We rolled out of bed one summer day off with nothing really on our agenda. Our kids suggested we head for the local pool or the little indoor amusement park at the shopping mall, both good options. But while thinking about it over my morning cup of coffee, a better idea jumped into my mind: Kültürpark. With everybody in excited agreement, we got ourselves dressed, grabbed the camera, and hopped on the metro bound for a few hours of family fun.

A Kültürpark café

Kültürpark is one of the largest green spaces in Bursa. It’s a lovely, family-friendly venue near the city center. Complete with playgrounds, picnic tables, playing fields, and an amusement park that boasts a Ferris wheel, a carousel, a roller coaster, and bumper cars, there’s plenty of opportunities to relax and have fun at Kültürpark. Paddle boats can be rented for a ride around the pond and kids can jump in the inflatable houses or slide down the giant slides. Ice cream and trinket vendors line the walkways while cafés of all types and tastes are scattered throughout the park. An amphitheater serves as a venue for shows and festivals and a mosque is available for public worship. The park is also home to the city’s archaeology museum as well as Atatürk Stadium, the current home field of the Bursaspor football team.

Artifacts in the archaeology museum

On this particular day at the park, we decided to grab a bite to eat at an outdoor café and let the kids play at one of the playgrounds. After watching the fountain for a few minutes, we wandered up the hill past the pond to the archaeology museum. The museum, which houses artifacts from Bursa’s Neolithic, Greek, and Byzantine eras, is small but very nicely curated. Our kids seemed awestruck as they wandered around the museum looking at artifacts from historical periods that they had just studied in their schoolwork.

After the museum, we picked up some ice creams from a sidewalk vendor, sat down at a picnic table in the shade, and watched the kids run around another playground for a while. Finally hot and tired, we hopped back on the metro and headed toward home, having had a nice family time at Kültürpark.

Luna Park, Kültürpark’s amusement area

Notes on Kültürpark:

• Kültürpark is located just west of the city center and can be reached by bus, taxi, tram, or metro. Entrance into the park is free.
• On weekends and holidays, Kültürpark can get quite crowded. If you’re averse to large crowds, you may want to visit on a weekday.
• The archaeology museum is open every day except Monday. Entry fee is 5TL for adults and children are free.