Rows of traditional wooden houses painted in a dizzying array of bright colors, life continuing in a way that hasn’t changed for hundreds of years, little known churches, Byzantine architecture, and some of the best Istanbul views. Every local knows how charming and unique the historically cosmopolitan neighborhoods of Balat and Fener are. 

This tour offers visitors a chance to find out too. Located by the shores of the Golden Horn (Haliç) waterway, these areas have been home to some of the oldest settlements of Istanbul. It is still possible to see the Byzantine and Ottoman  traces around one of the most ethnically diverse populations of the city, while enjoying its hip cafés and local handicrafts shops. 

Visit Fener: We visit the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate Church (the Church of St. George) that has been active and open for service since the 1600s. Here you will see a stunning iconostasis as well as holy relics of the Church of Constantinople, including the sacred relics of two renowned Archbishops of Constantinople.

Visit Balat: This neighborhood was historically home of the Jewish community of the city and now a multi-cultural community inhabits the area. In Balat, we will stroll through the narrow and colorful streets, which have a movie set feel. A traditional daily street life still exists in this part of town; women gathering for tea on their patios, kids kicking balls around the streets, men playing cards in coffee-houses.