Introduction to Bursa, Turkey

Draped along the leafy lower slopes of Uludağ, which towers more than 2000m above, BURSA – first capital of the Ottoman Empire and the burial place of several sultans – does more justice to its setting than any other Turkish city besides İstanbul. Gathered here are some of the finest early Ottoman monuments in Turkey, in a tidy and appealing city centre.

Flanked by the busy Atatürk Caddesi, the compact Koza Parkı, with its fountains, benches and cafés, is the real heart of Bursa. On the far side looms the fourteenth century Ulu Camii, whose interior is dominated by a huge şadırvan pool for ritual ablutions. Close by is Bursa's covered market, the Bedesten, given over to the sale of jewellery and precious metals, and the Koza Hanı, flanking the park, still entirely occupied by silk and brocade merchants. Across the river to the east, the Yeşil Camii (daily 8am–8.30pm) is easily the most spectacular of Bursa's imperial mosques. The hundreds of green tiles inside give the mosque its name. The nearby hexagonal Yeşil Türbe (daily 8am–noon & 1–7pm) contains the sarcophagus of Çelebi Mehmet I and assorted offspring. The immediate environs of the mosque are a busy tangle of cafés and souvenir shops. The medrese, the largest surviving dependency of the mosque, now houses Bursa's Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art (Tues–Sun 8.30am–noon & 1–5.30pm; $1), with İznik ware, Çanakkale ceramics, glass items and a mock-up of an Ottoman circumcision chamber. West of the centre, the Hisar ("citadel") district was Bursa's original nucleus. Narrow lanes wind up past dilapidated Ottoman houses, while walkways clinging to the rock face offer fabulous views. The best-preserved dwellings are a little way west in medieval Muradiye, where the Muradiye Külliyesi mosque and medrese complex was begun in 1424. This is the last imperial foundation in Bursa, although it's most famous for its tombs, set in lovingly tended gardens. Out beyond the Kültür Parkı, the Yeni Kaplıca (daily 9am–11pm; $6) are the nearest of Bursa's baths, a faded reminder of the days when the town was patronized as a spa.

Bursa's bus terminal is 5km north on the main road to İstanbul, from where bus #38 (every 15min) runs to Koza Parkı, at one corner of which is Bursa's tourist office (Mon–Fri 8.30am–5.30pm; tel 0224/220 1848). Avoid the few grim hotels around the old bus station, now the main dolmuş garage: better options lie in the centre and the leafy spa suburb of Çekirge, a dolmuş ride to the north. In the centre, Hotel Dikmen, Maksem Cad 78 (tel 0224/224 1840; £20–30/$32–48 [€29–44]), is clean and friendly and has cable TV in all rooms; or there's the female-run Çeşmeli at Heykel Gümüşçeken Cad 6 (tel 0224/224 1512; £20–30/$32–48 [€29–44]), which has great views from the upper rooms. Hotel Efehan, Heykel Gümüşçeken Cad 34 (tel 0224/225 2260, www.efehan.com.tr; £20–30/$32–48 [€29–44]), also has comfortable rooms. In Çekirge, the Demirci Otel, Hammamlar Cad 33 (tel 0224/236 5104; £10–20/$16–32 [€15–29]), is unpretentious, as is the Özha Yat Hotel over the road at no. 31 (tel 0224/236 5105; up to £10/$16). Both have their own hamams and there are plenty of reasonable restaurants nearby. The rather touristy Hunkar Kebap next to the Yeşil Camii offers good kebabs with views over the valley. In the central Heykel district, İskender, Unlu Cad 7, is one of a number of restaurants offering Bursa's speciality, İskenderkebap; another to try on the same street is Hacibey, or if you've had one kebab too many, Liberty's serves up a decent pizza. Close to the tourist office at Belediye Cad 15, the more elegant Çiçek Izgara offers a decent take on many Ottoman dishes. The old fish market on Sakarya Caddesi, at the foot of the citadel, is dominated by lively fish restaurants, of which Arap Şükrü, at no. 6, is reasonably priced. This street also boasts a number of reasonable bars, including Barantico, Cevriye and Piccolo.

Information by Rough Guides

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