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Cumalıkızık is a small village about 10 kilometers east of the city center of Bursa. It’s a charming place that’s included in the city’s UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Getting to Cumalıkızık
To get to Cumalıkızık, you can take a minibus or the D/10 city bus from Atatürk Avenue in the historic city center of Bursa. Alternatively, you can take the metro to the Cumalıkızık-Değirmenönü stop, then hop on a minibus for five minutes until you reach the entrance to the village.
From the entrance, you walk past several souvenir and craft booths along a cobblestone street. The road then splits after a few historic Ottoman homes and you can walk up to explore the town from there.
History of Cumalıkızık
Cumalıkızık was founded in the early 14th century as a foundation (vakıf) village. It’s purpose was to provide income for the Orhan Gazi Mosque, which is located in Bursa.
The village was part of a collection of 14 small villages ending in -kızık. Cumalıkızık took its name because people from all the other villages would gather there for Friday prayers (Cuma means Friday in Turkish).
Only four other Kızık villages survive. They include Değirmenlikızık, Fidyekızık, Derekızık, and Hamamlıkızık, which was the village with hamams. Bayındırkızık, Dallıkızık, Kızık, Bodurkızık, Ortakızık, Camilikızık, Kiremitçikızık, Kızıkşıhlar, and Kızıkçeşme have not survived.
Why Visit Cumalıkızık
Cumalıkızık is the best preserved of the surviving Kızık villages, making it a popular tourist destination. It’s often used as a setting for historical films and television shows.
What to Do in Cumalıkızık
The best thing to do in Cumalıkızık is to simply wander through its charming streets and take a trip back in time. It’s a small village that only takes a half hour to see, but you’ll want to spend enough time there to enjoy the rustic atmosphere.
The first time we visited, there was a steady rainfall and it was cold. Water constantly flowed down the gutters in the streets, and we had to watch our step to avoid soaking our shoes. We ended up having to rush through it in order to stay warm and dry.
Due to the rain, many of the shops were closed but most restaurants were open. Cumalıkızık is a popular place to have a traditional Turkish breakfast, so there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. Thankfully I was able to go back a few times later on days when the weather decided to cooperate!
Ottoman Homes
There are 270 historic Ottoman homes in Cumalıkızık, of which about 180 are still inhabited. Many have been restored. They sit along narrow cobblestone streets with Medieval gutters in the center to channel rain and wastewater.
Homes are typically two or three stories high with bay windows. They’re made of wood, rubble stones, and adobe.
Cumalıkızık Mosque
Is there anything else worth keeping an eye out for? Yes. First, look for the Cumalıkızık Mosque (Cumalıkızık Camii), which sits in the center of the village. It’s thought to date back to the 17th century. The Zekiye Hatun Fountain (Zekiye Hatun Çeşmesi) sits underneath the steps in the front.
The mosque is made of chestnut wood and has no dome. During the Ottoman period, the west side of the building was used as a mosque and the east side as a madrasa. Above the main door, there are frescoes of the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. Unfortunately, the mosque was closed at the time we visited.
Cumalıkızık Village Museum
Next to the mosque is the Cumalıkızık Village Museum (Cumalıkızık Köy Müzesi). It’s the town’s official museum chronicling its history and culture. Admission is free (as of June 2024). Unfortunately, it wasn’t open on either day I visited. (Note: the museum was open on my latest visit in October 2023. I’ll update with info and pics when I have a chance.)
Küpeli Ev
The Küpeli Ev, which is the oldest house in the village, hosts a small ethnographic museum. It gives visitors a glimpse into life in the village. Admission is 40₺ (as of July 2024) and it’s open daily. Visitors are given plastic galoshes to put over their shoes.
The museum is situated in a historic two-story Ottoman home. It was organized by the people of the village who donated over 1,500 items to the collection.
There’s no information on what you’re seeing, and it mostly depicts how a traditional home would have been decorated. It only takes about 10 minutes to go through.
Cumalıkızık Hamam
The Cumalıkızık Hamam (Cumalıkızık Hamamı) was built during the Ottoman period but it’s unknown exactly when. It was restored in 1983, and men and women use it on different days of the week.
Where to Eat in Cumalıkızık
Aside from the authentic and well-preserved Ottoman homes, Cumalıkızık is known for its Turkish breakfast. Many visitors come in the morning, especially on weekends, just to fuel up for the day.
Kadı Efendi Konağı (Part One)
There are plenty of places to choose from if you’re looking for a traditional Turkish breakfast. On our first visit to Cumalıkızık in November 2019, we tried Kadı Efendi Konağı.
We sat on cushions on the floor of the open-air patio. The server brought several different small plates filled with jams, kaymak (clotted cream), olives, dips, halva, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cheese to the table. It was served with tea and bread. Service was friendly, the meal was delicious and filling, and the staff spoke a little English.
Kadı Efendi Konağı (Part Two)
On my second visit to Cumalıkızık in June 2022, we tried another branch of Kadı Efendi Konağı. This one was further up the hill near the back of the village. It’s much bigger and personally I liked the space better. There’s a beautiful garden in the center as well as a terrace.
Once again, we had the famous Turkish breakfast. It was pretty much the same items that were served at the other branch. Maybe a few of the jams and dips were different, and it was just as delicious. Service again was excellent.
Küpeli Ev
Finally, if you’re looking for a good place to sit and have coffee or tea, the ground floor of the Küpeli Ev hosts a café. After going through the house museum, we sat and had a Turkish coffee along with a local raspberry drink.
