Centre
First-timersAround the Ulu Cami and bazaar.
Bursa city guide
Things To Do In Bursa
The first capital of the Ottoman Empire, below a ski mountain, with green-tiled mosques, silk caravanserais, thermal baths and the original İskender kebab.
1326
The first Ottoman capital
2014
Joins UNESCO
20
Domes on the Ulu Cami
Where the Ottomans began
Bursa was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, taken in 1326, and the founders of the dynasty, Osman and Orhan, are buried here. The city grew rich on the silk trade, and its mosques, tombs and caravanserais, together with the village of Cumalıkızık, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It sits at the foot of Uludağ, a mountain with skiing in winter, reached by one of the longest cable cars in the world, and it has been a spa town since Roman times.
Bursa is a big, working city and gets few foreign visitors. Two days is right, and it is an easy trip from Istanbul.
Where to stay
Stay in the centre near the Ulu Cami, or in Çekirge for the baths.
Çekirge
BathsThe spa district.
Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Bursa
The Ulu Cami, the Grand Mosque, has twenty domes and a fountain inside. The Green Mosque and Green Tomb, covered in turquoise tiles, are the finest early Ottoman buildings.
The Koza Han, a silk caravanserai, still sells silk around its courtyard. The tombs of Osman and Orhan stand in Tophane park above the centre.
Take the Uludağ cable car up the mountain, for skiing in winter and walks in summer. Soak in the thermal baths at Çekirge.
Cumalıkızık, an Ottoman village of timber houses, is twenty minutes away.
Free things
Free things to do in Bursa
The mosques, Tophane park and the bazaar are free.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Bursa
Bursa invented the İskender kebab: sliced döner over bread with tomato sauce and melted butter, from the Kebapçı İskender family since the nineteenth century. Kestane şekeri, candied chestnuts, is the local sweet.
A meal is €6 to €12.
Nightlife
Going out in Bursa
Bursa is quieter than Istanbul, with bars and cafés around the centre.
A beer is €4 to €6.
Getting around
Getting around Bursa
The centre is walkable, and a metro and tram cover the rest. Buses reach Istanbul in about two and a half hours; fast ferries from Istanbul to Mudanya are an alternative.
The cable car runs up Uludağ from the edge of the city.
Costs
What Bursa costs
Bursa is cheaper than Istanbul. A careful day is €35 to €50.
The currency is the Turkish lira, and prices change quickly with inflation; these are euro equivalents. Cards work widely, bank ATMs are best, and always pay in lira rather than accepting a conversion.
Safety
Staying safe in Bursa
Bursa is safe.
On Uludağ in winter, check weather and cable car status before going up.
Emergency number is 112.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Shadow puppetry was born here.
December to March
Ski season
Uludağ
Turkey's best-known ski resort.
Summer
Bursa Festival
Bursa
Concerts and performances.
When to go
April to June and September to October; December to March for skiing.
Jan
Skiing
Feb
Skiing
Mar
Spring
Apr
Good
May
Excellent
Jun
Warm
Jul
Hot
Aug
Hot
Sep
Good
Oct
Good
Nov
Rainy
Dec
Skiing starts
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. Uludağ is much colder.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are euro equivalents and move quickly with lira inflation.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Bursa travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is Bursa worth visiting?
Yes, for early Ottoman architecture, the baths, Uludağ and the original İskender.
How do I get from Istanbul?
By bus, about two and a half hours, or fast ferry and bus.
Can I ski near Bursa?
Yes, on Uludağ from December to March.
What is İskender kebab?
Döner over bread with tomato sauce and butter, invented in Bursa.
What is Cumalıkızık?
An Ottoman village of timber houses, part of the UNESCO site.
How many days do you need?
Two.
When is the best time to visit?
April to June and September to October.
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