Istanbul to Bursa: Private day trip

First settled in 5200 BC, Bursa was made the first capital of the Ottoman Empire in 1326. While it was only capital for a few decades, Bursa remained the empire’s spiritual and commercial center until Constantinople was conquered in 1453. Today, Bursa is Turkey’s 4th largest city, though it’s still possible to see the civic center the capital grew around. Bursa’s largest mosque, Ulu Cami, was built in 1400 under Sultan Bayezid I, and is filled with 192 monumental wall inscriptions by the famous calligraphers of the day. The Green Mosque, built by Mehmet I in 1419 illustrates the next phase of Ottoman architecture, and exhibits some stunning calligraphic carvings, not to mention its namesake green tiles. Also on the grounds is the ‘Green Tomb’ - the final resting place of Sultan Mehmet I. If you’re after a pleasant stroll, there’s no better place than the Muradiye Complex with its park, cemetery, and intricately ornamented 15th century mosque.