Bursa Travel Guide

Bursa lies at the foot of Uludag mountain, south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. The Ottomans took it in 1326 and made it their first real capital, and the early sultans are buried here. Today it is Turkey's fourth-largest city and an industrial centre, but its old core of mosques, tombs and covered markets, together with the village of Cumalikizik, has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2014.

Why visit Bursa

Bursa shows what Ottoman architecture looked like before the empire moved to Istanbul. The Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii), with its 20 domes and a fountain inside the prayer hall, was completed around 1400. The Green Mosque and Green Tomb are covered in turquoise and green tiles. The Koza Han, a 15th-century caravanserai, was the centre of the silk trade and still sells silk scarves around its courtyard. Above the city, a long cable car climbs to Uludag, a ski resort in winter and a cool escape in summer.

How much time you need

One full day from Istanbul covers the old city, lunch and either Cumalikizik or the cable car. Our full-day private Bursa tour from Istanbul follows this plan, and the Bursa day trip with cable car and lunch includes the ride up Uludag. Stay a night if you want a thermal bath in Cekirge or a day on the mountain.

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn are comfortable for walking the old city. Summer is warm in town but cooler on Uludag. From December to March the mountain has snow and becomes Turkey's best-known ski resort, which also means weekend traffic on the mountain road.

Getting there from Istanbul

By road, Bursa is about 150 km from Istanbul and usually takes 2 to 2.5 hours via the Osmangazi Bridge across the Gulf of Izmit. Sea buses and fast ferries also run from Istanbul to Mudanya and to Yalova, followed by a road transfer.

Top experiences

• The Grand Mosque, the Green Mosque and the Green Tomb.
• The tombs of Osman and Orhan, the first Ottoman sultans, at Tophane.
• Silk shopping in Koza Han and a coffee in its courtyard.
• The Ottoman village of Cumalikizik, with cobbled lanes and old timber houses.
• The cable car up Uludag.
• A traditional Karagoz shadow puppet show; the characters are said to come from Bursa.

Where to stay

Hotels near the old city and the covered bazaar are best for sightseeing. Cekirge has thermal hotels, and Uludag has mountain hotels for skiing.

What to eat

Bursa is the home of Iskender kebab: thin slices of doner over bread, with tomato sauce, yoghurt and melted butter poured at the table. Try also pideli kofte and candied chestnuts (kestane sekeri), sold all over the city.

Practical tips

• Mosques close to visitors at prayer times.
• The cable car may stop in strong wind.
• Weekend traffic between Istanbul and Bursa can be heavy.

See all Bursa tours, or combine Bursa with other regions in our Turkey packages.