Bursa Turkey 2024 (The Best Guide)
Bursa Turkey is an old, historically rich city. Bursa is the fourth largest city in Turkey, located in the northwest of Anatolia, 155 km from Istanbul and 20 km from the Sea of Marmara.
Although it doesn’t look lovely due to its coastal location, it is a city worth seeing. Some many attractions and museums can tell the history of the town and all of Turkey.
Bursa Turkey History
The first settlements on the territory of modern Bursa Turkey appeared in a few thousand years BC, and in Antiquity, the Greeks established a full-fledged city. After a while, it started to belong to the Romans and then passed to Byzantium after the collapse of the Roman Empire.
In the 1420s, the Ottoman Empire conquered Bursa and made the city the capital. However, it didn’t stay in this capacity for long. Forty years later, when the Ottomans conquered Edirne, this title passed to Edirne. Bursa Turkey continued to be an economically important city and silk production center. Bursa is now Turkey’s fourth largest city, industry, and tourism center.
How to go to Bursa?
Although Bursa Turkey doesn’t locate by the sea, it is still easy to reach. Therefore, if you wish, you can go to the Sea of Marmara to swim on the beach of one of the coastal villages. You can also go from Istanbul to Bursa by bus, alone or as part of a tour group. Travel time was about 3-4 hours. Therefore, if you wish, you can have time to visit the city in one day or stay there overnight.
Going from Istanbul to Bursa by bus will take about three and a half hours. The journey will be longer as it is farther from Izmir to Bursa than from Istanbul. However, it is also possible to reach the city by bus.
What to See in Bursa?
Check out the must-sees in Bursa:
Uludag National Park and Ski Center
The national park locates in Uludag at an altitude of 2500 meters. You can enjoy walks along the picturesque lakes or explore the cave with several halls on its territory. It is worth taking a look at the stalactites and stalagmites. The park is open all year round. There is also a ski resort in Uludag in December.
Landscapes
The metropolis doesn’t belong to Turkey’s resorts because it is far enough from the sea, but people come here not for the palm trees and the sun but for the sake of new knowledge and impressions. The countless sights of the city of Bursa Turkey, among which you can meet the most beautiful mosques, colorful villages, and oriental markets, are ready to give all this.
Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii)
The Bursa Grand Mosque is an important religious center and one of the main attractions of Bursa. Built-in the 14th century, it is the city’s largest mosque and representative of Seljuk architecture. The mosque is open to tourists on days without religious holidays.
Bursa Green Mosque
Bursa Green Mosque isn’t a single religious building but a complex that includes a Muslim school and the tomb of Sultan Mehmet.
Armory Tower
It locates next to the park of the same name. The tower, which previously served as a fire watchtower, now has an observation deck.
How many hours by bus from Bursa to Istanbul?
The duration of the journey by bus between Bursa and Istanbul may vary depending on the route of the trip and the services of the selected bus company. Generally, bus services between Bursa and Istanbul take between 2.5 and 4 hours.
Can I drive from Bursa to Istanbul?
Yes, the distance between Bursa and Istanbul is 155 km, and you can go in your vehicle.