Full-Day Bursa & Uludag Mountain Tour from Istanbul

Bursa, once an Ottoman capital city is filled with fascinating relics of the past. Enjoy a full-day trip to Bursa, visit Green Mosque, Green Tombs, explore the green life of the city, stroll in the streets and Marketplace, taste the delicious Turkish sweets and roasted chestnuts.

Tour Highlights

  • Admire the incredible view as you take the cable car up Mt. Uludağ
  • Enjoy a BBQ lunch
  • Taste the traditional local products,
  • Visit the historical sites

Bursa and Uludag Mountain Tour Overview

Pick up from your hotel and transfer to the port. Take the ferry-boat to Bursa. Enjoying the lovely seaside. Arrive in Bursa and start to explore the city.

Visit Green Tomb and Green Mosque, a social complex including a mosque, silk market, green mausoleum and ottoman houses.

The highlight of the Bursa Tour is taking the Chair lift to the top of the mountain. Here, you enjoy the astonishing scenery of the city.

Enjoy a delicious lunch including delicious mixed grill, salad, potatoes and one soft drink at a restaurant located at the skirt of the mountain (800 m).

Then proceed to the Old tree which is an almost 600 years old plane tree. Have a break here to take photos /selfies.

Bursa is known as one of the largest manufacturing sectors of Turkey. So for that reason, you may have opportunities to get things from manufacturing places such as Turkish delight manufacturing, honey manufacturing, jam preserved manufacturing, and the Silk market (610 years old antique Turkish bath).

Free hotel pick up & drop off areas on Bursa and Uludag Mountain Tour

Free hotel pick up and drop off is available for the hotels located in these areas (Aksaray-Besiktas-Beyazıt-Beyoglu-Laleli-Sirkeci-Sultanahmet-Taksim)

Hotel pick up is at 08:30-09:00
Hotel drop off is at 20:00-21:00

Bursa and Uludag Mountain Tour includes

  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • Transportation by air-conditioned non-smoking vehicles
  • Professional tour guide
  • Cable car (chairlift)
  • Entrance fees
  • Barbecue lunch
  • Local taxes
  • Service charges

Bursa and Uludag Mountain Tour does not include

  • Personal expenses
  • Tips/gratuities
  • Optional activities

About Bursa: History of Bursa and Bursa Information

Bursa has the title of Green (Yeşil Bursa) thanks to the 15th-century green colored tiles of the Ottoman architecture and being surrounded by nature. Two of the most interesting buildings in Bursa are Yeşil Mosque and Yeşil Tomb which means Green Mosque and Green Tomb. Green Mosque was built during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet I who was the sun of Yıldırım Beyazit. The Green Mosque is called Green owing to the beautiful green colored tiles inside of it which date back to the 15th century. Evliya Çelebi who was an Ottoman traveler and a travel writer called them "emeralds sparkling in the sunlight". Green Tomb which is on the other side if the street is the tomb of Sultan Mehmet I who died in 1421. An impressive example of the early Ottoman architecture with its decoration inside and outside. Nearby there are the tombs of family members of Mehmet I; his sons Mahmut and Mustafa, his son Yusuf Çelebi and his daughters.

In ancient times, Bursa was the capital of the Bithynia region in Anatolian history. The city was named after its founder Prusias I (228-185BC). The fourth king of Bithynia. Later it becomes Bursa as it has been pronounced similarly. In 74 BC, Bithynia came under direct Roman rule. Before that, it was ruled by Nicomedes IV Philopator. He had the help of Romans to obtain his power to restore his kingdom. Since Nicomedes had no legitimate male heir, he willed his realm to Rome. In 1075 Selçuk Turks captured the city, it was retaken by the Christian forces in 1097 during the First Crusade. Again the Selçuks then Byzantines again, which kept going changing hands in the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1326 it was captured by the Ottoman Sultan Orhan Gazi who made it the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The first 6 Ottoman Sultans were buried in Bursa.

Bursa was an important center on the trade route. Therefore Bursa is the center of the silk industry which dates back to the Byzantine periods.

Uludağ which means Great Mount is approximately 2554 meters high, 36 km away from the city center by a road. The cable car is the best way to take you up to the Uludağ on the slopes you can enjoy the ride. Uludağ National Park is a paradise for nature-lovers which has 11400 hectares of area. All surrounded by the trees such as Chestnut, olive, oak, plane trees, elm, pine trees, aspen, and juniper. It is renowned for winter sports thanks to its available climate conditions. Hotel rooms are in great demand during the winter. Trekking for summer is also nice in Uludağ.

The famous Ulu Cami which means Great Mosque was built by the Ottoman Sultan Yıldırım Beyazit. The mosque has a şadırvan with a pool inside of it. The ablution fountain is the interesting şadırvan inside which makes it unique among the other Ottoman mosques. The domes are in four groups of five. Nearby the Ulu Camii lies the Ottoman bazaar. The Koza Han which means silk hanwas built in 1451. Up there, there is a citadel restored by the Byzantines and Ottomans. Inside there are the tombs of Osman Gazi and Orhan Gazi. Osman Gazi who was the founder of the Ottomans was buried here in 1326. Nearby you can see Old Turkish houses. Tophane has a beautiful view of the city now. There are so many other Ottoman buildings like the Muradiye Complex built during the reign of Murat II in the 15th century. The mosque is decorated with geometrical and floral patterned tiles. Orhan Gazi Mosque, Emir Sultan Mosque, Yıldırım Beyazit complex, Archaeological Museum of Bursa, Mosque of Sultan Murat I, Museum of Turkish Art are among the historical attractions of Bursa.

Bursa is surrounded by its lovely, historical, and natural beauty districts. İnegöl is 38km from Bursa which is famous for its meatballs, its fruit, and vegetables. İnegöl Köfte (meatballs) are made from lamb and served with raw onion rings. Good quality traditional-style furniture is produced in factories on the outskirts of the town. They have been exported to the Middle East as well. Bursa is famous for spas in the vicinity such as Oylat which is the less-known one and probably the most beautiful one which is 20km from İnegöl. Gemlik is on the gulf in the Marmara Sea. Being famous for its olive trees, you can taste these delicious olives in the breakfast all over Turkey.

İznik which is along the side of İznik Lake. İznik is famous for its Hagia Sophia which is the most important Byzantine building in İznik. The Seventh Ecumenical Council was held in 787 in this Hagia Sophia of Nicaea which was the ancient name of İznik. Uluabat Lake is 30km to Bursa. This shallow lake has the village Gölyazı nearby. Some fishermen live in the area and some architectural fragments of the ancient city Apollonia can be seen in the ruins nearby. Karacabey is famous for its excellent vegetables which is a farmers' district.

If you visit Bursa, you should taste the İskender Kebab (Kebap in Turkish) which is identified with Alexander the Great, that comes legendary, though.