| Offer | What is different | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bursa and Uludağ, cable car included | Uludağ cable car in the package | First visit, want the mountain | See |
| Uludağ mountains, full day | Focus on the mountain and cable car | Mainly want Uludağ | See |
| Bursa with lunch and transfers | Lunch and transfers advertised | Travellers who want everything arranged | See |
| Green Bursa | City visit; Uludağ to be confirmed | History and mosques first | See |
| Bursa nature, cable car optional | Lunch; Koza Han, Cumalıkızık, Osman Gazi | City, village and nature | See |
Duration, "from" price, reviews and starting point are not copied here: they change from one check to the next, so read them on each listing.
With or without the Uludağ cable car
Three listings (cable car included, optional, mountain day) put Uludağ at the centre. The cable car leaves from Teferrüç station, high above Bursa, and climbs towards Sarıalan and the hotel area. As noted in October 2026 on our page for the place: 500 TL return (250 TL for students), 10:00 to 18:00, with possible stoppages in wind or for maintenance. With an "optional" package, ask whether the ticket is included; in poor visibility, skip the ride up.
Classic Bursa: mosques, tombs, villages
Green Bursa and the lunch-and-transfers package concentrate on the city: the Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii), the Green Mosque complex with its turquoise tomb, the bazaars. The nature package adds Koza Han, Cumalıkızık (a UNESCO site with Bursa) and Osman Gazi. We could not confirm whether Green Bursa includes Uludağ: check before booking.
The journey: ferry and length of day
These tours combine sea and road, but each listing has its own boarding point: read it, as it sets your pickup time. Sources differ on the crossing: about 1 h 15 by ferry from Yenikapı to Yalova (then by road), or roughly 1 h 30 to 2 h on İDO catamarans to Güzelyalı. Expect a long day (often 13 to 15 hours for this kind of tour). To go on your own, BUDO and İDO timetables are on our page Bursa from Istanbul.
Pitfalls and what is not included
- Shop stops: shopping halts (silk, Turkish delight, textiles) are common on this kind of tour; decline politely and keep time for the mosques.
- The cable car: check whether it is included, optional or paid on the spot, both ways.
- Meals and entry fees: read the inclusions before paying.
- Fridays: mosques limit visits during midday prayer.
- Dress: shoulders and knees covered, hair covered for women inside mosques.
- Ranking: the order on GetYourGuide is influenced by commissions; read recent reviews.
Which day trip to choose?
- First time, mountain and city: the tour with the cable car included.
- Adjustable budget: the cable car optional package or Bursa nature.
- History first: Green Bursa.
- Everything arranged, lunch included: the lunch-and-transfers package.
- Other trips: see day trips from Istanbul, Gallipoli from Istanbul and Istanbul in 3 days.
Frequently asked questions
Can you see Bursa in one day from Istanbul? Yes, the essentials, but you must choose between the mountain and the village of Cumalıkızık.
Is the Uludağ cable car always open? No: it can stop in wind or for maintenance; hours noted in October 2026: 10:00 to 18:00.
When is the best time? A clear, windless day; avoid Friday midday for the mosques.
Can you go without a tour? Yes, by ferry then bus: see our page Bursa from Istanbul.
The Istanbul Authority team, October 2026.
