Bursa was the first capital of the Ottoman state and the buildings standing in the middle of the city still show it. At the same time there is a ski resort here, thermal baths and a village that has made it onto the UNESCO list, and all of them are half an hour from one another. It is two hours from Istanbul by boat, which means it can be a trip of its own or a two-day addition. Below I have written how to build those two days.
The Grand Mosque, the Green Mosque and the old market
The Grand Mosque is in the centre of the city and stands out for its twenty domes. Inside there is a fountain in the middle and enormous calligraphy panels hang on the walls; it is hard to find a second mosque with this much writing in one place. Entry is free, so pay attention to the visiting hours.
The Green Mosque and the Green Tomb opposite it justify the city’s name, because both are covered in turquoise tiles. The Koza Han nearby was the centre of the silk trade and silk is still sold there today. The tea garden in its courtyard is the most comfortable place in the city for a break.
Uludag and the cable car
Uludag is among Turkey’s best-known ski centres and the cable car that climbs up from the city is one of the longest in the world. The line passes through several stations and the city below gets gradually smaller. In winter the ski season here runs from December to March.
In summer, though, the mountain works for an entirely different purpose: cool air, picnics and forest walks. Up there the temperature is up to ten degrees lower than in the city. Cable car tickets run out quickly at the weekend, and taking the ticket in advance saves you standing in the queue.
The thermal baths and Cumalikizik
The Cekirge district has been known for its thermal waters for a thousand years and some of the baths work in buildings remaining from the Byzantine period. The water is rich in minerals and most of the hotels have their own pool. For an hour’s visit it is more interesting to choose one of the historic baths.
Cumalikizik is an Ottoman village roughly ten kilometres from the city and is on the UNESCO list. There are stone streets, coloured wooden houses and courtyard cafés, and people go there for breakfast. The village is small and two hours are enough, but at the weekend it gets crowded.
Read more: A Turkey travel guide: Istanbul, Antalya, Cappadocia, the Black Sea and the thermal resorts
How to reach Bursa and the budget
The most comfortable way is to cross from Istanbul by boat to the port of Mudanya and come to the city from there by bus, with the whole journey taking roughly two hours. The land route by bus takes longer, because it goes round the gulf. For moving around the city there are the metro and buses, while the centre is walked on foot.
| Hotel | A night in the centre, roughly 40–80 euros |
| Thermal hotel | Higher in Cekirge with a pool included |
| Iskender kebab | The city’s own dish, a portion 8–14 euros |
| Cable car | Return ticket, changes with the season |
Iskender kebab was created right here and is the city’s most famous dish; alongside it, candied chestnuts are worth buying. Choosing a hotel in the centre or in Cekirge changes the character of the trip, and filtering separately for hotels with a thermal pool makes that decision easier. Official information about the region is given on Turkey’s tourism portal.
Season in Bursa
April–June and September–October are the most comfortable months for walking the city, with the weather at 18–26 degrees. December–March is the Uludag season, in which period hotel prices go up and places at the weekend are taken quickly. Summer passes hot, but the mountain and the highlands give cool air. In the spring months the surroundings of the city are in flower and prices at the thermal hotels are at their lowest level.
In short
Bursa is a rare city that gives you Ottoman history, a mountain and thermal water in one trip. Gather the Grand Mosque and the Koza Han into one day, put the cable car in the morning, go to Cumalikizik on a weekday, and do not miss the thermal bath. If you want to combine several cities in Turkey, you can look at the combined tours for Turkey. For a route, fill in the application form.
Note: prices and the cable car timetable change with the season, so check before travelling.
