Bursa Tour

The ferry crossing from the Asian side to Yalova

The day begins with pickup at your hotel and a drive of about an hour toward the ferry port on Istanbul's Asian side. The ferry crosses the Sea of Marmara to the Yalova shore, which is how many people answer the question of how to go from Istanbul to Bursa without sitting in heavy road traffic around İzmit. You can stand on the deck for photographs or simply rest before the drive resumes.

It is a pleasant start that breaks the day into sea, road and mountain stages. If you are searching for a ferry ride to Bursa from Istanbul, this tour handles the crossing for you, including the timing and the transfer to the coach on the other side. Our desk confirms the exact schedule and your pickup time in advance.

Yalova forest and the Munira Turkish delight shop

After landing, you have the option of visiting a forest in Yalova where safari-style rides run among the trees. This stop is optional and suits families and travellers who want an extra dose of nature; you can skip it and continue directly toward the mountain without affecting the rest of the day.

On the way up, the tour pauses at Munira, a well-known Turkish delight shop and factory in the Bursa region. You can browse the counters, see how the sweets are prepared and buy boxes to carry back with you. It is a short, practical stop rather than a meal, and it is the first real taste of the region's food culture before lunch.

Uludağ mountain and the Inkaya plane tree

Uludağ is Bursa's best-known mountain, rising to about 2,500 metres and known in antiquity as Mount Olympus of Mysia. Today it is a forested national park and Turkey's best-known winter-sports resort. The road climbs through pine forest, and the temperature drops noticeably as you gain altitude, so bring a warm layer even in summer.

Partway up, the coach stops at the Inkaya tree, an enormous plane tree said to be around 620 years old. Its trunk and canopy are large enough that most visitors spend a few minutes walking around it and taking photographs. Lunch follows at a restaurant on the mountain road, included in your booking, with views over the trees.

Free time at the Uludağ summit hotels area and the cable car

The coach continues to the hotels area near the top of Uludağ, where you have about an hour and a half of free time. You can walk the viewpoints, sit with tea, enjoy the mountain air or simply rest before the descent. If you are asking whether Uludağ is worth visiting in summer, the cool air and the forest scenery are a welcome contrast to Istanbul's heat.

From here you board Bursa's large cable car, known locally as the teleferik, one of the longest cable car lines in the world. The ride down into the city takes roughly twenty to thirty minutes and gives views over forested slopes and the city spreading out below. The ride is included in your booking, which saves you the long road journey down.

The Green Mosque and the Green Tomb in Bursa

Bursa was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, and its early monuments are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Green Mosque, completed in 1419 for Sultan Mehmed I, is known for its intricate tilework and carved details, while the neighbouring Green Tomb, where the sultan is buried, takes its name from the turquoise-green tiles on its exterior.

This is the historical close of the day after a mostly natural itinerary. Dress modestly with covered shoulders and knees and carry a light scarf for the mosque. Many visitors ask whether Bursa is worth visiting from Istanbul in a single day; with the ferry, the mountain and the monuments combined, this tour gives you the headline sights without the planning.