Balat, Istanbul

Colourful houses, atmospheric cafes and  “Instagram” photo opportunities: this is Balat, in the European part of Istanbul, on the western bank of the Golden Horn. This place is vibrant and impressive. It’s the "other" Istanbul: charismatic, hipster and contrasting. Balat is not very touristy, even though it’s within a whisper of the historical centre of Sultanahmet. 

This is one of the oldest parts of the city. On one side is the Ayvansaray district with the ruins of the Byzantine Small Blachernae Palace and on the other side is the Fener district, with the famous Ecumenical Patriarchate. Until recently, Balat was the main Jewish quarter of Istanbul. 

Back in the 15th century, Sephardic Jewish families were invited by Sultan Bayezid II to settle here. They were refugees from Spain hence the name Sephardic meaning "Spaniard" in Hebrew. ​​Over four centuries, the Jewish community of Balat built 12 synagogues. But Greeks, Armenians and Bulgarians also lived in the neighbourhood and the three religions (Islam, Christianity, Judaism) have created a special atmosphere in the area. Not far from each other, you will see synagogues (including the oldest in the city) and mosques, as well as Greek, Bulgarian and Armenian churches. Its most important sites are the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate (1924), the Historical Küçük Mustafa Pasha Bath (15th), the Balat Culture House, and Merdivenli Hill. 

In the 1950s, most Jews left the Balat area with many emigrating to Israel although some moved to other parts of Istanbul. After the 1955 Istanbul pogrom, most of the Armenian and Greek natives also left their homes and  the empty buildings were then  inhabited by Kurds, impoverished Turks who came from eastern Anatolia, and gypsies. The area became a slum and was considered dangerous.

More recently, designer boutiques, antique shops, vintage cafes and conceptual art restaurants have opened in the abandoned houses of Balat. Workshops producing handmade artisanal goods have sprung up thanks to the cheap buildings, transforming Balat into the hipster, bohemian district of Istanbul.

The best way to get there is by vapura allowing you to admire the shores of the Golden Horn.