Bursa walking tour & city guide

The historic center

The Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), completed in 1399, is the centerpiece of old Bursa. Its interior is divided by pillars into a grid of 20 domes, with a fountain inside the prayer hall and walls covered in remarkable calligraphy. Around it spreads the historic market district, a network of covered bazaars and hans.

Koza Han, built in the 15th century, was the center of the silk trade; today its courtyard, with a small mosque in the middle, is filled with silk shops and tea gardens. Nearby, the Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) and Bedesten sell everything from towels to knives, two of Bursa's traditional products.

Green Bursa

Bursa is known as 'Green Bursa' for its parks and the forested slopes of Uludağ. East of the center, the Green Mosque and Green Tomb are covered in beautiful turquoise İznik tiles. In the Muradiye district, a peaceful complex of tombs of early Ottoman sultans and princes sits among gardens.

Just outside the city, the village of Cumalıkızık preserves cobbled lanes and colorful Ottoman houses from the city's early days and is part of the UNESCO listing. Breakfast in the village is a local tradition.

Uludağ and practical tips

A long cable car climbs from the city to Uludağ, one of Türkiye's main ski resorts in winter and a cool retreat with picnic spots in summer. Bursa also has historic thermal baths in the Çekirge area. The city is about two hours from Istanbul by ferry and road.