# Bursa and Uludağ Bursa, south of the Sea of Marmara, was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire; its mosques, hans and the village of Cumalıkızık have been on the World Heritage List since 2014. The city is 1 h 55 by road from Istanbul, with the thermal baths of Çekirge and, above it, the Uludağ massif, where you can ski from December to late March. Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/turkey/bursa-uludag/ Bursa spreads out at the foot of Uludağ, the great mountain of the Marmara region, 1 h 55 by road from central Istanbul. Before Edirne and then Istanbul, it was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, and it keeps the empire's founding monuments: hence the property inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014, "Bursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire". Visitors come for one or two nights on the way out of Istanbul, for the historic city, the baths and the mountain. ## What UNESCO inscribed The property brings together several groups of monuments spread across the city: - the **Great Mosque**, Ulu Camii; - the **Green Mosque** and its tomb; - the **Muradiye complex**; - the **han district**, the urban caravanserais; - the village of **Cumalıkızık**, 15 minutes by road, at the foot of the mountain. One day is enough for the monuments in the centre; add Cumalıkızık in the late afternoon. ## Çekirge, the bath quarter West of the centre, the Çekirge quarter grew up around hot springs. Thermal hotels and old baths abound; it is a chance for a hammam after sightseeing. No Çekirge hotel is in Sabaro's selection: the quarter's large thermal hotels have become conference or chain hotels. ## Uludağ The cable car leaves from Teferrüç and climbs towards the heights of Uludağ. The mountain's hotel zone is about 30 km and 35 minutes by road from the centre. In winter the ski resort usually operates from December to late March. The resort hotels work mostly on full-board or all-inclusive terms, which Sabaro does not offer; you can go up for the day from the city. ## İznik, ancient Nicaea 1 h 05 by road to the north-east, İznik is ancient Nicaea, the town of the First Council of Nicaea. It makes half a day from Bursa, or a stop on the way to Istanbul. ## The hotel in the selection [Kitap Evi Otel](/en/hotels/kitap-evi-otel/) is a konak, an Ottoman mansion, on the Tophane ramparts, which was a bookshop before becoming a hotel. Its 13 rooms are all different; some have a hammam, others a fireplace or a bay window, and several look out on the Great Mosque and the Green Tomb. The garden, enclosed by high stone walls, hosts the restaurant. Price recorded for two nights in early June 2027: about €150 per night for two, without breakfast. ## When to go In Bursa the average high is 19.2 °C in April, 24.4 °C in May and 22.2 °C in October; summer is hot, 31 to 32 °C in July and August, and winter mild in town, around 10 °C in the afternoon in January, but wet. For the city, April to June and September to October; for skiing, January to March. ## Getting to Bursa By road from Istanbul: 1 h 55 from Sultanahmet and 2 h 30 from Istanbul Airport, excluding traffic, which can double these times. By sea, IDO and BUDO ferries link Istanbul (Yenikapı or Kabataş) with the port of Mudanya in 1 h 30 to 2 h, then it takes 1 h to 1 h 30 to central Bursa. Bursa-Yenişehir Airport has few flights. Edirne, the other former Ottoman capital, has [its own page](/en/turkey/edirne/). ## Safety None of the European foreign ministries followed by Sabaro advises against Bursa or Uludağ. Several European ministries call for heightened vigilance across the country and recall the earthquake risk in the Marmara region, where a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck in April 2025. The "Travel advice" table on this page gives the advice of your country. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I visit Bursa as a day trip from Istanbul? Yes, but the road takes nearly two hours each way without traffic. A night there lets you see the centre and Cumalıkızık and take a bath in Çekirge without rushing. ### What should I see first in Bursa? The Great Mosque, the Green Mosque and its tomb, the Muradiye complex, the han district and the village of Cumalıkızık, all inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2014. ### Can I ski on Uludağ? Yes, usually from December to late March. The hotel zone is about 35 minutes by road from central Bursa. ### How do I get from Istanbul to Bursa? By road, 1 h 55 from Sultanahmet without traffic, or by ferry to Mudanya in 1 h 30 to 2 h, then 1 h to 1 h 30 by road. ### Where should I stay in Bursa? At [Kitap Evi Otel](/en/hotels/kitap-evi-otel/), a 13-room Ottoman mansion on the Tophane ramparts.