Shopping in Edirne: The Ultimate Guide | What to Buy | Where to Shop | and Tips

The Ultimate Shopping In Edirne Guide! Discover Edirne’s famous markets, malls, and bazaars. Find top products like textiles, ceramics, and leather goods. Includes planning and budget tips for a fantastic Edirne shopping trip.

Nestled away from the crowded streets of Istanbul lies the charming northwest Turkish city of Edirne. With roots dating back to the 14th century Ottoman Empire, Edirne has long been an important hub for commerce and trade. Today, it remains a shopper’s paradise, especially for European tourists seeking high-quality goods, historic bazaars, and an authentic Turkish experience.

Introduction

This comprehensive guide will cover everything you need to know to plan the perfect shopping trip to Edirne, including:

• Background on major shopping areas and bazaars
• Local goods and souvenirs to look for
• Comparisons to shopping in other Turkish cities
• Budget and experience-enhancing tips

The Advantages of Shopping in Edirne

Edirne retains the historic cultural influences of Europe and the Balkans. Generally, shoppers in Edirne enjoy some of the most attractive markets in Europe. In addition to what European markets have to offer, the shopping experience in Edirne provides an abundance of local products. These include high-quality silks, tobacco, bric-a-brac, kilims, and souvenirs.

The prices at Edirne’s markets are moderately high on average. However, consumers can expect their purchased products to be of good quality. Additionally, shoppers can find much cheaper items at local shops catering to tourists.

Getting Around Edirne

Parking in the city center comes with fees, so it’s best to leave your car at the hotel and get around on foot or by taxi.

Taxi rates are very affordable compared to Europe – a ride from the Alan Hotel to the Ali Pasha Market costs around 3 Euros. Many drivers speak some Bulgarian and English.

Shopping at Edirne’s Markets and Malls

The Margi Outlet mall caters to weekend visitors with its variety of Turkish and global brands. The sprawling Erasta mall offers similar big name shops and eateries. Both malls have currency exchanges.

Near Margi is a blue market with clothing, cheese, produce, and more. The most famous is the Ali Pasha Market in the city center, overflowing with goods from electronics to clothes and sweets.

The central shopping street connects to the Friday Ulus Market. Towards the end, you’ll find rows of shops selling cleaning supplies and chemicals at wholesale prices.

Edirne’s Grand Bazaars

• Selimiye Camii Arastası – Domed bazaar near the iconic Selimiye Mosque that sells handicrafts, textiles, souvenirs, and local goods.

• Bedesten Bazaar – Edirne’s oldest bazaar, built in 1418. Full of handicrafts and souvenir shops.

• Ali Pasa Bazaar – Scarves, clothing, bags, and more. Stop for a bite at its many eateries.

Malls in Edirne

Edirne has three significant shopping malls: Margi Outlet, Erasta AVM, and Kipa AVM. The shopping complexes are conveniently positioned along the main road that leads to the city center. Edirne’s malls are open from 10:00 to 22:00 and feature free parking for automobiles.

Margie Outlet

Margi Outlet is Edirne’s and the region’s largest open-air mall. There are about 30 stores here, with the most fascinating and visited being the U.S. Polo Assn. Turkish Polo garments are more cheaper in Bulgaria than US Polo clothes, and they also run regular promotions with real discounts of up to 50%.

In January ’23, I paid 40 leva for a men’s sweater made of 100% cotton in the Turkish U.S. Polo, and it now costs 120 leva with us. The business is mostly frequented by Bulgarians.

Zara Outlet also offers stores for Adidas, Levis, Jack and Jones, LC Waikiki, and various Turkish brands in addition to the US Polo Assn. There are also fine shops for domestic products, shoes, jewellery, and cosmetics, as well as restaurants.

The luxury hotel Margi, one of the best in Edirne, occupies a portion of the property.

Erasta Mall

Erasta Edirne Mall is the city’s newest shopping center. The best stores in Erasta sell apparel, household items, groceries, electronics, and white and black appliances.

Mavi Jeans, Damat, Penti, H&M, US Polo Assn, and Pierre Cardin are the most popular clothing and costume retailers in town. The mall also has a major Migros supermarket shop.

The Plaza Edirne Hotel is nearby and, in my opinion, the greatest hotel in Edirne.

