to Barbaros and Kumbağ, or to Değirmenaltı, which may be badged as Route 1.

All dolmuşes run on a fixed route, every 10 min daytime dropping to 30 min late evening, with the last around midnight. They mostly start from Yazar Mehmet Serezli Cd below Rüstem Paşa Mosque, but don't otherwise have fixed stops, holler to get off or wave to flag one down. The flat fare in town is 3 TL.

Taxis are available from many stands around the city.

See

 * Traditional Ottoman houses have been ruthlessly bulldozed from most of the city and replaced by drab concrete blocks. Several survive – some renovated, but many sadly tumbledown – in the streets between the Archaeology and Rakoczi museums, with another scattering on the hill by the old otogar.Rakoczi Müzesi.JPG
 * was built by the renowned Sinan in 1553. Not one of his greatest (see Edirne and Istanbul), but he set the bar high.
 * Ertuğrul Bazaar by the mosque is a 1980s reconstruction. The courtyard is a pleasant place to sit.
 * Eski Mosque means "old mosque" but it's a rebuild of 1830 after the old-old mosque burned down. It's 200 m west along the street from Rüstem Paşa Mosque.
 * Barış ve Özgürlük Parkı means "Peace & Freedom Park" and it's populated by statues of those who wrote and did plenty but didn't enjoy much of those desiderata, such as Namık Kemal, Francis II Rakoczi and Kelemen Mikes – this last is a striking Hungarian wood carving. The park is by the marina, 300 m south of the old otogar. There's a funfair, see below.
 * is the small town at the south end of the beach strip straggling out from the city. The beach is sandy and there's accommodation and eating places. Further south the road winds into the hills towards Uçmakdere and eventually Şarköy.
 * Ertuğrul Bazaar by the mosque is a 1980s reconstruction. The courtyard is a pleasant place to sit.
 * Eski Mosque means "old mosque" but it's a rebuild of 1830 after the old-old mosque burned down. It's 200 m west along the street from Rüstem Paşa Mosque.
 * Barış ve Özgürlük Parkı means "Peace & Freedom Park" and it's populated by statues of those who wrote and did plenty but didn't enjoy much of those desiderata, such as Namık Kemal, Francis II Rakoczi and Kelemen Mikes – this last is a striking Hungarian wood carving. The park is by the marina, 300 m south of the old otogar. There's a funfair, see below.
 * is the small town at the south end of the beach strip straggling out from the city. The beach is sandy and there's accommodation and eating places. Further south the road winds into the hills towards Uçmakdere and eventually Şarköy.
 * is the small town at the south end of the beach strip straggling out from the city. The beach is sandy and there's accommodation and eating places. Further south the road winds into the hills towards Uçmakdere and eventually Şarköy.

Do

 * Dal Lunapark is a funfair by the Barış & Özgürlük park at the east end of the promenade. Not the biggest or scariest rides, but it will amuse children with its ferris wheel, rollercoaster, gondola and the like. It's open daily in summer 11:00-00:00.
 * Windsurfing: the local beaches are exposed to the onshore breeze in summer, so the waves get up and it's a good area to windsurf. Try Kumbağ beach strip to the south.
 * Hiking in Mt Ganos south of Kumbağ has trails of all grades, including a 20 km trek to Uçmakdere.
 * Paragliding on Mt Ganos generally launches from Nişantepe (600 m elevation) to land on the beach at Ayvasıl. You'll need to be self-sufficient with kit. Contact the Tekirdağ Paragliding Club (TEYAK) for the availability of tandem flights.

Buy

 * ATMs are found outside several banks on Hükümet Cd, the downtown high street - this is also the place to find money exchange kiosks. In Kumbağ they're likewise on the main drag Belediye Cd.
 * Tekira is the main city-centre mall at 304 Hükümet Cd. Carrefour is open daily 09:00-23:00.
 * Maxi Alışveriş is the edge-of-town mall east at the junction with D110 bypass, so it's the better one for passing traffic. Migros is open daily 10:00-22:00.
 * Rugs and carpets are handmade at Karacakılavuz (say "ka-ra-DJA-ka-lah-vooz") 20 km northwest of Tekirdağ. This village was settled by Yörük, nomadic people from Anatolia, after the Ottoman conquest of Thrace in the 14th century. The villagers still weave patterns handed down from nomadic times. Their outlet shop in the village is open M-Sa 08:00-18:00. See also Çorlu 40 km north for its outlet stores and factory sale shops.

Eat

 * Alkolsüz posted outside a restaurant means "alcohol-free." Any restaurant without a sign usually does serve alcohol.


