Bursa or Edirne: Which Ottoman Capital to Visit

Between Bursa and Edirne, choose Bursa for the birth of the Ottoman Empire: green-tiled mosques, silk markets, hot springs and İskender kebab, with İznik’s tiles nearby. Choose Edirne for Sinan’s masterpiece, the Selimiye Mosque, and an old capital on two rivers. Both make a day trip from Istanbul, though in opposite directions. So pick by the story you want, or see both on separate days. Back in Istanbul, a Mimar Sinan tour follows the rest of his work on the skyline.

What is the difference between Bursa and Edirne?

The main difference between Bursa and Edirne is which Ottoman chapter each one tells. Bursa became the first Ottoman capital when Orhan took it in 1326, and the early sultans lie buried there. Edirne, by contrast, was the capital for almost a century before the Ottomans took Constantinople. So Bursa shows the beginning, while Edirne shows the empire on its way to Istanbul.

What will you see in Bursa?

In Bursa, start in the market district, with the Grand Mosque and its twenty domes. Next to it, Koza Han, the silk inn of 1490, still sells silk scarves around its courtyard. Then lunch on İskender kebab, the city’s own dish. In the afternoon, visit the Green Mosque, covered in turquoise tiles. With a night, also add breakfast in the village of Cumalıkızık, the cable car up Uludağ and an evening bath in the hot springs of Çekirge.

What will you see in Edirne?

In Edirne, the Selimiye Mosque comes first. Sinan built it for Selim II between 1568 and 1575 and called it his masterpiece; since 2011, it has been a UNESCO site. Our Mimar Sinan tour in five days ends here, at the top of his career. Then see the Old Mosque of 1414 and the Mosque of the Three Balconies. Also, on the Tunca river, the complex of Bayezid II once healed patients with music, water and flowers, and it is now a museum of medicine, closed on Mondays. At lunch, try tava ciğer, the city’s crisp fried liver.

Bursa or Edirne as a day trip from Istanbul?

Both work as day trips from Istanbul. Bursa lies about two hours by road over the Osmangazi Bridge, and fast ferries also cross the Sea of Marmara. Edirne lies about 235 kilometers (146 miles) to the west, about two and a half to three hours by car. Our Bursa day trip and Edirne day trip cover the highlights of each.

What about İznik?

İznik, the town of the famous tiles, lies about an hour and a half from Bursa. So it pairs best with Bursa, for example on a two-day trip. Read our guide to İznik tiles before you go, and see the Green Mosque of İznik while you are there.

What should you eat in Bursa or Edirne?

In Bursa, eat İskender kebab, the city’s own dish: thin slices of lamb over pide with tomato sauce and yogurt, and sizzling butter poured on at the table. Then, for a slow morning, families in Cumalıkızık serve breakfast in their courtyards, with homemade raspberry jam and gözleme. Take home a bag of kestane şekeri, the city’s candied chestnuts. In Edirne, by contrast, order tava ciğer, thin and crisp fried liver with dried hot peppers. Finally, buy badem ezmesi, Edirne’s almond paste, and fruit-shaped soaps from the Arasta under the Selimiye.

Would you like a Marmara day trip, a two-day route or our Istanbul Bursa tour in 3 days, with a guide who brings the first Ottoman centuries to life? Bursa, Edirne or both, as a day trip or two: let us know your Istanbul dates and we will choose with you.