--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Bursa, Turkey (2026 Guide) | Wimup" description: "The 10 best things to do in Bursa, ranked. The Grand Mosque and the Green Tomb, the silk hans, the Ottoman village of Cumalıkızık, the Uludağ cable car and the city where İskender kebab began." url: https://wimup.com/city/bursa type: City guide updated: 2026-10-26 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Bursa Bursa, Turkey · Europe · By Wimup Editorial, 13 min read Bursa was the first Ottoman capital, taken in 1326, and the dynasty's founders are buried on its citadel hill. Their mosques, tombs and silk hans make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city still trades on silk, thermal water and the kebab İskender Efendi first sliced from a vertical spit here. ## Quick answer Start in the Hanlar district: the Grand Mosque, then tea in the courtyard of Koza Han, the silk market of 1491. Walk up to Tophane for the tombs of Osman and Orhan, and give a second morning to the Green Mosque and the Muradiye tombs. Eat İskender where it was invented. A third day buys Cumalıkızık, the cable car up Uludağ or a soak in Çekirge. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** Apr · May · Sep · Oct - **Ideal length:** 2–3 days - **Budget per day:** $50–100 - **Language:** Turkish - **Getting around:** Bursaray metro, the T1 tram and city buses - **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://bursa.goturkiye.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Bursa ### 1. Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) Mosque · Atatürk Caddesi, Osmangazi, Bursa Bayezid I built it between 1396 and 1399 after his victory at Nicopolis: twenty domes in four rows of five, over walls of calligraphy and a fountain under the central dome. It is the largest multi-domed mosque the Ottomans built. - **Time:** 45 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Dress modestly and avoid the Friday midday prayer; the Hanlar bazaars start at its east door Links: [Website](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/mekan/the-grand-mosque-40?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 2. Green Mosque and Green Tomb Mosque · Yeşil, Yıldırım, Bursa Mehmed I's mosque of 1419, its mihrab tiled by the masters of Tabriz, faces his blue-green tomb across a narrow street. The planned portico was never built, which is why the facade looks unfinished. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** The madrasa beside them houses the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum; check it is open before you walk up ### 3. Koza Han Market · Osmangazi, Bursa Bayezid II's silk caravanserai, finished in 1491, with a small mosque on a fountain in the middle of its courtyard. Silk shops still fill the upper gallery and the courtyard is the city's favourite tea garden. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Afternoon - **Tip:** Buy silk scarves upstairs, then walk through to the Bedesten and Emir Han next door ### 4. Muradiye Complex Tombs · Muradiye, Osmangazi, Bursa Murad II's mosque of 1426 and the garden of twelve tombs beside it, most of them his family's. The tiled mausoleums of the princes are the finest early Ottoman interiors in the city. - **Time:** 1 hr 30 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Combine it with the Hüsnü Züber House, a block west of Muradiye Park ### 5. Tombs of Osman and Orhan Memorial · Tophane, Osmangazi, Bursa The founder of the Ottoman state and his son, who took Bursa, lie opposite each other inside the gates of Tophane Park. Both tombs were rebuilt after the 1855 earthquake, Osman's in a baroque style. - **Time:** 45 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Sunset - **Tip:** Climb on to the clock tower terrace for the widest view over the city and the plain ### 6. Cumalıkızık Village · Cumalıkızık, Yıldırım, Bursa A village of the early 1300s about 10 km east of the centre, its timber-framed houses in cobbled lanes under Uludağ. It is part of the UNESCO listing, and many of the houses are still lived in. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Weekday morning - **Tip:** Come for a village breakfast, and on a weekday, before the tour buses fill the lanes Links: [Website](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/mekan/cumalikizik-village-103?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 7. Uludağ cable car Viewpoint · Teferrüç, Yıldırım, Bursa The gondola that opened in 2014 climbs about 8.8 km from Teferrüç to the hotel zone of Uludağ in roughly 22 minutes. Sarıalan, at 1,630 m, is the picnic stop; the top station serves the ski slopes. