Bursa Combines the Best of Old and New

By. Justin Mays

The urban area of Bursa is known as Turkey's beloved green city. Its history of good municipal planning has created an urban cityscape with ample public green spaces set among smart modern buildings and historical districts. It also is one of the few cities in Turkey that can count a metro system amongst its excellent transportation links. Transportation infrastructure development in the past decade has made Bursa easily accessible from many points in Turkey. You can arrive in a mere two hours by car ferry or bridge from Istanbul across the Marmara Sea.

An important economic region fueled by the textile, food and car industries; Bursa has attracted a growing affluent population. Consistently ranking as one of the top five destinations for foreign house sales in Turkey, experts predict this ranking will continue to move up, making Bursa one of the prime places for buying a property in Turkey. Its combination of natural and cultural assets add to its appeal.

A UNESCO World Heritage city, Bursa is home to significant Ottoman-architecture mosques and sites as well as mineral hot springs spas and traditional hammams. Other attractions include various eateries where you may enjoy a local favorite, the Iskender kebab; modern shopping malls bursting with dining and entertainment venues; or traditional bazaars where haggling is also a form of entertainment. If you prefer to live outside of the city, you can find Uludag National Park, home of the most famous ski resort in Turkey. As part of the Marmara Sea region, this area also features affordable holiday homes in Turkey in the popular seaside destinations of Mudanya and Gemlik.

From sea to slopes, Istanbulites have long treated Bursa as a year-round weekend destination but the area is also popular with Middle Eastern nationalities. Record numbers of visitors from Arab Nations have discovered the low prices and appreciate the conservative leanings and cultural similarities of the area making it top choice for buying a property in Turkey with investors from Arab countries.  Family friendly and affordable Bursa is a rising star on the Turkish property market.