Balat, a colorful neighborhood in Istanbul Turkey, was once known as the Jewish quarter of the city. A must-visit when in the city. Beautiful colors, friendly people, chic cafes and so much more. The area surprisingly was one of the quiet areas I have been in Istanbul so far. And we have been checking out a lot of places. Not sure if tourists all do not know about this yet but it was nice, quiet, not a lot of tourists,s and a refreshing treat from the hustle and bustle that seems to be in most areas.
Balat is one of Istanbul’s oldest districts, traditionally housing minority communities. After an earthquake in the late 1800s, most of the Jewish residents fled the area, with more departing in the 1960s.
Getting around Balat is super easy and simple. Just walk. You can see the entire area by just walking around. There are tons of hills to climb so go prepared in walking shows and have your cameras ready.
Top things to see and do
Be sure to stop and eat at one of the cafes or restaurants. So many choices. You decide what you want to eat or drink. Turkish coffee or tea is seen on just about every table. We stopped by Primi Pasta and the food was so good. Freshly made pasta and sauce. Yum.
From here, we walked a few minutes to the Rainbow stairs. Beautifully colored stairs where lots of Instagram pictures are born.
The umbrella cafe, is right beside the stairs. Beautiful and colorful umbrella hanging as if from the sky. Beautiful tables and little huts to sit and eat in. A small cafe to grab drinks or a quick bite.
Phanar Greek Orthodox College or Phanar Roman Orthodox Lyceum, known in Greek as the Great School of the Nation, is the oldest surviving and most prestigious Greek Orthodox school in Istanbul, Turkey. The school, like all minority schools in Turkey, is a secular school. This college is amazing. The architecture, the color, the way it is perched on the hill. Amazing and must see.
On the same street as the college, climb the hill a little and you will see cute murals. I took pictures by the ballons and Garfield. You can see murals and paintings all over so just keep walking. There is something to see at every step it was almost like a dream. Turning my head to see so much over and over.
Walk around until you see sets of colorful houses. Rows and rows of homes in different bright cheerful colors. Just climbing the sides of the hill. In some areas, you can find a table and chair set up, as if for passerby's to snag pictures. Which, yes, I did. The most famous is Kiremit Street. The street is home to all the beautiful historical houses, most of which are between 50 - 200 years old.
St. Stephen Church is a must-see. Bulgarian St Stephen Church, also known as the Bulgarian Iron Church, is a Bulgarian Orthodox church in Balat, Istanbul, Turkey. It is famous for being made of prefabricated cast-iron elements in the neo-Byzantine style. The church belongs to the Bulgarian minority in the city. The details inside, the gold color, not tacky or gaudy but just absolutely beautiful. We did not need to cover our heads to go in as this wasn't a mosque but still be respectful of what you wear as you are entering a church.
Put Balat on your itinerary when in Istanbul. you CANNOT visit without stopping by this amazing area.