Edirne (Adrianople), Thrace

Edirne is a pleasant, historic city seldom visited by tourists even though it's an easy day-trip west of Istanbul.

I guess it's just in the wrong direction: from Istanbul, most of Turkey is east and south, so no one thinks of going west.Edirne (eh-DEER-neh, pop. 130,000; formerly Adrianople) has wonderful mosques because it was the second capital of the Ottoman Empire (after Bursa, before Istanbul).

Spend the morning seeing the fine mosques in representing the great ages of Ottoman architecture: the Eski (1418), Muradiye (1436), Ücserefeli (1447), Beyazit II (1488) and the elegant Selimiye (1575).Wander through Edirne's old Roman district admiring the picturesque wooden Edirnekâri (Ottoman Victorian) houses.

Walk down to the Meric (Maritza) River to see the graceful Ottoman bridges. Have tea or a meal in a shady riverside restaurant.Browse the bazaar and covered markets, then hop a bus back to Istanbul, and you'll have enjoyed one of your most pleasant days in Turkey, with few other tourists around.

Edirne's tourist office (turizm burosu) is on Hurriyet Meydani, the main square, near the town's main intersection of Talat Pasa Caddesi and Saraclar/Hukumet Caddesi.Take a morning bus from Istanbul's Buyuk Otogar (bus terminal) on the 235-km (146-mile, 2-1/2-hour) run westward along the Otoyol (expressway) to Edirne. Buses depart for Edirne about every 15 or 20 minutes all day, from breakfast to dinner time.Distances & Travel Times

Canakkale: 230 km (143), 4 hours

Gallipoli: 220 km (137 miles) S, 3.5 hours

Istanbul: 235 km (146 miles), 2-1/2 hours