BURSA HISTORICAL CENTRE AND TRAM
Just enjoy meandering through the labyrinth of market streets and old buildings in the Bursa Historical Town. In hot or rainy weather you walk undercover in the indoor markets. Enjoy a welcome cup of tea or lunch or dinner in the variety of eateries scattered all over the city. And best of all take the wonderful tram along the busy streets as it clangs its bell to clear pedestrians away from the tracks.
Getting around Bursa Historical Town
The best way to explore the old part of town is just to wander around the wonderful bazaars and busy thoroughfare. Peruse the colourful shops and cafes that line along the street. There are two main routes going east to west through the Bursa historical town. One is Uzunçarşı Tuz Pazarı streets that pass through the ornate Grand Bazaar and other traditional shopping markets. From this route you can easily connect to Koza Hana and Ulu Cami Mosque. While Koza Han is interesting it can be rather busy so across the walkway you can find Fiden Han. This is also a pleasant courtyard but much quieter with plenty of food and beverage options. A great place to unwind from all the frenetic activity. Most of the market walk is covered which is ideal during the hot summer and cold and rainy winter.
The other way is through Cumhuriyet street which is a pedestrianized thoroughfare that also hosts the nostalgia tram. The two routes themselves are only a minute or two walk apart and there are lots of really interesting places in-between.
T3 Nostalgia Tram
The T3 tram is based on many nostalgia versions around the world with a narrow one metre gauge. The design of the trams is a based on their heyday in the early twentieth century. The single line is just 2.5 kilometres long and was opened in 2011. It has nine stops and the trip takes around 15 minutes. However, it can take a little longer if another tram is waiting to pass on one the double track locations.
The tram can be useful if you are tired from walking or withering from the heat but also well worth taking in its own right. You can take the tram at its western terminal stop at Zafar Plaza and then go to the end of line running past the old town close to several tourist attractions to the south. One suggestion is to go to the end of the line and walk back using streets to the south of the tram line. There are quite a few tourist attractions and other sites to keep you occupied.
Zafer Plaza – Kozahan – Tuzpazarı – Çancılar stops
The tram begins its journey eastwards at Zafar Plaza which is close to the mall with the same name. This is the most interesting leg of the line as the tram winds its way along the busy Cumhuriyet street. Given that it’s a pedestrian area and the irregular intervals of the tram, the crowds in front of the line can seem daunting especially at weekends. Lots of clanging of the tram’s bell does the trick and it’s fun to witness. Kozahan is the stop nearest to the historical caravanserai and now popular dining area of the same name. Çancılar stop is the end of the traditional historical centre and a short walk to the metro stop at Demirtaşpaşa.
Gökdere – Meydancık - İncirli Hamamı – Emirsultan - Mezarlığı – Çınarönü stops
The train passes through less dense surroundings but still with many shops and activity on either side. Gökdere is a short walk to Kamberler Park which contains Panorama 1326 museum covering Bursa and the conquest of the Ottoman Empire although the place does seem rather unwelcoming. The stop is also closest to the tram depot.
The next stop is Meydancık and this where you would alight if want to visit the tourist attractions to the south especially Yeşil Türbe or the Green Tomb. The rest of the line is along a reasonably interesting road and from Emirsultan stop you can visit an old graveyard and some good views if you climb up the hill. The tram terminates at Çınarönü which holds little interest except being the end of the line.
