The beautiful old silk road city of Bursa in northern Turkey is 97 kilometres direct from the largest city in this amazing land Istanbul by road 152 kilometres. Bursa is known lovingly by the Turks as Yesil Bursa meaning ‘’Green Bursa’’ as there are so many large open parks and gardens across the city it is also the fourth largest city of this country and sits in the Asian part of the Marmara region.
The city sits at the foothills of a stunning mountain backdrop with the 2500 metre high Mount Uludag watching over it. History shows that the Anatolian region has had civilizations since palaeolithic times and there is evidence there has been an organized city at the site of Bursa probably since the 3rd century BC.
In the 15th century, Bursa began to trade in silk and by the 17th century it was the largest trading centre the world had seen and was known throughout both Europe and Asia, its geographical location was a key in the success. The city is also known for its beautiful mosques and is packed with history from the Ottoman empire.
Bursa is also famed for the Traditional shadow play characters Karagoz and Hacivat. Some say that the tradition od the shadow play in the Turkish culture was bought in from China and others say Africa but either way, it has become a long-standing tradition incorporating folklore tales of comedy and tragedy, love, life and death and is a colourful extraordinary part of the rich heritage of this land.
Getting to Bursa
The largest city near to Bursa is Istanbul and from Istanbul city centre it will take approximately 2 hours by car, travelling on the D575.
There is a small domestic airport called Yenisehir Airport which is situated approximately 40 minutes from Bursa city centre on the D160 later changing to the D200. All local buses and private transfer taxis can be found here and will take you into the city.
If you are travelling from the south from Izmir the journey will take just over 3 hours by road at a distance of 345 kilometres.
From the Yenikapi terminal in Istanbul, you can also take a ferry to the city of Yalova. When you arrive in Yalova, you will see buses and can purchase a ticket to Bursa. The ferry takes less than two hours, and the bus will take roughly an hour.
Where to eat.
Bursa is a large city, the list is endless but we have mentioned a few as a reference but remember the city is known for good traditional Turkish dishes but especially Iskender Kebap.
Selcuk Restaurant has a 4-star rating and you will find it in the Gaziakdemir area on Stadyum Caddesi situated in a green park, they serve traditional Turkish good quality food a lovely terrace overlooking the park is the perfect place to enjoy your meal.
Zennup 1884 is a modern bistro type restaurant with a 5-star rating a cosy atmosphere with delicious food you can find it just off of Lefkose Caddesi.
Other attractions in Bursa
Located at Mount Uludag you will find one of the most popular skiing resorts of Turkey. With elevations of up to 2322 meters and with 16 lifts the ski resort caters to skiers and snowboarders. The mountain roads are open all year and there is also a helicopter service from Istanbul.