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Travel tips for Bursa, one of the most exciting cities to visit in Turkey. With a colorful history, great food, and interesting architecture, this former capital of the Ottoman Empire has a lot to offer.
Brief History of Bursa
Bursa was founded in 202 BC by King Prusias I of Bithynia. He named the city Prusa (Προῦσα) after himself. In 74 BC, King Nicomedes IV bequeathed the entire kingdom of Bithynia, including the city of Prusa, to the Roman Empire.
The Ottomans conquered the city from the Byzantines in 1326 and made it the first major capital city of their empire and their second overall capital. It served as such until 1363, when the capital moved to Edirne. During the Ottoman period, Bursa was an important center for silk production.
After the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923, Bursa became a major industrial center. Most of Turkey’s automotive industry is based there. The city is the 4th most populous in Turkey.
Planning a Trip to Bursa
Most tourists come on a quick day trip from Istanbul, but at least an overnight is recommended to properly see this UNESCO World Heritage listed city. With more time, you can visit other nearby towns and villages such as Cumalıkızık. A couple options are available to get you to Bursa from Istanbul, including buses and ferries.
Bursa has a good variety of hotels in the historic city center. There are modern hotels for all budgets as well as boutique hotels in Ottoman buildings. There are also plenty of good restaurants scattered around town serving local specialties such as İskender kebab as well as other Turkish dishes.
Another positive is there are interpretive panels in both Turkish and English outside just about every historic building in the city.
How to Get to Bursa
There are a few options on how to get to Bursa from Istanbul. One is by bus and another is by ferry. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Buses to Bursa
First, let’s talk about the bus. It’s not the fastest or most comfortable option because it can take a good four hours or more from Istanbul depending on traffic. However, it’s more direct and only requires one transportation change. There are several buses leaving throughout the day for Bursa.
Take your pick of bus companies in Istanbul. Most of them will travel to Bursa. If you can avoid going all the way to Esenler, the main bus terminal in Istanbul, it’s better. You’ll end up backtracking and wasting time. If you’re traveling from a city other than Istanbul, Bursa is well-connected with most of the country. You can easily find buses from Ankara, Eskişehir, Konya, Izmir, and many others.
Once you arrive at the bus terminal in Bursa, you’ll need to take a bus or taxi into the city center. That could take between 10 and 30 minutes depending on traffic. City buses line up just outside the terminal. You have to buy a BursaKart from the ticket booth before boarding the bus. To get to the historic city center, take bus 38. It stops right in front of the Grand Mosque.
Ferries to Bursa
The second, faster option is by a combination of ferry, bus, and metro. The ferry takes you from Istanbul across the Marmara Sea in under two hours. Two companies, İDO and BUDO, run ferries between Istanbul and Bursa. It’s better to buy tickets online because you can get them cheaper if purchased well in advance. If it’s a spur of the moment trip, get to the ferry terminal about an hour early to buy tickets.
İDO Ferry
İDO ferries go from Yenikapı, Kabataş, or Kadıköy to Güzelyalı (as of November 2023). Once you arrive, you need to get to the Emek metro station. You can board a minibus, which fills up quickly and accepts cash, or take the 1/GY bus. You’ll need a BursaKart to board the bus, but fortunately you can buy one from a kiosk near the ferry terminal. This map shows exactly where.
From Emek, the metro will take you the rest of the way into Bursa. You’ll most likely get off at the Şehreküstü or Demirtaşpaşa stops nearest the historic city center. The bus and metro combination takes about an hour. Alternatively, you could hop in a taxi and avoid the stress of finding a seat on the minibus. It’s much faster but obviously costs much more.
BUDO Ferry
BUDO ferries go from Eminönü in Istanbul to Mudanya (as of November 2023). Once in Mudanya, take the 1/M bus and get off at the Emek metro station. Again, either Şehreküstü or Demirtaşpaşa will probably be your stop in the city center.
Airport Buses from Istanbul
If you’re heading to Bursa after flying into either Istanbul airport, you can take the BBBUS run by Burulaş, the city’s public transportation company. These direct buses run roughly every hour and drop you off at the bus terminal in Bursa. From Istanbul Airport, tickets are 280₺ (as of November 2023) and it takes 2 ½ hours. From Sabiha Gökçen it’s 210₺ (as of November 2023) and it takes 90 minutes.
Map on How to Get to Bursa
Getting Around Bursa
The historic city center of Bursa and surrounding areas are easily walkable. Getting to other parts of the city further away is also doable on foot, but much easier using public transportation or a taxi. Taxis to places such as Çekirge or the Muradiye Complex are convenient and affordable, as well as taxis to Cumalıkızık or the Uludağ cable car.
Riding Public Transportation in Bursa
The public transportation system is run by Burulaş. It’s reliable and includes a bus, metro (Bursaray), and tram system (Burtram). To ride them, you can purchase a BursaKart for 50₺ (as of March 2024). They’re available from machines at any metro station or at kiosks all over the city. You can easily add credit from any sales point as well.
A refillable BursaKart will save you money if you plan on using public transport often during your stay. With a BursaKart, riding the metro costs 12₺, the tram is 9.10₺, and the bus varies by route. Transfers are also discounted. If you don’t have a BursaKart, single rides on the metro cost 30₺. All fares are current as of March 2024. Visit the website for up-to-date fare information.
Minibuses accepting cash only also run throughout the city on certain routes. We’ve only taken the minibus in two different situations – to get from the ferry terminal to Emek Metro Station and leaving Cumalıkızık to get back to the city.
Tourist Info Booth in Bursa
If you’re looking for options on what to see and do in Bursa that you can’t find on my website, there’s a tourist info booth next to Gazi Orhan Park in the heart of the historic city center.
Shopping in Bursa
Outside the bazaars and caravanserais in the historic city center, there are plenty of modern shopping malls in Bursa. On my very first trip, I stayed near Kent Meydanı Shopping Mall (Kent Meydanı AVM), which translates to Town Square. It’s on the north end of Fevzi Çakmak Avenue.
