Positioned: In the very north west of Turkey, 150 miles south of Istanbul and 220 miles east of Ankarra.
Description: The city is sometimes known as Yesil Bursa (Green Bursa) because of the parks and gardens in the city and the forests on the outskirts
Random fact: Its peaches and chesnuts are world renowned
The Club: Nicknamed the Green Crocodiles, Bursaspor won the Turkish League for the first time ever last season.
Stadium: The Bursa Ataturk Stadium holds 18,587 people and is to the west of the city centre.
It is a couple of streets away from the Osmangazi Metro Station (the city does not have a train station or lines).
Bursaspor
UEFA Champions League group C
Tuesday November 7th, kick off 19:45 UK, 21:45 local time
Ataturk Stadium, Bursa
Background
This is the last of six group matches. Rangers have already secured Europa cup football however will look to gain financial rewards by picking up points and any points gained in this match may help make their draw more favourable in Europa cup.
Bursaspor will be playing for their 1st ever 3 points in the champions leauge and will be fired up for the match. They will not want to finish with 0 points.
Tickets
Rangers have been given 1,300 tickets priced at 30TL (Turkish Lira) which works out at £13.15.
Estimated bears travelling - 1,000
Everyone who applied for one got one.
Weather
Istanbul
Sunday 5th: Showers, high of 12C low of 7C
Monday 6th: Drizzle, high of 12C low of 9C
Tuesday 7th: Drizzle, high of 12C low of 7C
Bursa
Sunday 5th: Drizzle, high of 8C, low of 6C
Monday: 6thDrizzle, high of 11C, low of 7C
Tuesday:7th Drizzle high of 9C, low of -1C Maybe some snow at night
Before you go
Take with you the following:
Istanbul metro map
Bursa metro map
Photocopy of your passport
Travel insurance
Don't go without it. You can book a single trip policy for £4.91 with insurefor.com
Turkish Lira
1 Turkish Lira works out at about 43p. £1p is 2.28TL. For the best rate on money conversations try the Post Office. Dollars and Sterling can be changed in Turkey you may get a slightly better rate
Landing in Turkey
When you arrive at the airport, you will have to buy a 90-day tourist visa. In order to buy one, your passport must be valid for six months.
At the airport, you go up to a clerk at a service window, pay the £10 fee in English cash, then the clerk stamps your passport. It takes less than a minute.
Istanbul Geography
Istanbul Ataturk Airport is west of the city centre.
Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen airport is east of the city.
It's easy to think of Istanbul as a triangle, with Taksim Square being the top point, Sirkeci being on the left hand point and Sabinha Gokcen being on the right hand point, with water in between the three.
From the airport
From Istanbul Ataturk Airport
If you're staying in the Sirkeci area or anywhere other than Taksim, take the Metro from the airport terminal 16 stops east to Aksaray. It takes 35 minutes and costs 0.75TL (32p) one way.
If you come out of the metro and walk south on Adnan Menderes Bn, turn left onto Ordu Cd and then turn left onto Ataturk Blv, you can walk down five minutes to Yenkapi Metro Station, from where you can get a light rail service north to Sirkeci, which is the Picadilly of Istanbul.
If you're staying in the Taksim area, come out of the airport terminal and catch a Havas bus to Taksim Square.
They run every hour hour, it will take an hour to get there depending on traffic and it will cost about 13TL (£5.60).
From Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen
If you're staying in the Taksim area or if you want a convenient way to get to any other part of Istanbul, come out of the airport terminal and catch a Havas bus to Taksim Square.
They run every hour hour, it will take an hour to get there depending on traffic and it will cost about 13TL (£5.60).
If, from there, you need to get south towards Sirkeci, Turn left onto Cumhuriyet Cd and walk down to Anit Cd. Follow road round to left and get on the Metro.
Take it south to Yenkapi then transfer onto the suburban rail and go north to Sirkeci.
If you've got a bit more time and feel a bit more adventurous, take the the E10 bus from outside the terminal and get off where it ends at Kadikoy.
Walk to Harem Feribot and take a ferry over the Bosphurus. It costs 2TL (87p) and takes 30 minutes to a port a couple of streets north of Sirkeci train station.
If you're arriving on Sunday 5th Dec your may be arriving on KLM flights or from London.
There is a bar organised just off Taksim square called Ekvator although we have advertised the "meet" on the Monday expect to see a few bears kicking back enjoying some Efes.
Taksim is the most touristy area of Istanbul be safe and stay in your groups and don't be tempted to follow anyone into their premises with promises of gas cookers and strippers they will hit you with a bill as soon as you sit down. You WILL be expected to pay it.
I arrive with my group of 4 around 1am Monday morning and will pop into Ekvator and hope to see some regular faces.
Map Ekvator
What to do in Istanbul
Favourites include a Bosphorus cruise, a trip to the Blue Mosque and a visit to the Grand Bazaar, but there are dozens of other attractions to enjoy.
Here is a link - http://www.timeout.com/istanbul/
Western-friendly bars and clubs are a plenty in Taksim area so it won't be hard finding places to enjoy.
Getting from Istanbul to Bursa
The easiest way to get there is on one of the gers buses if anyone is looking a for a seat have limited spaces. I am running 2 buses and know of others doing the same.
£29 pp return on bus with some beers included in price.
Bursa Geography
It's only a small city centre, but most of the small bars and hotels are around the Kulturpark, Osmanganzi Serkhustu Metro stations.
Recommended venue for Bears
BURSA SUARE venue pre organised with promo on beer, tunes, etc etc
It is a large venue but expecting vast majority of bears to head through for the pre match party.
There will be a courtesy bus doing a couple of pick-ups from ticket collection point to venue. Details tbc.
If you want to book onto a bus between Istanbul and Bursa check out
this thread - http://forum.followfollow.com/showthread.php?t=697284 -
and contact Cosmoger.