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Clear day - **Tip:** Take a jacket even in summer, and check the line is running if the wind is up Links: [Website](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/sayfa/cable-car-21?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 8. Irgandı Bridge Landmark · Gökdere, Osmangazi, Bursa A merchant's bridge of 1442 over the Gökdere stream, lined with shops like Florence's Ponte Vecchio. Destroyed in 1922 and rebuilt, it now holds craft workshops selling ceramics, glass and woodwork. - **Time:** 30 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Afternoon - **Tip:** Look down from the middle on the gorge, then continue along Setbaşı to the Green Mosque Links: [Website](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/mekan/irgandi-bridge-275?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 9. Eski Kaplıca Bath · Çekirge, Osmangazi, Bursa Murad I's thermal bath of the 1380s, built on Byzantine foundations and enlarged by Bayezid II in 1511. The spring water still arrives at about 45°C into marble pools under the original domes. - **Time:** 1 hr 30 min - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Evening - **Tip:** It has separate men's and women's sections; bring a swimsuit and drink water between rounds ### 10. Panorama 1326 Bursa Conquest Museum Museum · Ebu İshak, Osmangazi, Bursa A 360-degree painting of the conquest of Bursa on 6 April 1326, under a dome, with sound and a historical introduction. It sits a five-minute walk from Gökdere metro station. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Rainy day - **Tip:** It is closed on Mondays, and the Museum Card is not valid here Links: [Website](https://panorama1326.osmangazi.bel.tr/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Best Ottoman monuments in Bursa The mosques and complexes of the early sultans, beyond the Top 10. 1. **Orhan Gazi Mosque** (Mosque · 1339 · Hanlar): Orhan's complex of 1339, among the oldest Ottoman monuments standing. 2. **Yıldırım Bayezid Complex** (Complex · 1390s · Yıldırım): Bayezid I's hilltop mosque and tomb, built in the early 1390s. 3. **Hüdavendigar Mosque** (Mosque · 14th c. · Çekirge): Murad I's mosque in Çekirge, with a madrasa on its upper floor. 4. **Emir Sultan Mosque** (Mosque · tomb · Emirsultan): The mosque and tomb of Bayezid I's son-in-law, much visited by pilgrims. 5. **Tophane Clock Tower** (Landmark · 1905 · Tophane): A six-storey tower of 1905 that once doubled as a fire lookout. ## Best hans and bazaars in Bursa The covered market quarter that grew around Orhan's mosque. 1. **Emir Han** (Han · 14th c. · Hanlar): Orhan's own han, its courtyard now a quiet run of cafés. 2. **Fidan Han** (Han · c. 1470 · Hanlar): Built around 1470 by the grand vizier Mahmud Pasha, with courtyard cafés. 3. **Bedesten** (Covered market · Hanlar): Bayezid I's vaulted hall for valuables, rebuilt after a 1958 fire. 4. **Kapalıçarşı** (Bazaar · Hanlar): The covered bazaar's lanes of towels, knives, silk and household goods. 5. **Eski Aynalı Çarşı** (Bazaar · Hanlar): The old mirrored bazaar, the place for Karagöz shadow puppets. ## Best thermal baths in Bursa Bursa has bathed in Uludağ's spring water since Roman times. 1. **Eski Kaplıca** (Thermal · 14th c. · Çekirge): Murad I's bath of the 1380s, the spring water near 45°C. 2. **Yeni Kaplıca** (Thermal · 16th c. · Çekirge): Rüstem Pasha's thermal bath of the 1550s, built for Süleyman. 3. **Çakır Ağa Hamamı** (Hamam · Atatürk Caddesi): A double hamam with men's and women's sides, still in its original use. [Website](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/mekan/cakiraga-turkish-bath-418?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 4. **İnebey Hamamı** (Hamam · İnebey): A historic city hamam near the bazaars that still runs as a bath. ## Best museums in Bursa Tiles, puppets, cars and the city's own story. 1. **Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum** (Islamic art · Yeşil): İznik ceramics, calligraphy and dervish objects in the Green Madrasa. 2. **Bursa City Museum** (City history · Heykel): Turkey's first city museum, on Atatürk Caddesi. 3. **Karagöz Museum** (Puppetry · Çekirge): Shadow puppets from Turkey and abroad, opened in 2007. 4. **Bursa Archaeology Museum** (Archaeology · Kültürpark): Finds from 3000 BC to Byzantium, on the edge of Kültürpark. 5. **Tofaş Anatolian Cars Museum** (Transport · Umurbey): Carriages and cars in a former silk mill, opened in 2002. 