Thrace forms the European section of Turkey, bordering Bulgaria and Greece. The region is the heart of Turkey’s wine industry. Thrcae’s hot. humid and sunny summers and freesing cold winters lead to lightish wines from a wide range of grapes. The best are fresh-tasting, with good balance and acidity.
A foreigner who enters into the city of Edirne from Europe first of all beholds the masterpieces of Turkish architecture. The mosques, caravanserais, bazaars, bridges and other marvelous works of Ottoman architecture are worth seeing in the city. These historical buildings are the remnants of the past; Edirne served as the capital city of Ottoman Empire for approximately a century. The traditional Kırkpınar Wrestling competitions are also held in Edirne.
Tekirdag province, in Western Thrace is known for its sunflowers and meatballs. Kumbag, Sarkoy and Murefte are important holiday towns with beaches. The cith has also Ottoman period mosques and bazaars. Tekırdag hosts the house where Hungarian hero, Prince Ferench II Rakoczy lived while in exile.
Kirklareli is the largest province of Turkey in Thrace which is rich in history and nature. Igneada and Kiyikoy, on the shores of the black Sea are known for their fine beaches. The province has also extensive forests. The Bulgarian name of the town means “Vineyard Town”. Kirklaeli also hosts Dupnisa Cave, formed four million years ago and used for Dionysian rituals in ancient times.
Canakkale is located at the narrowest passage of Canakkale (Dardanelles) Straits on the eastern shore to the south of Marmara Sea. The historical ancient city of Troy is 30 km south west of Canakkale. Two citadels, Cimenlik and Kilitbahir, are watching the straits since fourteenth century. Gelibolu (Gallipoli) Peninsula is a national park in memory of hundreds of thousands soldiers who died during the first World War. There are Turkish, British, French and ANZAC monuments in the peninsula.
There are two islands where Dardanelles Straits open to Aegean Sea, Gokceada in the north and Bozcaada in the south. Carnivals are held on the island every summer, especially in August.
Thrace, like many regional areas, is offering with its regional foods and wines new travel and destination experiences. Wine tourism in Thrace is emerging as a strong and growing area of special interest and become an increasingly significant component of the regional tourism. It also facilitates producer-consumer interaction and involves education about and experience of wine products, including local cultures and regional landscape.
During a holiday, a big part of experiencing the region is through its food. Tourists on the food and wine trail are also interested in finding out more about production methods. They are open to new experiences and see food as a delightful way to discover new and different cultures and identities. They are willing to spend time, at some point during their holiday, on educational activities as guided tours and tastings. The Thrace wine route enables visitors to meet the wine producers as well as to participate in a variety of activities which are held in production cites. Thrace wine route represents a new phase in the Turkish wine industry, which is trying to reach those who have some interest in wine and are fascinated by the region’s natural and cultural heritage.
In 2000, several visionary winemakers came to the area to rediscover the Thrace wine region. Other winemakers have followed. The Thrace route is a less travelled path on a diverse terroir and easily accessible from Istanbul. The project was also supported by Thrace Development Agency and Tourism Directorate of the region. Thrace wine region accounts for 13.6% of all the wine produced in Turkey, and has the most elegant and balanced wines in the country.
Source: Alev Dündar Arikan, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey, “The Role of Local Food in Culinary Tourism Development: A Case Study on the Thrace Wine Route, Paper submitted at the 8th Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Marketing and Management ( (AHTMM) Conference, June 25-29, 2018, Bangkok, Thailand