11 Best Sights in The Sea of Marmara and the North Aegean, Turkey

The vast complex behind Ulu Cami comprises many adjoining hans (kervansarays, or inns for merchants) surrounding a bedesten (the central part of a covered bazaar, which is vaulted and fireproofed). Bursa sultans began building bazaars in the 14th century to finance the construction or maintenance of their schools, mosques, and soup kitchens. The precinct was soon topped with roofs, creating the earliest form of covered bazaar, and, late in the century, Yıldırım Beyazıt perfected the concept by building a bedesten with six parts connected by arches and topped by 14 domes. The complex was flattened by a massive earthquake in 1855, and sections were badly burned by fire in the 1950s, but the Kapalı Çarşı has been lovingly restored to provide a flavor of the past. Best buys here include gold jewelry, thick Turkish cotton towels (for which Bursa is famous), and silk goods.

Juxtaposing simple form, inspired stone carving, and spectacular tile work, this mosque is among the finest in Turkey. Work on the building was completed in 1420, during the reign of Mehmet I Çelebi (ruled 1413–21). Its beauty begins in the marble entryway, where complex feathery patterns and calligraphy are carved into the stone; inside is a sea of blue and green İznik tiles. The central hall rests under two shallow domes; in the one near the entrance, an oculus sends down a beam of sunlight at midday, illuminating a fountain delicately carved from a single piece of marble. The mihrab (prayer niche) towers almost 50 feet and is covered with stunning tiles and intricate carvings. On a level above the main doorway is the sultan's loge, lavishly decorated and tiled.

The daughter of Sultan Yıldırım Beyazıt built the Emir Sultan Camii in 1429 for her husband, Emir Sultan, and it sits amid cypresses and plane trees on a quiet hilltop overlooking the city. The single-domed mosque was badly damaged in the 1855 earthquake and almost totally rebuilt by Sultan Abdülaziz. The two cut-stone minarets are considered great examples of rococo, and the assemblage faces an attractive courtyard that houses the tombs of Emir Sultan, his wife, and their children.

Refreshingly green, this park has restaurants, tea gardens, a pond with paddleboats, and an amusement park. It's always crowded and pleasantly animated, though it seems more like a busy public gathering spot than a place of refuge. Amid the lawns and walkways is Bursa's Arkeoloji Müzesi (Archaeology Museum), which displays a range of finds from the surrounding region, including coins and ceramics.

The complex around the Sultan Murat II Camii (built 1425–26) is probably the city's most serene resting place, with 12 tombs tucked amid a leafy park. Among those buried here are Murat (1404–51), the father of Mehmet the Conqueror, and Mustafa (1515–53), the eldest son of Süleyman the Magnificent, who was strangled in his father's tent. Murat's plain tomb was built in accordance with his will, with an open hole in the roof right above the tomb to let the rain in. The most decorated tombs are those of two grandsons of Murat, Çelebi Mehmet and Cem Sultan, which are kept locked most of the time—ask the caretaker to open them for you. The historical complex also included a nearby hammam, medrese (now the Uluumay Museum), and a soup kitchen for the poor (now Darüzziyafe restaurant).

A popular spa since Roman times, Termal is a good stop if you're en route from Yalova to either İznik or Bursa. The springs were used by the Ottomans, refurbished in 1900 by Sultan Abdül Hamid II, and regularly visited by Atatürk in the 1920s and 1930s. Termal is a self-contained resort with three hotels (Çamlık, Çınar, and Termal), exotic gardens, a huge swimming pool, and four historic bathhouses that have many options for soaking in the mineral-rich waters. The baths are open to non-hotel guests, and private family bathing cabins can be reserved for an extra charge.

Avoid summer weekends, when the place is absolutely packed, and the crowds will probably outweigh the baths' relaxing properties. Besides, the hot baths are more appealing (and the rates cheaper) in other seasons. Also consider a walk in the pine forests, where you can enjoy a packed lunch.

To the west of Yeşil Cami, this small museum in an attractive, 15th-century medrese is part of a complex that includes the mosque and Yeşil Türbe. Displayed in chambers around a shaded courtyard are inlaid wood items, jewelry, calligraphy and manuscripts, Turkish shadow puppets, carpets, coins, weapons, İznik ceramics, and traditional clothes embellished with colorful embroidery.

Bursa's most important mosque dates from 1399, when Sultan Beyazıt had it constructed after vowing to build 20 mosques if he was victorious in the battle of Nicopolis in Macedonia. He ended up compromising: this one huge mosque has 20 domes. The interior is decorated with an elegantly understated display of quotations from the Koran in fine calligraphy. The fountain, with taps on the sides for ritual washing before prayer, is inside the mosque rather than outside the entrance—an unusual feature. Avoid visiting at prayer times, when Ulu Cami draws huge crowds.

To fully appreciate why the city is called Green Bursa, visit lush Uludağ Milli Parkı. The 30-minute trip up the ultramodern teleferik (gondola)—one of the longest in the world—is worth it for the views alone. The first station, Sarıalan point (5,364 feet), is lively in summer, with restaurants and picnic areas. In winter, skiers and night-clubbers head to the mountain's 5,938-foot high Oteller Bölgesi (Hotels Zone), 7 km (4 miles) farther up. The teleferik departure station is a 15-minute ride from Heykel. Board a dolmuş (shared taxi) just behind the Bursa Kent Müzesi for 5 TL or hail a cab. There are also various paths up the mountain between Bursa and Uludağ; the hike takes about three hours each way. Take a sweater or jacket: as you climb, temperatures fall—even if it's warm downtown.

A fine, albeit small, collection of traditional costumes from the lands of the Ottoman Empire, some dating back centuries, is on display in this museum opposite the Muradiye Tombs. Mannequins dressed in the costumes revolve to afford a thorough study of the colorful textiles and embroidery. There are also gorgeous antique silver jewelry pieces and accessories, along with some folkloric items. The building is a medrese (theological school) built in 1475 by Şair Ahmet Paşa, whose tomb is in the garden.

The Green Tomb, built in 1421, is the final resting place of Mehmet I Çelebi. It's actually covered in blue tiles, added after an earthquake damaged the originals in the 1800s, but inside are incredible original İznik tiles, including those—many of which are green and turquoise—sheathing Mehmet's immense sarcophagus. The surrounding tombs belong to Mehmet's children.