 * Local specialties: Tekirdağ köftesi is the local style of meat-balls, made of fatless meat and mildly spiced. It's shaped into a cylinder and grilled.
 * Desserts: Höşmerim (or peynir helvası) is made of cereals with cheese dissolved into it - best served with ice-cream on top. Hayrabolu tatlısı takes its name from the nearby town of Hayrabolu; variants of it under different names (such as Kemalpaşa) are common across western Turkey. It's a spongy, soft cookie doused in syrup, and served with tahini and ground nuts on top, 25-35 TL/piece (Jul 2023).
 * Local specialties: Tekirdağ köftesi is the local style of meat-balls, made of fatless meat and mildly spiced. It's shaped into a cylinder and grilled.
 * Desserts: Höşmerim (or peynir helvası) is made of cereals with cheese dissolved into it - best served with ice-cream on top. Hayrabolu tatlısı takes its name from the nearby town of Hayrabolu; variants of it under different names (such as Kemalpaşa) are common across western Turkey. It's a spongy, soft cookie doused in syrup, and served with tahini and ground nuts on top, 25-35 TL/piece (Jul 2023).
 * Local specialties: Tekirdağ köftesi is the local style of meat-balls, made of fatless meat and mildly spiced. It's shaped into a cylinder and grilled.
 * Desserts: Höşmerim (or peynir helvası) is made of cereals with cheese dissolved into it - best served with ice-cream on top. Hayrabolu tatlısı takes its name from the nearby town of Hayrabolu; variants of it under different names (such as Kemalpaşa) are common across western Turkey. It's a spongy, soft cookie doused in syrup, and served with tahini and ground nuts on top, 25-35 TL/piece (Jul 2023).
 * Local specialties: Tekirdağ köftesi is the local style of meat-balls, made of fatless meat and mildly spiced. It's shaped into a cylinder and grilled.
 * Desserts: Höşmerim (or peynir helvası) is made of cereals with cheese dissolved into it - best served with ice-cream on top. Hayrabolu tatlısı takes its name from the nearby town of Hayrabolu; variants of it under different names (such as Kemalpaşa) are common across western Turkey. It's a spongy, soft cookie doused in syrup, and served with tahini and ground nuts on top, 25-35 TL/piece (Jul 2023).
 * Desserts: Höşmerim (or peynir helvası) is made of cereals with cheese dissolved into it - best served with ice-cream on top. Hayrabolu tatlısı takes its name from the nearby town of Hayrabolu; variants of it under different names (such as Kemalpaşa) are common across western Turkey. It's a spongy, soft cookie doused in syrup, and served with tahini and ground nuts on top, 25-35 TL/piece (Jul 2023).

Drink

 * Bars by the park and marina include Look Pub & Shot, Moon and Bermuda Club. On Şükran Sokuk in the centre are 44 Beydağı and Best Of The Kemal Babanın Yeri.
 * Rakı, Turkey's national drink, was traditionally made in Tekirdağ. The factory (owned by Mey, part of Diageo) closed in 2017 and production moved to Alaşehir 140 km east of Izmir, but you won't go short of rakı here.
 * Wine: the best-known vineyards are southwest in the hills of Şarköy District: Barbare and Umurbey are the closest. Barel, in Karaevli, is one of several nearby to the east.

Sleep
You probably only need to book ahead in peak season July-Aug. For small apart-hotels or flats, look for kiralık signs, meaning "for rent". Many places close down in winter.

Town centre
Hotels are clustered near the promenade and sea-front boulevard, with more a couple of blocks back. Traffic noise can be a problem.

Further out
Kumbağ is the main resort 8 km south, and Değirmenaltı is the district 8 km east.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, the city has 4G from all Turkish carriers. 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Wifi is widely available in cafes and public places.

Stay safe
Like any big city there are rough, down-at-heel quarters, such as the northern district of Aydoğdu. These are well away from the coast and downtown, and visitors have no reason to go there.

Don't swim within 5 km of the commercial harbours west of the centre. Bilge water is the main problem, and marine waste has been another. In July 2021 the national government announced vigorous measures against what they referred to as deniz salyası but most call deniz sümük - "sea snot".

National emergency number is 112.

Cope
As a city which is slightly off-the-beaten path, you will encounter less English-speaking people. This is not to mean that nobody in Tekirdağ can speak English, but you may have to look for a little more than the usual in more tourism-oriented towns of western and southern Turkey. And you can also take it on the bright side: you will never come across with a tout in Tekirdağ.


 * 🇭🇺 Hungary

Go next

 * Marmara Ereğlisi is a coastal town 40 km east of Tekirdağ, on the highway to Istanbul. This is the site of ancient Perinthos, with a few scrappy remnants.
 * Şarköy District is the coastal strip and wine-growing area extending from Şarköy town through Mürefte to Uçmakdere. With your own transport you can follow the twisting hill road from Kumbağ to Uçmakdere, a well-preserved village from pre-1923 when this area had a majority Greek population.
 * Marmara Island is visible out to sea and has a car ferry from Tekirdağ.
 * Istanbul to Izmir is an itinerary that swings through town, to continue south by road down the Gallipoli peninsula or by ferry to Erdek.