The Ottoman Capitals Tour in 6 Days: Bursa, Edirne and Istanbul

Overview

The Ottoman Empire had three great capitals. It began in Bursa, at the foot of Uludağ. Then it moved to Edirne, on the road into Europe. After 1453, it ruled from Istanbul for almost five centuries. Our Ottoman capitals tour follows that story in six days, from the first mosques of a young dynasty to the palace of a world empire.

İznik, the Town of Tiles

We leave Istanbul and cross the Gulf of İzmit to İznik, ancient Nicaea. Here, in 325, the First Council of Nicaea wrote the creed that most Christians still recite. Centuries later, the town’s potters made the famous İznik tiles that cover the mosques of Istanbul. Today, workshops have revived the old techniques, so you can watch them at work.

Bursa on the Ottoman Capitals Tour

Next, we reach Bursa, the first Ottoman capital. In the old market district, the twenty-domed Grand Mosque stands beside the silk caravanserai of Koza Han. After lunch, ideally İskender kebab in the city where it was born, we visit the turquoise Green Mosque and the timber village of Cumalıkızık.

Edirne and Sinan’s Masterpiece

Then we drive west to Edirne, the second capital, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Above the town rises the Selimiye Mosque, which Sinan himself called his masterpiece. Its dome seems to float on light. Nearby, the Bayezid II Complex was once a hospital, where doctors treated patients with music and the sound of running water. For lunch, Edirne’s tava ciğer, thin fried liver with crispy red peppers, is a must.

Imperial Istanbul, End of the Ottoman Capitals Tour

Finally, we return to Istanbul, the capital the first two led to. At Topkapı Palace, you see where the sultans lived for four centuries. At the Süleymaniye, Suleiman the Magnificent and Hürrem Sultan lie in their tombs beside Sinan’s great mosque.

From our team

• KırkpınarIn early summer, Edirne hosts the centuries-old Kırkpınar oil wrestling tournament, at Sarayiçi.
• İznik tilesLook for the deep tomato-red of the 16th-century İznik potters.
• Bursa silkIn Koza Han, ask the shopkeeper to show you the difference between real silk and imitations.
• OrderWe visit the capitals in the order the empire built them, so the story unfolds day by day.

Our suggestion In Edirne, buy fruit-shaped soaps and almond paste in the old covered market before you leave. They are the classic gifts of the city.

Adapt the Ottoman Capitals Tour

Every journey is private, so you can add more days in Istanbul or a night on the slopes of Uludağ. For the Istanbul part, see our Mimar Sinan tour and our Sultanate of Women tour, or ask for a tailor-made trip. For a shorter trip without Edirne, see our Istanbul Bursa tour in 3 days. We arrange your entry to the palaces of all three capitals.

Route

1. Istanbul
2. Iznik
3. Bursa
4. Edirne
5. Istanbul

Day by day

1. Day 1 · Istanbul

   Arrival in Istanbul

   Your driver meets you at the airport. In the evening, a first walk around Sultanahmet.

   • Stay: Sultanahmet

2. Day 2 · Bursa

   İznik and Bursa

   Across the Gulf of İzmit to İznik, the town of tiles and the First Council of Nicaea, then on to Bursa.

   • Places: Iznik
   • Stay: Bursa

3. Day 3 · Bursa

   Bursa, the first capital

   The Grand Mosque, the silk market of Koza Han, İskender for lunch, the Green Mosque and Cumalıkızık.

   • Places: Bursa Grand Mosque, Green Mosque, Bursa, Cumalıkızık, Koza Han
   • Stay: Bursa

4. Day 4 · Edirne

   To Edirne

   Back across the Marmara and west to Edirne, the second capital, for an evening by the Tunca River.

   • Stay: Edirne

5. Day 5 · Edirne

   Edirne and the Selimiye

   Sinan's Selimiye, the Bayezid II hospital museum, and tava ciğer for lunch, then the drive to Istanbul.

   • Places: Selimiye Mosque, Complex of Sultan Bayezid II
   • Stay: Istanbul

6. Day 6 · Istanbul

   Imperial Istanbul

   Topkapı Palace and the Süleymaniye, the capital that the first two led to, before your flight home.

   • Places: Topkapı Palace, Süleymaniye Mosque

What’s included

Practical

Best time to go

All year round. In late June or early July, the Kırkpınar oil wrestling takes place in Edirne, and in winter, Uludağ above Bursa is often white with snow.

Fitness level

Easy to moderate: city walks on cobbles and hills.

Accessibility

Tell us your needs. The car takes you close to most mosques and museums.

Gallery

Frequently asked questions