The Turkish city of Bursa is one of the most beautiful cities in Turkey. It is located in the northwestern part of the country and is one of Turkey’s most important industrial cities.
It is home to many tourist attractions that draw in visitors, and among the top tourist spots in Bursa are the İznik district and the village of Cumalıkızık.
What Is the City of Bursa? And Where Is It Located?
Bursa is a large and beautiful city in northwestern Turkey, located in Asia, lying on the slopes of the well-known Uludağ Mountain at an altitude of 2,500 meters near the Sea of Marmara.
The city is famous for its architecture, mosques, buildings, and historical landmarks dating back to the early Ottoman period.
It was named and is commonly referred to as “Yeşil Bursa” (meaning “Green Bursa”), due to the many parks, natural facilities, and trees found throughout the city. According to its residents, nature symbolizes the spirit of their environment. Its overall style also reflects a charming, dramatic mountain identity.
The Turkish architecture in Bursa is distinguished by the iconic Ulu Mosque (The Grand Mosque), which dates back to the 14th century, and stands out among the rest of the world’s mosques with its well-organized Seljuk-style arches.
Western Bursa, which ranks fifth in the world, is considered one of the healthiest cities globally, according to the American website Numbeo.
The city of Chiang Mai ranked first as the healthiest city in the world, followed by Glasgow in the United Kingdom, the South Korean capital Seoul, and Taipei in Taiwan, while Bursa ranked fifth globally.
Bursa is one of the largest and most important cities in Turkey, as it was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, with a history dating back to 4000 BC.
It enjoys unique natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, historical landmarks, and numerous Jewish, Islamic, and Christian sites.
The Most Beautiful and Top Tourist Attractions in Bursa:
The Turkish city of Bursa is filled with tourist destinations that attract visitors, and among the most famous ones are the İznik district and the village of Cumalıkızık.
1. İznik District
The northwestern region of Turkey known as İznik attracts both Turkish and international visitors alike.
Bursa, the most beautiful city in western Turkey, is renowned for its stunning historical charm, which draws many tourists and visitors from around the world—especially Europeans.
Its shining historical spirit makes it the fourth best city in Turkey.
İznik, located in Bursa south of Istanbul and overlooking the Sea of Marmara, was known as the "Heart of Trade" for the past seven centuries.
The İznik district embodies the spirit of Bursa, the most beautiful city in western Turkey, and spans 450 acres.
The main economic functions of Bursa, once the Ottoman capital in the 14th century, include 16 caravanserais (inns), a traditional type of Ottoman-Turkish covered marketplace—historically rich and culturally significant.
Bursa has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014.
This heritage site includes eight components, including the commercial areas with inns, külliyes (religious complexes) that contain mosques, religious schools (madrasahs), public baths, and charity kitchens,
as well as the tomb of Orhan Gazi, the founder of the Ottoman dynasty—according to UNESCO’s website.
2. Top Tourist Attractions in Bursa: Cumalıkızık Village
One of the components outside the historical center of Bursa is Cumalıkızık Village, the second major heritage area in Bursa—the most beautiful city in western Turkey.
It showcases the traditional lifestyle of the prosperous Ottoman Empire and reveals its secrets to its distinguished visitors.
An increasing number of tourists are visiting boutique hotels in the area, especially after İznik and Cumalıkızık were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list—according to Muhsin Özlüzüm, head of the Historical Inns and Bazaar Union of Bursa, speaking to Anadolu Agency.
Uludağ National Park
When it comes to beautiful views, Uludağ is located 36 kilometers from Bursa.
It is one of the largest winter sports centers in Turkey, offering a wide range of activities, accommodations, and entertainment.
The ski slopes are easily accessible by car or cable car (Teleferik).
Although the best time for skiing is from December to May, Uludağ National Park is worth visiting at any time of the year for a breathtaking outdoor experience.
Mudanya City
Mudanya is a coastal resort town near Bursa, the most beautiful city in western Turkey, located 25 km from Bursa.
Mudanya features luxurious seafood restaurants and nightlife venues that are popular among the city’s residents.
It also includes the Armistice Museum, which is worth visiting and exploring.
Nearby in this region of Bursa lies Tirilye, only 12 km from Mudanya. This hotel and village represent the typical Turkish architectural style and design.
Gemlik Bay, located 29 km from Bursa, is home to vast sandy beaches, with Kumla being the favorite destination.
Other landmarks in Bursa, the most beautiful city in western Turkey, serve as a historical compass—offering a taste of history through its decoration and cultural richness.
Among these landmarks are the Yıldız Park tea gardens in the Muradiye district.
There, you’ll find an amazing view of the most widespread and visited complex known as "Muradiye Complex."
This widely visited and peaceful park-like area contains the Mosque of Sultan Murad II (built in 1426), which follows the same architectural style as the Yeşil Mosque,
as well as the tombs of Murad II, Prince Cem, and Prince Mustafa.
These tombs feature some of the most beautiful Ottoman decorative and tile work ever seen.
