The Marmara Shore from Mudanya to Trilye

Mudanya is where Bursa meets the sea, and following the shore westward reveals an entirely different Bursa: olive groves, stone houses and the Marmara. Thirty kilometres from the centre, it is comfortably done in half a day.

Getting there: forty minutes by car from Bursa, an hour by municipal bus. The fast ferry from İstanbul docks directly at Mudanya pier, so for anyone arriving from İstanbul this is already the front door. Trilye is another twelve kilometres on, served by minibus.

The day: begin on the Mudanya promenade. The building where the Armistice of Mudanya was signed, ending the War of Independence, is now a museum and the room with its table is preserved as it was. The 19th century Greek and Levantine houses along the shore have been restored and walking their frontages is a pleasure. Move on to Trilye in the afternoon. The village stands with its stone houses and olive groves; the Fatih Mosque, dating from the Byzantine period, was first built as a church and its apse wall can still be read. The Dündar House and the old stone lanes fill the rest of the visit.

Eating: the olives and olive oil of Trilye carry a geographical indication. Fish restaurants line the shore; choose sea bream or bass by season. Olive oil vegetable dishes are the basis of the local kitchen.

Tips: the olive harvest falls in November and December, when the villages are at their liveliest. Trilye gets crowded at weekends; a weekday visit is far more comfortable.