Uludag

About Uludag

Uludag is the mountain that rises behind Bursa, in northwestern Turkiye, reaching a little over 2,500 meters. The ancient Greeks knew it as Olympos, though it's a different peak from the more famous Mount Olympus in Greece. Today it's best known as Turkiye's most-visited winter sports area, with ski runs, hotels, and a cable car that climbs the slope from the edge of Bursa. In summer the same slopes turn green and cool, which makes the mountain a common escape from the heat down in the city and a popular spot for walking and picnics among the pines.

Most visitors reach Uludag one of two ways. There's a road that winds up the mountain to the hotel and ski zone near the top, and there's the Teleferik, the cable car that runs from Bursa up the slope in stages, with stops along the way where you can get out and look back over the city and the plain below. The ride itself is part of the appeal, and it's the easier option if you don't want to drive the mountain road. Weather up top can be noticeably colder and windier than in Bursa, so a jacket is a good idea even on a warm day in town.

Uludag pairs naturally with Bursa, the first Ottoman capital, which sits at its foot. Day trips from Istanbul often combine time on the mountain with the city's historic sights, such as the Green Mosque and Green Mausoleum, the old silk-trading bazaar, and the Inkaya plane tree, a huge tree said to be around 600 years old. If you're coming for the snow, the season generally runs through the winter months, but conditions vary year to year, so it's worth checking the current snow and lift situation before you plan a ski day.