Balat

A historic old Jewish and Greek neighborhood on the Golden Horn, with colorful old houses, steep stairways, antique shops, and cafés. It is a filming location for Turkish TV dramas and the most photogenic side of Istanbul on social media.

Balat lies on the southern shore of the Golden Horn in the Fatih district. During the Ottoman period, it was a Jewish settlement, and together with the neighboring Greek quarter of Fener, it forms a living record of Istanbul's diverse religious history. The neighborhood has 19th-century wooden and brick old houses, steep stone alleys, the Church of St. George of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate (seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople), the red-brick Greek Orthodox school known as the 'Red Castle,' and the Kariye Mosque (formerly the Chora Church). The Kariye Mosque reopened in 2024 after restoration, and its Byzantine mosaics and frescoes rival those of Hagia Sophia. A separate admission fee applies. In recent years, the colorful houses and umbrella-lined lanes of Kiremit Street and Merdivenli Yokuş Street have become popular photo spots, thanks to Turkish TV dramas and social media. Cafés, antique shops, secondhand bookstores, and craft studios have sprung up throughout the district and are especially busy on weekends. Suggested route: start at the Fener pier, climb past the Red Castle and St. George's Church, wander through Balat's colorful lanes, and finish with coffee on Vodina Street. With more time, walk to the city walls at Ayvansaray and the Kariye Mosque, a route of about three hours in total. Getting there: take bus 99 or 99A from Eminönü along the Golden Horn, about 20 minutes, or take a Golden Horn ferry to the Fener/Balat pier. A taxi from Sultanahmet takes about 15 minutes. Note that the slopes are steep and the streets can be slippery, so wear comfortable shoes. Respect residents' privacy when taking photos in residential areas, and note that some old houses are under renovation.

Balat

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Places to eat nearby