6. **Hüsnü Züber House** (House museum · Muradiye): A 19th-century house by Muradiye, once a state guesthouse. ## Best restaurants in Bursa The city of İskender, pideli köfte and Uludağ butter. 1. **Kebapçı İskender** (İskender · since 1867 · Heykel): The inventor's family, serving only İskender in an old wooden house. [Website](https://iskenderiskenderoglu.com.tr/our-history?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **İskender Efendi Konağı** (İskender · Botanik Park): The Efendi family's mansion restaurant by the Botanic Park. 3. **Uludağ Kebapçısı Cemal & Cemil Usta** (İskender · Hanlar): The rival İskender house, in the heart of the old city. 4. **Kayhan Pideli Köfte** (Pideli köfte · Kayhan): Meatballs on pide under hot butter, in the Kayhan bazaar. ## Best neighbourhoods in Bursa The old city runs east to west along the foot of Uludağ. 1. **Hanlar** (Old city · Osmangazi): The bazaar quarter of hans, Ulu Cami and the covered market. 2. **Hisar and Tophane** (Citadel · Osmangazi): The citadel hill, with the founders' tombs and old houses. 3. **Muradiye** (Historic · Osmangazi): Murad II's tombs, Ottoman houses and quiet cobbled streets. 4. **Yeşil** (Historic · Yıldırım): The Green Mosque, the Green Tomb and the Setbaşı stream. 5. **Çekirge** (Spa district · Osmangazi): The spa quarter on the western slope, home of the thermal baths. ## Best day trips in Bursa Mountain, lake, sea and İznik, all within about an hour and a half. 1. **Uludağ** (National park · 36 km · South): The Marmara region's highest mountain, 2,543 m, skiing from December. [Website](https://skiing.goturkiye.com/uludag?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **İznik** (Town · 67 km · Northeast): Byzantine Nicaea, its Hagia Sophia and the tile workshops, 67 km away. 3. **Gölyazı** (Lake village · West): A fishing village on a peninsula in Lake Uluabat, about 40 km west. 4. **Tirilye** (Coast village · Northwest): A former Greek town of stone houses in olive groves, near Mudanya. 5. **Mudanya** (Seaside town · Northwest): The port where the 1922 armistice was signed, and the sea bus to Istanbul. ## Festivals & annual events in Bursa (2026) - **Uludağ ski season** (December–March): The slopes above the cable car usually run from December, with the best snow in January and February. - **International Bursa Festival** (June–July): Concerts, dance and theatre across the city; first held in 1962. - **Golden Karagöz Folk Dance Competition** (July): International folk dance troupes compete as part of the Bursa Festival. - **Bursa Liberation Day** (11 September): The city marks its liberation in 1922 with ceremonies and exhibitions. - **Mudanya Armistice anniversary** (11 October): Mudanya commemorates the armistice signed in the town in 1922. - **Conquest of Bursa** (6 April): The anniversary of the 1326 Ottoman conquest, the date the panorama museum depicts. - **Karagöz Puppet and Shadow Play Festival** (November): Shadow theatre from Turkey and abroad, in the city of Karagöz and Hacivat. - **Bursa FotoFest** (Late autumn): An international photography festival; recent editions have run from November into January. ## Must-try dishes in Bursa, Turkey - **İskender kebab**: Thin döner over pide, tomato sauce, yogurt and sizzling butter. - **Pideli köfte**: Small meatballs on pide, under butter and tomato sauce. - **İnegöl köfte**: Grilled beef and lamb meatballs from the nearby town of İnegöl. - **Cantık**: A Tatar-style meat pastry found only in Bursa. - **Kestane şekeri**: Candied chestnuts from the Uludağ slopes, the city's sweet. - **Kemalpaşa tatlısı**: Small cheese sweets soaked in syrup, made with a cheese of their own. - **Tahinli pide**: Flatbread spread with tahini and sugar, for breakfast or tea. - **Mihaliç peyniri**: A hard, salty cheese from the Karacabey plain. ## Bursa transport & airports - **Bursa Yenişehir Airport** (YEI): A small airport about 50 km east of the centre, with mostly domestic flights. Most visitors fly into Istanbul and cross by sea bus or road. - **Sea bus** (Ferry): İDO fast ferries cross from Istanbul to Güzelyalı and BUDO sea buses to Mudanya, both in roughly 1 hour 30 to 2 hours. Buses link both piers to the Bursaray metro. [Website](https://www.ido.com.tr/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Bursaray and tram** (Metro): Two Bursaray metro lines cover about 39 km east to west, meeting at Acemler. The T1 tram loops one way around the old city centre. [Website](https://www.burulas.com.tr/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Cable car** (Teleferik): The Uludağ gondola runs about 8.8 km from Teferrüç, in the east of the city, to the mountain hotels in about 22 minutes. [Website](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/sayfa/cable-car-21?