Bursa

Bursa or green Bursa is a beautiful province in the Marmara region of Turkey, where you can relax in the lazy warmth of the summer sun. Situated at the foot of the Uludag (Mt. Olympus), the place owns the title "green" from the vivacious greenery of its gardens and parks. 
So, if you want to savor the heady blend of history and nature, visit Bursa during this vacation. This small Turkish province is sure to give you an unforgettable experience.

Bursa is the home of diverse natural beauty, which is complemented by its historical background. If you are a nature lover, you can go to seaside resorts of Mudanya and Gemlik. The former is dotted with fine fish restaurants and nightclubs, whereas the latter is known for the wide expanses of sandy beaches and high quality olive oil. The six hundred years old Plane tree standing on the slope of the Uludag also deserves a visit. 


As far as history is concerned, Bursa has a lot to brag. Now, it is a rapidly growing industrial and commercial center but this province was the first Ottoman capital. Hence, it is endowed with numerous historical treasures like monuments, mosques, tombs (turbes), baths, etc. 
Turkish baths (Hamams) are great places where you can take a relaxing bath in the warm, mineral rich springs. The oldest is the Eski Kaplica (old spring) and the best are probably the baths of Karamustafa Pasa. 
In the district of Yesil (Green), lies the Yesil Cami and Yesil turbe. Built during the period of sultan Mehmet I, the Yesil Cami or green mosque  with its magnificent marble works, is regarded the "jewel of Bursa". Just across the mosque, set in the green garden, lies the Yesil turbe, which houses the tomb of Mehmet I. The ethnological museum situated near the tomb is also worth visiting. Other picturesque mosques are Yildirim Beyazit mosque (first one built in Ottoman style), Emir Sultan mosque, Ulu Cami or Grand mosque (Seljuk style architecture with vivid calligraphic wall decoration) and the Orhan Gazi mosque (the Hiser). 
Apart from these, the mausoleums of Osman and Orhan and the Muradiye complex are also "must-sees". The later houses the tombs of many Ottoman empires and the 15th century Muradiye mosque.

If you are visiting Bursa, one thing you don`t need to worry about is - accommodation facility. There are hotels of various standards and they can accommodate good number of tourists comfortably. 

Some of the good hotels of Bursa are Almira Hotel (having a central location), Celik Palace Hotel and Kervansaray Thermal Hotel. All these are equipped with normal guest rooms, suites and highly luxurious suites. Some of the regular features of these hotels are: 

• attached bathroom
• direct-dial telephone
• mini bar
• air conditioning
• cable TV and radio broadcasting
• safe deposit box, etc.

Whereas, some of the outstanding features include 24-hour concierge and room service, money exchange, baby-sitting, Turkish bath, multi-lingual staff, disco with bar, health center, beauty salon, boutique, sauna and Jacuzzi, gift shop, closed and open air parking space, mobile telephone charge units, etc.