İznik sees int’l demand for religious tourism
The northwestern province of Bursa’s historical İznik district, home to monumental structures from the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods, has been included in international travel agencies’ tour packages, with a significant influx of foreign tourists expected after May.
Sector representatives noted that religious tourism has gained further prominence following Pope Leo XIV’s visit to İznik in November 2025.
As part of his Türkiye trip on Nov. 28, 2025, Pope Leo XIV visited İznik. The visit was primarily intended to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, convened in 325 A.D., a pivotal event in Christian history, and to emphasize interchurch unity.
The Pope travelled from Istanbul to İznik by helicopter, where he participated in a prayer ceremony held at the archaeological excavation site of the submerged Basilica of Saint Neophytos (also known as the Basilica of the Holy Fathers) in Lake İznik.
