Things to Do in the Balat Neighbourhood of Istanbul, Türkiye

Balat is a neighbourhood of Istanbul that has a rich history and diverse culture. It used to be a hidden gem. However, in recent years it has become a popular part of Istanbul to visit. The main reason people venture out to Balat is to take snaps of the colourful houses the district has become known for through social media. That being said, there is definitely more to Balat than just a specific row of rainbow-coloured buildings.

As you walk around its narrow, steep streets, you’ll find just as many crumbling and sometimes abandoned houses, cultural and religious landmarks, coffee shops, art galleries, antique shops, and plenty of walls adorned with street art.

In this short guide we’ll detail everything you can do in this neighbourhood of Istanbul, including seeing the popular colourful houses. If you have 4 days in Istanbul, then you can combine your visit to Balat with the Eminönü district as well.

About the Balat Neighbourhood of Istanbul

Balat is located on the European side of Istanbul, to the west of the Golden Horn and to the north of the Sultanahmet, or historic, neighbourhood of the city. You’ll often see Balat mentioned along with the district of Fener because the two areas overlap with one another. They’re both considered some of the oldest districts in Istanbul, and are both on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Balat was, historically, a Jewish district. Jews were welcomed by the Sultan during the Spanish Inquisition in 1492. Fener used to be an important Greek quarter. However, both neighbourhoods were home to many people from different religious or ethnic backgrounds. Whilst today Balat is predominantly Muslim, the district still welcomes people from all backgrounds.

Things to Do in the Balat Neighbourhood of Istanbul

The Colourful Houses of Balat, Istanbul

The No.1 reason people visit Balat is to see the colourful buildings. Thanks to social media, this normally converges everyone to one or two spots that have become super popular. One of them is Kiremit Street (Kiremit Caddesi), which is the most recognisable row of brightly coloured, multi-storey houses.

However, there are so many other corners of Balat that are just as colourful. The mansions along the steep Merdivenli Yokuş street are another spot to check out. These were originally built by Greek aristocrats. Our personal favourite was Yildirim Street (Yıldırım Caddesi), which had a ton of street art and cafes along it.

Note. We appreciate that these rainbow-coloured houses couldn’t be any more perfect for photos. However, don’t forget that they’re also people’s homes. Residents don’t want to have you on their doorstep whilst you’re taking photos for social media. Always be respectful!

Top Tip. It’s good to know that the whole neighbourhood of Balat isn’t as colourful as places like Guatape in Colombia, where every inch of the town is painted in bright colours. Whilst not every building in Balat is colourful, there are charming corners that we’re sure will make you fall in love with this quarter. So we encourage you to go beyond the main touristy spots!

The Colourful Stairs at Incir Agaci Kahvesi (İncir ağacı kahvesi)

Another popular place within Balat has to be the colourful stairs at Incir Agaci Kahvesi. These picturesque stairs were created by a group of local artists and residents as part of a community art project in 2013.

The stairs lead up to Incir Agaci Kahvesi café, possibly the most colourful cafe in this neighbourhood. Next to the stairs you’ll find Balat Antik Café and Dimitrie Cantemir Museum Café, which has a big courtyard that was part of an 18th century mansion, and is now decorated with multi-coloured umbrellas.

Since the rainbow stairs are the second most visited spot in Balat, you can expect it to get pretty busy during the day.

Street Art in Balat, Istanbul

Since travelling across South America and seeing some incredible street art in countries like Colombia, we’ve gotten into the habit of keeping an eye out for them every time we visit a new city. If you’d also like to admire some beautiful murals and graffiti, then definitely head to Balat in Istanbul.

There is plenty of street art along Yildirim Street (Yıldırım Caddesi) and Vodina Street (Vodina Caddesi), but we recommend going for a wander around the narrow streets surrounding them because you’ll see plenty more scattered about.

Apart from murals adorning the sometimes crumbling walls of buildings, you’ll also find some painted stairs, and streets decorated with umbrellas and pottery, which only adds to the charm of this district.

Religious Buildings in Balat, Istanbul

Thanks to the neighbourhood’s rich history and ethnic diversity, you can find a number of different religious buildings in Balat.

