Major city · Türkiye (Turkey)
Bursa
Visit Bursa as a long day or one night from Istanbul for the Ottoman mosques, silk bazaar and Uludağ; count on about 2 hours by ferry and bus, or about 2.5 to 3 hours by road.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- TRY
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- avoid Jul–Aug (hot)
- Airport
- YEI
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 5
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Check whether your passport is visa-exempt; if it is not, apply only at evisa.gov.tr — lookalike sites charge extra and some sell nothing.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗At mosques cover shoulders and knees, take shoes off at the door, and women carry a headscarf; stay out during prayer times.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Taxis must run the taximeter; refuse flat quotes, or book through BiTaksi or Uber so the ride is logged.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Carry lira in small notes for tea, markets, tips and toilets; prices move with inflation, so treat every printed price as dated.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Do not take stones, coins or tiles from ancient sites, and export no antiques without a museum certificate; travellers have been detained at airport customs.
Bursa was an early Ottoman capital and is now Turkey's fourth-largest city, on the slopes of Uludağ. It has historic mosques, tombs and a covered silk market, and the thermal baths of Çekirge. Uludağ is a nearby ski and hiking area reached by cable car. Bursa fits a trip as a day out from Istanbul or a stop on the way to Izmir or the Aegean.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Bursa, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY).Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- SIM or eSIMcheckTurkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- Tap waterTap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- TippingcheckSit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/F. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- SafetyBursa is generally safe for visitors; ordinary care with bags in crowded markets is enough.
- RestroomsWestern toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops.Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- Emergency numbers155 police · 112 ambulance · 110 fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidayscheckMany museums close Monday (Topkapı closes Tuesday) — check; mosques close to visitors during the five daily prayers and Friday midday…Türkiye (Turkey)-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportYEI Bursa Yenişehir Airport (About 50 km east of the centre with limited flights.YEI Bursa Yenişehir Airport (About 31 mi east of the centre with limited flights.
- Getting aroundcheckA metro line (Emek to Orhangazi) and buses serve the city, and taxis are common; a BursaKart is cheapest (2026 estimate: a few TRY per ride, check).
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- YEI Bursa Yenişehir Airport (About 50 km east of the centre with limited flights. Most visitors arrive by ferry or bus from Istanbul; Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) has direct Bursa bus links, check the operator.)YEI Bursa Yenişehir Airport (About 31 mi east of the centre with limited flights. Most visitors arrive by ferry or bus from Istanbul; Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) has direct Bursa bus links, check the operator.)
Weather and climate
Bursa: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
9°C48°F
2°C36°F
12 rd
Feb
11°C52°F
2°C36°F
10 rd
Mar
14°C57°F
4°C39°F
9 rd
Apr
19°C66°F
8°C46°F
9 rd
May
24°C75°F
12°C54°F
8 rd
Jun
28°C82°F
16°C61°F
5 rd
Jul
31°C88°F
18°C64°F
3 rd
Aug
31°C88°F
18°C64°F
3 rd
Sep
27°C81°F
15°C59°F
4 rd
Oct
21°C70°F
10°C50°F
7 rd
Nov
15°C59°F
6°C43°F
9 rd
Dec
10°C50°F
3°C37°F
12 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
A metro line (Emek to Orhangazi) and buses serve the city, and taxis are common; a BursaKart is cheapest (2026 estimate: a few TRY per ride, check). The ferry from Yenikapı or Kabataş to Mudanya plus a bus, or the ferry to Güzelyalı, is a popular way in from Istanbul; check the operator. The Uludağ cable car leaves from Teferrüç.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Uludağ
goDoor to door: About 1 h
Cable car or bus from the centre, about 15 kmCable car or bus from the centre, about 9.3 mi
Ski season is roughly December to March; hiking in summer.
Cumalıkızık
goDoor to door: About 30 min
Bus or taxi east, about 10 kmBus or taxi east, about 6.2 mi
Ottoman village of timber houses; busy on weekends.
İznik
goDoor to door: About 1.5 h
Bus or car northeast, about 85 kmBus or car northeast, about 53 mi
Lake town with Byzantine walls and tile history.
Istanbul
cautionDoor to door: About 2.5–3 h
Ferry from Güzelyalı or Mudanya plus bus, or by road
Doable as a long day, but a night gives you the evening and the mornings.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Osmangazi and Tophane
Old town and the main sights on foot.
Çekirge
Thermal baths district; quieter, with hotels that have their own baths.
Nilüfer
Modern part of the city with restaurants and cafés; a short metro ride to the centre.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- TRY 1,100–1,900 (≈ US$30–50) excl. bed
- Mid
- TRY 1,900–3,800 (≈ US$50–95) excl. bed
- High
- TRY 3,800 (≈ US$95)+ excl. bed
Watch out
Safety
- Dress modestly and remove shoes in mosques.
- Mosques limit visits at prayer times.
- Uludağ weather changes fast; check conditions and cable-car status before you go.
- The silk market and bazaar are busy on weekends; watch bags.
- Ferry timetables change with the season and weather: check them before planning a same-day return to Istanbul.
- Check current government travel advice for your country before you go; Turkey is generally open to visitors but advice varies by region, especially near the Syrian and Iraqi borders.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 155
- Ambulance
- 112
- Fire
- 110
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Bursa. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (hot) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
- Walking clusters with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Field-verified times and fares
Sources
- officialTürkiye official tourism portal
- secondaryWikivoyage — Bursa