Escape the Crowds

Uludağ in two seasons: walks and snow

A 2,500-metre national park above the city — forest trails and yayla picnics in summer, Turkey's oldest ski resort in winter.

₺₺a full dayMay–October for walking; roughly mid-December to March for snow

Save for later — join Smileys

Why do it?

Uludağ — the Mysian Olympus of the ancients — is a national park that starts at the edge of the city and climbs to over 2,500 metres. In the warm months it is Bursa's back garden: the Sarıalan and Kirazlıyayla meadows for picnics and camping, forest paths between them, and viewpoints like Bakacak where the whole plain and, on a clear day, the Marmara open out below. From December it becomes the country's oldest ski resort, with the hotel zones, lifts and a Turkish winter-weekend culture all of its own. Living in Bursa means having both an hour away.

The Smileys Take

Summer first: take the teleferik or a shared car to Sarıalan, walk the marked paths between the yaylas, and picnic like the locals do — this is the easiest group day out we know, and it needs no gear beyond real shoes and water. Leave the summit ridges to a proper mountain day with someone who knows it; the weather turns fast. In winter, be honest about what you want: the slopes are busy and pricey on weekends, and a weekday snow walk around Sarıalan with a hot salep is the version most of us prefer. Ski season dates move with the snow — ⚠ VERIFY opening before planning a trip around it.