rebecca soble

It was a lovely two days in greenery and peace. We listened to birds singing rather than horns honking. We drank all the delicious spring water we wanted ücretsiz. We walked on old stone and natural turf rather than asphalt and concrete.

Our first afternoon at the pansiyon, a snack of tarhana çorbası.

Typical Cumalıkızık street, with cuuute puppy on the side.

More street pics of the village and buildings

Yes, there are really people and modern vehicles in this köy - and a nice view of the mountain peak in the background.

After wandering the village, gözleme and semaver çay at the pansiyon

The next morning, a delicious and filling kahvaltı before heading out again. Typical turkish breakfast includes cheese and olive plate, tomatoes and cucumbers, bread (in this case yummy çoban ekmeğı shepherd’s bread which is like sourdough) and jams, and eggs. Oh, and of course çay. We are well-sustained for our activities!

Wandering out of the village into the woods..

We find the spot where the village water is diverted from the mountain stream. An open man-made channel carries the water all the way down into the village.

More pics of the village. There’s stone everywhere! This house has been restored, but there are many that have not.

A final evening rest in the pine woods.

Details for possible travelers:

Cumalıkızık is on the outskirts of Bursa, in the valley below Uludağ. We used the following modes of transport to get there: dolmuş to Kartal, fast ferry from Kartal to Yalova (45 mins, 7ytl per person without an akbil), tour bus from Yalova to the Bursa bus terminal (less than an hour, 8ytl per person, the tour buses wait right outside the ferry terminal), Bursa city bus 91 or 91G out of town (2 ytl per person, about 30 mins because the bus stops a lot, find someone to ask where to get off for the minibus to Cumalıkızık), and finally a minibus into the village (1ytl per person, 15 minutes). We got lucky and met an old couple on the city bus that were also going in our direction (they lived in a nearby village to Cumalıkızık, but not a historical one) so they showed us where to get off the city bus and helped us to get on the minibus. They were very friendly and offered to let us stay at their house(!) but we politely declined.

The pansiyon we stayed at is called Mavi Boncuk and it is one of two in Cumalikizik, I don’t know the name of the other (but we peeked at it and decided we had made the better choice). The rate at Mavi Boncuk was 50ytl per person per night, including breakfast, which you can see from the picture was formidable. The rooms each have their own bathroom, and the outside gardens are great. There are also comfortable and historic-feeling indoor places to sit and/or eat. The first night we were there, we were the only guests, and around 9:30 pm all the workers went home leaving us to our own devices. The owner’s home is on the premises as well, so it wasn’t like nobody was there at all, but it felt like our own castle for the night!

All in all, a lovely 2-day respite from the hustle and noise of Istanbul.