Kipa

Tourists come to Kipa primarily to visit the largest Migros store in Edirne. You can also eat wonderful meatballs on the upper floor of Kipa.

The Top Goods to Buy in Edirne

Bring home a taste of Edirne by picking up these unique items:

Local Food

• Edirne Cheese – A soft, mild white cheese, made from sheep and cow’s milk. A local favorite.
• Kavala Cookies – Buttery, almond-filled cookies, perfect with Turkish tea.
• Dried Fruits/Nuts – Stock up on apricots, figs, raisins, almonds, and pistachios.

Handicrafts

• Textiles – Vibrant scarves, bags, and household linens like towels.
• Ceramics – Classic Turkish pottery including plates, bowls, mugs.
• Soaps – Ornate olive oil-based soaps, an Edirne specialty.
• Jewelry – Intricate antique gold and silver pieces.

Fish Market in Edirne

The famed Edirne fish market is located at one of the junctions of the Sarachlar retail street.

The fish market consists of various stalls selling plenty of fresh fish at extremely reasonable costs.

Best Time To Shop In Edirne

Saturday is the best day for a market in Edirne because it hosts the big Saturday market known as the Blue Market. On Saturdays, all malls and stores are open as usual.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are also good shopping days. The Blue Market reopens on Wednesday, but with fewer stalls, while Ulus Market – the city’s largest apparel market – opens on Friday and Monday.

Grocery and Food Shopping in Edirne

Almost all big Turkish supermarkets have multiple locations in the city. Brochures featuring current discounts from Edirne’s main stores are distributed every two weeks, and smaller stores update their discounts on a weekly basis.

Migros

Migros is one of Edirne’s best food stores. There are two major Migros in the malls and several smaller ones scattered throughout the city.

Migross’s assortment may contain stationery, books, apparel, and home products, depending on the size of the store, as indicated by the number “M.”

Every two weeks, a new catalog with discounts is published, and the most popular specials in the store are also mentioned on the labels in Bulgarian. The products in use have a red label.

Migros has its own brand of high-quality products at very low costs, even when they are not in stock. For a little cost, you are given a card at the cashier that allows you to accrue points for additional discounts.

Bizim

In Edirne, there are multiple Bizim stores. These are similar to wholesale and retail shopping warehouses where you can buy mostly powder and detergents, but there are also extremely profitable packaged food products such as pulses, canned food, and so on. Bizim’s current promotional brochure is updated every two weeks.

Bim

Bim shops are a low-cost food and detergent chain that may be found around the city. To save time when exploring Bim, go to the branch near the Edirne Stock Exchange.

Tugra Store

Tugra is a grocery supermarket that replaced the city’s former Carrefour locations. There is a wide range of things available at reasonable costs, with regular reductions.

Tugra’s Edirne store is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 22:00 p.m.

Buying Medicine From Edirne

Medications

You can also buy medicines from Edirne. You can find all drugs known in Europe, but under a different name and at a better price. 

In each of the big shopping cities there is at least one pharmacy that works a weekend, and in Edirne the a lot of the service staff speaks English, Bulgarian and even Russian.

Which medicines do we buy from Turkey

The Following drugs are the most common medicines in Turkey:

1. Arveles 25 mg 20 film tablets
2. Beloc Zok Controlled Release 50 mg 20 film tablets
3. Cabral 400 mg 24 film tablets
4. Calpol 120 mg 150 ml
5. Coraspin 100 mg 30 tablets
6. Devit-3 oral ampoule 300.000 IU/ml 1×1 ml
7. Devit-3 oral drops 50,000 IU 15 ml
8. Dolorex 50 mg 20 dragees
9. Dolven pediatric syrup 100 mg/5 ml – 100 ml
10. Ecopirin enteric coated tablets 100 mg 30 tablets
11. Glyphos 1000 mg 100 film tablets
12. Lansor 30 mg 28 capsules
13. Majezik 100 mg 15 film tablets
14. Nexium 40 mg enteric coated 28 tablets
15. Nootropil 800 mg 30 film tablets
16. Nurofen Cold & Flu 24 tablets
17. Parol 500 mg 20 tablets
18. Parol 500 mg 30 tablets
19. Travazole cream 15 gr
20. Vermidon tablets 30 tablets

Shopping for Clothes and Accessories in Edirne

There are several branded clothing stores in Edirne. Mavi Jeans, Ipekyol, EFOR, and lcWaikiki are the most popular boutiques for branded clothing. H&M, Jack & Jones, US Polo, and Adidas are among the stores that are well-known in the world.

