Bursa Holidays

Known as "Green Bursa", the province stands on the lower slopes of Uludag (Mount Olympos of Mysia, 2543 m) in the Marmara region of Anatolia. The title "Green" of Bursa comes from its gardens and parks, and of course from its being in the middle of an important fruit growing region.

The area is the home of the delicious "Iskender Kebap", one of the best dishes of world - famous Turkish Cuisine. The candied chestnuts (Kestane Sekeri) are a specialty of desserts and have an unforgettable taste. The peaches of Bursa are unique. As for something to purchase; Bursa is a center of the silk trade (since first silk cocoons were brought here with the caravans of the Silk Road) and towel manufacturing. It is also the homeland of the very famous Turkish folklore figures, Karagöz and Hacivat shadow puppets.

Bursa was the first capital (late 1200s-early 1300s) of the Ottoman Empire. The two founding sultans, Orhan and Osman, are buried here, and this is where the empire's great architectural style was first developed.

The city clings to the slopes of Uludag, the Bithynian Mount Olympus, and thus got its nickname Green Bursa from the surrounding forests. Now a large, bustling city, much of the greenery has disappeared beneath the urban sprawl. On Bursa's western outskirts is Çekirge, a thermal spa resort since Roman times, with many spa hotels and bathing establishments.