What it is
Fener was the Greek quarter and still holds the Ecumenical Patriarchate; Balat next door was the Jewish quarter, with synagogues, a Bulgarian iron church nearby and Ottoman houses in every state from restored to collapsing.
In the past decade the area has become fashionable — cafés, vintage shops and a great many photographs of the same row of coloured houses on Kiremit Caddesi.
It still feels lived in rather than curated, which is precisely why it is worth the trip.
Arriving by car
The lanes are narrow, steep and often one-way; a large van will struggle and parking is close to impossible. This is the clearest case in Istanbul for being dropped off and collected rather than driving yourself.
The usual pattern is a set-down on the shore road by the Golden Horn, an hour or two wandering uphill, and a pickup at an agreed café at the top.
Worth knowing
- The famous coloured houses are on Kiremit Caddesi, not the shore road
- It is hilly and cobbled throughout — poor for wheels of any kind
- Chora Church, with its mosaics, is a ten-minute drive further up and often overlooked
Close by
Chora Church · Eyüp Sultan · Golden Horn · Pierre Loti Hill