Balat & Fener District Audio Guide Tour

Fener and Balat, in short

Two adjoining neighbourhoods on the Golden Horn that were, for centuries, the Greek and Jewish quarters of the city. Steep lanes, painted timber houses, antique shops and a run of religious buildings you will not find together anywhere else.

It is the most photographed corner of Istanbul that is not a monument, and the walking is the point.

What it costs

The guided walking tour is u20ac8 booked separately. Included on the pass.

Getting there

On the western shore of the Golden Horn, north of Eminu00f6nu00fc. A ferry up the Horn is the pleasant approach; buses and taxis are faster from Sultanahmet.

How long to allow

Two to three hours to walk it properly, plus however long the cafu00e9s detain you. The streets are steep and cobbled, so wear something sensible.

The Church of St George

The seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and so the spiritual centre of Orthodox Christianity worldwide. The community here traces back to the fourth century; the present building is comparatively modest from outside and richly worked within.

St Stephen and the Ahrida Synagogue

The Bulgarian Church of St Stephen was built in the 19th century for the Bulgarian Orthodox community and is made almost entirely of prefabricated cast iron, shipped down the Danube and assembled on site. There are only a handful like it anywhere.

The Ahrida Synagogue is among the oldest in Istanbul, founded before the Ottoman conquest by Jews from Ohrid. Its bimah is shaped like a ship's prow. Visits need arranging in advance.

The painted streets

The stepped lanes below the Phanar Greek Orthodox College u2014 the red-brick building that dominates the skyline here u2014 are the ones you will have seen photographed. Go on a weekday morning if you would rather not queue for the same doorway as everyone else.