This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Bursa.
When you think about places to visit for a trip around Turkey, there are probably plenty of world-famous landmarks that you will want to put on your list; the city of Bursa, Turkey, is probably not one of them, despite being the fourth-largest city in Turkey after Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. With a travel time of only three to four hours by from Istanbul, Bursa is an easy to visit destination to visit. A more interesting way to get to Bursa, however, is by ferry. The ferry from Yenikapi ferry terminal in Istanbul takes only eighty minutes to the other side of the Sea of Marmara, from where a connection bus takes you to Bursa in thirty minutes.
Bursa, Turkey, is traditionally famous for its silk, peach, and chestnut production. Today Bursa has more modern industries, mostly located at the edge of the city. More interesting for visitors are the city centre and the mountains just outside Bursa. Walking around downtown is pleasant, with many beautiful mosques, a vibrant market, and tombs of Sultans from the Ottoman Empire.
Just outside Bursa you will find the Uludag Mountain, which is an extinct volcano. The National Park’s entrance is twenty-two kilometers from Bursa. Uludag is the most popular winter sports destination in Turkey. When the snow is gone, you hike on one of the several trails on the slope on the other side of the mountain, which is an untouched forest. Cable cars run from Teferrüç on the south edge of Bursa and take you to the top in twenty minutes. They do not run in case of bad weather, and winter sports equipment is not allowed on them, so in winter you may be better off by taking the cheaper Dolmuses.
Hostels in Bursa are extremely scarce, but your Bursa, Turkey hostel will be more like a small guesthouse that consists of one dorm room with four beds and a private room. It is possible to find private rooms in Bursa that are cheaper than the ones in a dorm, but it may be more difficult to meet fellow travelers than in a Bursa, Turkey hostel.
Written by local enthusiast for Bursa hostels
Martin Straatman