Brands stitched in Turkey, such as Jack & Jones and US Polo, have lower prices than in our country. Adidas and H&M maintain the same prices as in the US.

Nike, Adidas, Boss, and other comparable brands are spread, however, they are mostly offered in stores on the main street, as well as at the Friday market. Senyora and the center’s Fiyaka Collection are two well-stocked replica stores.

You can buy major brands clothes and replicas at these shops:

• Malls – International brands like H&M, U.S. Polo, Mavi Jeans.
• Central shopping street – Replica sportswear and dress shops.
• Friday Market – Vast selection of used and replica clothing and accessories.

Buying Gold in Edirne

Check out gold shops like Balkan Kuyumcusu for good pieces. You can check our article for gold price in Turkey to see the lastest prices in Turkish Lira.

Kerimler Kuyumculuk, Padisah Kuyumculuk, Halaç Kuyumculuk, and MÜCEVHERAT are also neighboring gold stores. The Erasta Mall has an Altinbas store.

Paying in Lira vs Bulgarian Lev, Dollar, Euro

Try to pay using Turkish lira when shopping. Reliable exchange bureaus offer fair exchange rates with minimal fees for buying lira.

If you can’t get lira before your trip, consider using Revolut for lira payments in Edirne. Exchange your lira upfront since Revolut adds a 1% fee for weekend exchanges.

Avoid paying cash in Lev, Dollar or Euro or using an international card card if possible since higher exchange rate may be applied.

Vendors at markets may charge ~10% more if you pay in other currencies.

Comparing Edirne to Other Major Turkish Shopping Cities

How does Edirne stack up to other popular Turkish shopping destinations?

Useful Tips When Shopping In Edirne

Shopping Tips

• Markets: Visit the markets on Friday (Ulus Market – clothes, fabrics, leather goods, household items) and Saturday (Blue Market – food, fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil) for the best selection.
• Supermarkets: Migros supermarkets have similar promotions but differ in size and specialized selection. Kipa or Erasta Migros are recommended.
• Entry Requirements: You need a green certificate, negative PCR/antigen test, or proof of recovery for entry. No registration on the health website is required for a day trip.
• Electronics: For electronics, check TEKNOSA in Margie Outlet but be aware warranties may not be valid in other countries.
• Leather Jackets: For leather jackets, check out DERIMOD stores in Margie Outlet and Erasta Mall.
• Blue Market Location: The Blue Market is behind Margie Outlet. Face the entrance then go straight past the shops.
• Pharmacy: For medicine, visit the Edirne Pharmacy with English-speaking staff. Search “Edirne Pharmacy” in Google Maps.
• Textiles and Porcelain: For textiles and porcelain, visit Karaca in Margie Outlet. For toys, try Toyzz Shop in Margie and Erasta.
• Sunday Shopping: Many warehouses are closed Sundays, but shops in the center should be open.
• Import Rules: There are no hard limits on goods for personal use. Avoid large commercial volumes that appear for resale to avoid taxes.

Travel Tips

• Car Travel: Cars over 20 years old are allowed to enter Turkey and travel to Edirne. There is no ban that applies specifically to older cars.
• Construction Materials: Building materials like tiles can be found in the area opposite Margie Outlet. The store Kale – Peker Yapi offers laminate flooring and building materials. For PVC windows, there is a shop at İstasyon, Sanayi Sitesi 18. sokak 6A Blok, D:No:3, 22100 Edirne, Türkiye.
• Prom Dresses: Check stores on the main street for prom dresses, like Dinar. For luxury dresses, visit Istanbul instead.
• Lighting: In Lozengrad, look for lighting at Karakaş, Zincirli Kuyu Cd. no :33, 39100 merkez/Kırklareli, Turkey.
• Using Google Maps Offline: Download the map to your phone through the email link. Enable offline maps in settings. Consider a roaming data package as a backup.
• Parking: Free parking lots are available near malls. Or use paid guarded lots marked “Otopark” on Google Maps.