For a coffee break in Edirne, the mansion courtyard in Kaleiçi is a quiet corner where you can drink a cup of Turkish coffee without hurrying. Turkish Coffee Culture and Tradition was added to the UNESCO list in 2013; here coffee is less a drink than the name for conversation, hospitality and a pause. The current coffee selection is on our menu page, and the courtyard on our Edirne cafe and restaurant page.
Turkish coffee culture: a tradition recorded by UNESCO
Turkish Coffee Culture and Tradition was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 8th session of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Baku on 5 December 2013. The inscription covers not only the drink but also the brewing technique, the social role of coffeehouses and the place of coffee on days such as engagements and holidays.
The Kültür Portalı sums up this tradition with the saying "a cup of coffee is remembered for forty years". Serving coffee when asking for a bride's hand, offering coffee to guests and long conversations over coffee are parts of this culture that are still alive today.
How is Turkish coffee brewed and drunk?
According to the description in the UNESCO inscription, freshly roasted coffee beans are ground to a fine powder; the ground coffee, cold water and sugar to taste are put in a coffee pot (cezve) and brewed slowly on the stove to produce a foam. The coffee is served in small cups with a glass of water.
The water is drunk before the coffee to cleanse the palate. The coffee is sipped slowly without breaking the foam; the grounds at the bottom of the cup are not drunk. The sugar preference, plain, little, medium or sweet, is asked before brewing, because sugar is not added to Turkish coffee afterwards.
| Step | What is done? |
|---|---|
| Grinding | Freshly roasted beans are ground to a fine powder |
| Sugar | Plain, little, medium or sweet; added before brewing |
| Brewing | Cold water and coffee in a cezve, slowly over a low heat |
| Foam | Before it boils, the foam is shared between the cups |
| Serving | In a small cup, with a glass of water |
The best hours for coffee in Edirne
From 09:00 to 13:00 the courtyard is set for the spread breakfast, and tea and coffee are served with the table. After breakfast the courtyard becomes a cafe; in the middle of a Selimiye or bazaar tour, 15:00–17:00 in the afternoon is the most relaxed coffee time in the courtyard.
The courtyard is at its quietest on weekday afternoons; at weekends and on religious holidays the number of visitors to the city rises. As cafe hours can change with the season, we suggest confirming by WhatsApp before you come. The seating options in the courtyard are described on our Edirne cafe page.
Where to take a coffee break in Edirne
In Edirne a coffee break is usually taken along your sightseeing route. The Selimiye and its surroundings, the stretch between the Ali Paşa Bazaar and the Bedesten, the lanes of Kaleiçi and the riversides are the most popular areas. Once you have set your route, placing the break at a point that splits the walk in two makes the day easier.
The guesthouse is on the outer edge of Kaleiçi, about 5 minutes on foot from the Ali Paşa Bazaar and 12–15 minutes from the Selimiye Mosque. The Kaleiçi route and distances are in a table on our Edirne old town cafe page.
Alongside your coffee: the courtyard through the seasons
Drinking coffee in the shade of the arbour in summer, on the lawn in spring and in the stone-walled lounge in winter are different but equally calm experiences. On hot summer days iced coffee and refreshing drinks come to the fore, on cool days hot drinks; the menu is renewed with the season.
You can drink your coffee under the vine arbour, beside the brick arch or under the glass roof. The courtyard flows without regular live music, to the sound of birds and vine leaves.
Coffee and a stay in Edirne
Guests staying at the guesthouse have their morning coffee at the breakfast table and their afternoon coffee in the same courtyard. Coming back to the courtyard to rest between sights is the most practical side of staying in Kaleiçi. Room options are on our Edirne accommodation page.
For all options and details, see our cafe & restaurant page or contact us directly.
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