Saint Stephen’s Orthodox Church (Aziz Stephen Kilisesi). Located along the Golden Horn, this church is the only Orthodox Church in the world made completely of iron.

Phanar Greek Orthodox College (Özel Fener Rum Ortaokulu ve Lisesi). Situated at the top of Sancakar Yks street, this impressive red brick building is the oldest remaining Greek Orthodox school in the country.

Patriarchal Church of St George (Aziz George Katedrali). Located within the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate complex, this stunning church is the principal Eastern Orthodox Cathedral.

Ahrida Synagogue. Founded in the 15th century, it is the oldest continuously active synagogue in Istanbul.

Yanbol Synagogue. This synagogue was built in the 18th century by Bulgarian Sephardi Jews.

Tahta Minare Mosque (Tahta Minare Camii). Located along Vodina Street, this mosque was built in 1458 by Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han.

Antique and Vintage Shopping

If you enjoy shopping then we have great news: there are a ton of antique, vintage and second-hand shops in Balat.

Pop into one of the vintage clothing stores if you want to add a few unique pieces to your wardrobe and your luggage isn’t too full already.

If you’re a book-worm, then there are also many second-hand bookshops dotted around Balat. Music enthusiasts can find plenty of spots dedicated to selling old vinyl records and CDs. Lastly, there are also some amazing antique shops in Balat, where you can find some true gems for your home.

Even if you don’t want to purchase anything, browsing these shops is still a fun activity in itself.

Quirky Cafes in Balat, Istanbul

Balat is packed with cool and quirky cafes, so definitely visit at least one whilst you’re in this neighbourhood. Below we’ve highlighted a couple of the popular ones, but you can check out more along Yildirim and Vodina Streets.

• Velvet Café. A popular spot in Balat, it serves a variety of drinks and food. You can enjoy a traditional Turkish breakfast here if you wish.
• Café Naftalin K. It is a great café with a quirky interior, serving a selection of regional coffees such as those from Mardin.
• Cumbali Kahve. It’s another fantastic coffee shop, serving some pretty good coffee.
• YOLO art Center and Café. This is a relatively new place, but attracts a lot of people from all backgrounds. You can enjoy a hot or cold drink here as well as some live performances.

Cats of Balat Istanbul

If you’ve been touring around Istanbul already, then you’ve probably noticed the large number of cats in the city. They’re literally everywhere. You can see them sleeping on top of cars, motorbikes, curled up in shop windows, in restaurants or just casually wandering the streets.

Istanbul has a long history of caring for cats that dates back to the Ottomans. Muslims consider cats an important pet because of their cleanliness. Their hunting skills are also useful in a huge city, to control the spread of mice and rats.

There are more stray cats than housecats in Istanbul. We read somewhere that there are several hundred thousand cats roaming this city alone. So you’ll see plenty of them in Balat too. Nobody, and everybody, owns them at the same time. People do take care of them and you’ll spot bowls of food and drink placed in front of shops, restaurants and homes. This care for stray cats reminded us of the Cat Park in Lima’s Miraflores District, although on a much larger scale.

How to Get to Balat in Istanbul

You can get to Balat using buses, taxis or ferries. If you’re visiting Balat by bus then you can hop onto one at Eminönü bus station. You can get off at this bus stop and start exploring Balat on foot.

You can also visit by ferry if you’re arriving from the Beyoglu District. The ferry leaves from Kasimpasa and arrives at a ferry terminal called Fener.

We recommend planning your journey using Google Maps to see which service it’s best to take from your accommodation. In order to take the bus or ferry in Istanbul you will need an Istanbulkart which you can buy from several ticket machines near public transport stations.

Final Thoughts on Things to Do in the Balat District of Istanbul

Visiting Balat has become a popular thing to do in Istanbul, and this once hidden gem has turned into more of an ‘Instagrammable’ place. Most people only come here to snap a few photos with the rows of colourful houses and the brightly painted stairs. However, the reason we really enjoyed our time in Balat was because we wandered off the beaten path and found the crumbling buildings, street art, quirky cafes and antique shops that are just as interesting.

Have you ever been to the Balat district of Istanbul before? If so, how much of the area did you manage to see and what was your favourite spot? If not, would you add a visit to Balat to your Istanbul itinerary? Let us know in the comments below.