Fener & Balat

Fener and Balat are neighbourhoods on the southern shore of the Golden Horn, historically home to the city's Greek and Jewish minorities. They are known for their steep streets, brightly painted old wooden houses and dense mix of religious buildings.

The area holds the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople, the cast-iron Bulgarian Church of St Stephen, the Ahrida Synagogue and dozens of historic churches. In recent years the colourful house streets (Kırmızı Sokak, Vodina) have become Instagram famous and pull a younger tourist crowd.

It is close to the Chora Museum and the two are easily combined. Cafés, boutique shops and antique stores are slowly turning the neighbourhood into a hipster district.