Bursa Travel Guide 2026: Ottoman Capital, Uludağ and Green City
Bursa travel guide — first Ottoman capital, Grand Mosque, Silk Bazaar, Uludağ ski resort, Green Mosque and Tomb, and Turkey's most underrated major city.
Guides for Bursa
Bursa is Turkey’s fourth-largest city and the first capital of the Ottoman Empire — a city that holds the tombs of the first three Ottoman sultans and the physical origins of a civilisation that shaped three continents. It is also one of the most livable and under-visited major cities in Turkey: a city of silk bazaars, Ottoman thermal baths, one of Turkey’s best ski resorts (Uludağ), the finest inlaid woodwork in Turkey, and a food tradition that gave döner kebab to the world.
The epithet “Yeşil Bursa” (Green Bursa) is genuinely earned — the city is surrounded by the forests of Uludağ and the Bursa plain, with more green space than any major Turkish city outside Ankara.
What makes Bursa significant
First Ottoman capital: Bursa was captured by Osman I’s son Orhan in 1326 CE and became the first true capital of the Ottoman state. The tombs of Osman I and Orhan I are here; so are the tombs of Murad I and Beyazıd I. The city retains the physical structures of early Ottoman architecture in a way that Istanbul’s later, more grandiose buildings have obscured.
Green Mosque and Tomb (Yeşil Cami and Türbe): The masterpiece of early Ottoman architecture — the Green Mosque (1419 CE) and adjacent Green Tomb are considered the finest buildings of the early Ottoman period. The tilework, the carved stone portal, and the proportions are exceptional.
Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami): The 20-domed late-14th century mosque built by Bayezid I — a monumental building with interior calligraphy panels considered some of the finest in the Islamic world.
Silk Bazaar (Koza Han): The 15th-century caravanserai at the heart of Bursa’s silk trade — still operating as a commercial space for silk goods, with the courtyard and upper galleries intact. Bursa was the terminus of the Silk Road in the Ottoman period.
Uludağ: The “Great Mountain” rising directly above Bursa to 2,543m — the most accessible ski resort from Istanbul, and a year-round destination for cable car rides, hiking, and escape from the summer heat.
Daily costs
| Category | Budget | Mid-range |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | ₺500–1,200 | ₺1,200–3,500 |
| Food | ₺200–380 | ₺380–700 |
| Activities | ₺100–300 | ₺300–600 |
| Transport | ₺50–120 | ₺120–300 |
| Total/day | ₺850–2,000 | ₺2,000–5,100 |
Connections
Bursa is 155km southeast of Istanbul. Connections: FastFerry (hızlı feribot) from Istanbul Yenikapı to Mudanya (75 minutes, then 30-minute bus to Bursa city — total approximately 2.5 hours; ₺200–350); intercity bus from Istanbul 3.5–4 hours; no direct train. Bursa Yenişehir Airport (BTZ) has limited domestic routes; most travellers use Istanbul airports.