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Bursa at a glance - **Country:** Türkiye (Turkey) - **Region:** Marmara, Bursa Province (capital) - **Population:** 3.24 million province-wide (2024, TÜİK) - **Founded:** As Prusa in antiquity; Ottoman capital from 1326 - **Nickname:** Yeşil Bursa (Green Bursa) - **Language:** Turkish - **Currency:** Turkish lira (₺, TRY) - **Time zone:** UTC+3, no daylight saving - **Calling code:** +90 224 - **Airports:** Bursa Yenişehir (YEI), about 50 km east; Istanbul's airports by sea or road - **Power:** 230V, 50Hz, plug types C and F - **Emergency:** 112 ## Interesting facts - The Ottomans took Bursa on 6 April 1326, and it served as their first great capital. - Bursa and Cumalıkızık were inscribed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. - The Grand Mosque's twenty domes stand in for twenty mosques Bayezid I is said to have vowed. - İskender Efendi is credited with first roasting kebab on a vertical spit here in 1867. - Karagöz shadow theatre, whose legend is set in Bursa, is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list. ## Bursa travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in Bursa? Two days covers the old city: the Grand Mosque, the hans and Tophane on one, the Green Mosque, Muradiye and İskender on the other. A third day buys Cumalıkızık, the cable car up Uludağ or an evening in the Çekirge baths. ### Is Bursa worth visiting? Yes, for the Ottoman story before Istanbul. The first capital's mosques, tombs and silk hans survive close together, the Green Tomb's tiles are among the finest in Turkey, and the kebab, the baths and the mountain give it a character of its own. ### How do you get from Istanbul to Bursa? By sea is the most pleasant: İDO fast ferries to Güzelyalı or BUDO sea buses to Mudanya take roughly 1 hour 30 to 2 hours, then a bus to the metro. Buses by road take longer in traffic. Check timetables, which change by season. ### Can you ski on Uludağ? Yes. Uludağ is one of Turkey's main ski areas, with a season that usually runs from December into March and the best snow in January and February. The cable car from Teferrüç reaches the hotel zone in about 22 minutes. Weekdays are far quieter than weekends. ### Where should you eat İskender in Bursa? Kebapçı İskender, run by the inventor's family in an old wooden house in the centre, is the address most people come for. İskender Efendi Konağı and Uludağ Kebapçısı Cemal & Cemil Usta are the main rivals. Expect lunch queues, and order it with ayran. ## Nearby guides - [Istanbul](https://wimup.com/city/istanbul.md): Day trip · 10 picks - [Pamukkale](https://wimup.com/city/pamukkale.md): Turkey · 10 picks - [Burgas](https://wimup.com/city/burgas.md): Bulgaria · 10 picks - [All of Europe →](https://wimup.com/europe): 148 cities Part of the [Turkey guide](https://wimup.com/country/turkey.md) · [Europe](https://wimup.com/europe.md) ## Sources - [Bursa tourism board](https://bursa.goturkiye.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) (official site)](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/mekan/the-grand-mosque-40?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Cumalıkızık (official site)](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/mekan/cumalikizik-village-103?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Uludağ cable car (official site)](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/sayfa/cable-car-21?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Irgandı Bridge (official site)](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/mekan/irgandi-bridge-275?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Panorama 1326 Bursa Conquest Museum (official site)](https://panorama1326.osmangazi.bel.tr/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Çakır Ağa Hamamı (official site)](https://www.bursa.com.tr/en/mekan/cakiraga-turkish-bath-418?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Kebapçı İskender (official site)](https://iskenderiskenderoglu.com.tr/our-history?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Uludağ (official site)](https://skiing.goturkiye.com/uludag?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Sea bus (official site)](https://www.ido.com.tr/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Bursaray and tram (official site)](https://www.burulas.com.tr/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.