Hi there,
I'm interested in hearing people's experience in Bursa. How long you stayed and how you traveled there and from what city. I'm planning my upcoming trip and trying to determine my path from west to east before entering into Georgia and Armenia and returning to Istanbul for my return flight. Total duration of my journey is 6 weeks. I'm not into tour groups and prefer public transit or even renting a car.
I used the route recommended in a YouTube video I stumbled on--boat (from either Yenikapi or Pendik in Istanbul) across the Sea of Marmara to either Yalova or Mudanya, then the bus to a Metro Station on the west side of Bursa, then the Metro into the center. The only tricky part was buying the stored-value card required to use city transit in Bursa. Maybe you can now use a tappable credit card.
There are also buses from Istanbul, but I think they also leave you an annoying distance from the city center.
I'm traveling now and don't have access to my notes from that 2023 trip (thus my uncertainty about the exact route I used), but I think I spent about 5 nights in Bursa; I like to spend a lot of time just walking around the cities I visit. For me Bursa's top sight was the UNESCO-listed Muradiye tomb complex. I thought those tombs were more beautiful than the mosques in Istanbul.
I spent about 20 days in Istanbul. It has endless, fascinating sightseeing opportunities
This is very helpful, thanks. It looks pretty straightforward from watching the youtube videos. I too enjoy walking in all of my travels. In the 35 countries I have been to, it's the best way to see the unexpected and interact with locals.
I appreciate the tip and I'm looking forward to my journey.
Happy travels!
