All of Türkiye
Bursa
Türkiye / Istanbul & Marmara / Bursa

Bursa

First Ottoman Capital under Mount Uludağ

Plan this trip
1 dayIdeal stay₹3,600From / night₹1,500Food / dayFreeEntry

The first Ottoman capital, a ferry ride and a short drive across the Sea of Marmara from Istanbul: the Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii) with its twenty domes, the Green Mosque and Green Tomb, the silk market in the old Koza Han, and İskender kebab in the town that invented it. The village of Cumalıkızık and the cable car up Uludağ (ski slopes in winter) make a second day. A UNESCO World Heritage site with Cumalıkızık.

Highlights

  • Ulu Camii's calligraphy and fountain
  • Green Mosque tiles
  • Koza Han silk market
  • Cumalıkızık Ottoman village
  • Uludağ cable car
  • İskender kebab where it began
  • Kestane şekeri (candied chestnuts)
  • Old Ottoman thermal baths

Things to do

  • Ulu Camii, Koza Han & the covered bazaarMorning · 2h 30m
  • Green Mosque & Green TombAfternoon · 1h 30m
  • Cumalıkızık village breakfastMorning · 3h
  • Teleferik cable car up UludağAfternoon · 3h
  • İskender kebab dinnerEvening · 1h 30m

Tours & tickets

Tours & tickets in Bursavia GetYourGuideTours & tickets in Bursavia Klook

Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.

When to go

Best time: April – June, September – October

Worth knowing

Bayram Holiday: Buses and Flights Sell Out

Ramazan Bayramı (about 9-12 March 2027) and Kurban Bayramı (about 16-19 May 2027, often stretched to nine days off) send millions of Turks travelling. Intercity buses and domestic flights sell out and prices jump, coastal hotels fill, and some museums close on the first morning. Book transport and rooms early, and avoid travelling on the first and last days of the holiday.

  • Ramadan (Ramazan) — The fasting month, expected from about 8 February to 9 March 2027. Life for visitors carries on: restaurants, cafes and sights stay open, and alcohol is still sold in tourist areas. In conservative cities (Konya, Mardin) eat discreetly in daylight. At sunset the iftar meal fills restaurants and Sultanahmet's square becomes a night market; drummers wake the neighbourhoods before dawn.
  • Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr) — The holiday ending Ramadan (expected about 9-12 March 2027). Millions of Turks travel home: intercity buses and domestic flights sell out and prices jump, so book a few weeks ahead. Some museums close on the first morning; Istanbul's bridges and public transport are often free.
  • Kurban Bayramı (Eid al-Adha) — The four-day feast of the sacrifice (expected about 16-19 May 2027), often stretched to nine days off. The biggest travel rush of the year: buses, flights and coastal hotels book out and fares double, and the Aegean and Mediterranean resorts fill with Turkish families. Avoid moving between cities on the first and last days.