Hotels in the City of Bursa
Bursa, the most beautiful city in western Turkey, is home to many modern hotels that offer thermal bath facilities.
You can also visit the historic bathhouses.
Yeni Kaplıca (New Spring) was built by Rüstem Pasha, the Grand Vizier, in 1552.
The site in the Eski Kaplıca (Old Spring) area, constructed on the location of the original Byzantine baths, is considered the oldest bathhouse in the city.
The Karamustafa Baths are renowned for having the best hot mineral waters in the region.
Next door, the Osman Museum, located in a renovated 17th-century building, offers an intriguing glimpse into the life of the wealthy Ottomans.
Other important sites in Bursa include the Bursa Archaeological Museum, the Tofaş Museum of Anatolian Cars, which was recently opened, and the Atatürk Museum.
The Western District of Çekirge
The Çekirge district, located in western Bursa, has been famous since Roman times for its warm, mineral-rich springs.
Noteworthy buildings in Çekirge include the Mosque and Tomb of Murad I, and the Tomb of Süleyman Çelebi, a religious poet.
Also in Bursa, western Turkey, the Karagöz Monument honors the historic figure celebrated for his humorous acts in traditional Turkish shadow puppet theatre.
Last but not least, don’t forget to visit the historic Ottoman village of Cumalıkızık.
Silk Industry
Bursa has a long-standing heritage in the silk industry.
The city was a center of silk trade in the 15th century, and by the 17th century, it was famous across Europe and Asia for its silk textiles—which are still produced today.
Other industries include cotton and wool textiles, canned food, dairy products, machinery, and more.
Main Tourist Attractions
You can visit Bursa’s main tourist attractions on a day trip from Istanbul.
This way, you can also see the ancient city of İznik on the way to Bursa, and may even have time to head to the summit of Mount Uludağ (2,543 meters / 8,343 feet), the majestic mountain behind the city.
Bursa was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire (in the late 12th century and early 13th century).
The founding sultans, Orhan and Osman, are buried here, and the grand Ottoman architectural style was first developed in this city.
Bursa clings to the slopes of Mount Uludağ, known in antiquity as Mount Olympus of Bithynia, hence the city earned the nickname “Green Bursa” for its lush forests.
Now a large and bustling city of two million residents, much of the greenery has given way to urban sprawl made of concrete and asphalt.
For a long time, Bursa's traditional industries such as silk weaving and fruit processing have been complemented by automobile manufacturing and other large, growing, and small industries.
A well-known thermal resort called Çekirge, familiar to Bursa’s local residents, is located on the outskirts and hills of western Bursa.
It is a health and thermal retreat dating back to Roman times, featuring many spa hotels and bath facilities.
Some visitors also come for the famous kebab, featuring slices of roasted lamb topped with rich tomato sauce and brown butter.
You can reach Bursa by bus and metro—and the journey is absolutely worth it.
Mosques of Bursa
The events, traditions, and legends of Ottoman Bursa are embodied in the Ulu Mosque (Grand Mosque).
Its architecture blends Ottoman and pre-Byzantine elements, making it a site of great historical significance.
Bursa is directly tied to important historical events, legends, beliefs, and traditions from the early Ottoman period.
As UNESCO notes in its World Heritage description, Bursa’s complexes are living examples of urban planning in their era.
It adds:
“The city's exceptional urban planning is expressed in the relationship between the five sultans—each of whom shaped a part of the commercial center of the city—and Cumalıkızık, which is considered the best-preserved village in Bursa.”
The city also includes public complexes featuring mosques, thermal baths, soup kitchens, schools, and hospitals, built by Ottoman sultans Orhan Gazi, Murad I, Yıldırım Bayezid, Selim I, and Murad II, making Bursa important not only in Turkey but globally.
The tombs of the sultans and the ancient bazaars are also among the main attractions.
Historical and Cultural Heritage of Bursa
Bursa, the most beautiful city in northwestern Turkey, is adorned with rich historical and cultural heritage.
It carries traces of seven centuries of Ottoman history, including nearly 30 years as the empire’s capital.
The city is also known for its natural, cultural, and historical atmosphere.
The Turkish land here reveals itself as a cradle of civilizations, having hosted the Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans for thousands of years.
From sultan complexes to beautifully designed mosques, from lush gardens to unique culinary dishes—
all these features have made Bursa a magnet for tourists from Turkey and abroad.
By including the city's historic gems in the UNESCO World Heritage list,
the organization acknowledged Bursa’s role in turning the Ottoman Empire into a global power in the 14th century.
The local village of Cumalıkızık, which dates back 700 years, still reflects this historical identity and ancient atmosphere.
Among the city's many complexes, the Green Complex, built by Sultan Murad II, attracts visitors from around the world with its gardens and natural beauty.
With its many tourist attractions, Bursa is one of Turkey’s top destinations, drawing in visitors from across the globe.
Turkey welcomed 32.4 million foreign tourists in 2017, up from 25.3 million in 2016, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute—
with 40 million tourists expected the following year.
