Known as "Yeşil Bursa" (Green Bursa) for the forests of Mount Uludağ rising behind it, Bursa was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, and its early mosques and tombs still anchor the city. It's an easy escape from Istanbul — reachable by a fast ferry across the Marmara plus a short drive.
Bursa pairs serious history with a ski mountain, healing thermal springs and the birthplace of the İskender kebab, making it one of the most rewarding short trips in the region.
Known for: Uludağ · Grand Mosque · Thermal baths · İskender kebab · Cumalıkızık
- Region
- Marmara
- Mountain
- Uludağ
- Best seasons
- Year-round
- Famous dish
- İskender kebab
Bursa on the live map
Explore Bursa and all of Turkey on the live intelligence map — tap a city node to fly in.
What Bursa is known for
The Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) with its twenty domes and famous calligraphy, the Green Mosque and Green Tomb, and the silk-trading Koza Han are the historic core. Above the city, Uludağ is Turkey's main ski resort; below it, the thermal district of Çekirge has bathed visitors for centuries.
- Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque), the Green Mosque and Green Tomb.
- Mount Uludağ — skiing in winter, cable-car views year-round.
- Thermal baths in Çekirge.
- Cumalıkızık — a UNESCO-listed early-Ottoman village.
Getting around
From Istanbul, take a fast ferry to Mudanya then a bus or transfer into the city. Within Bursa a metro (Bursaray) and trams connect the centre, and the Teleferik cable car climbs Uludağ from the city.
On the platform
Bursa is joining Türkiye Gez as we expand into a Turkey-wide city intelligence platform. This guide is the launch foundation — live transport data, an interactive map and deeper neighborhood content roll out city by city, on the same architecture that powers Istanbul today.
- Things to do in Bursa — the essential experiences and top attractions.
Bursa in pictures
Frequently asked questions
About Bursa
2Being the first Ottoman capital, its grand early-Ottoman mosques, Mount Uludağ's ski slopes, thermal baths, and as the home of the İskender kebab.
The fastest way is a high-speed ferry across the Marmara to Mudanya (about two hours) followed by a short bus or car transfer into the city.