Fener and Balat - Old Greek & Jewish Quarter
Description
This tour is to the neighborhoods far away from main touristy parts of the city and it is about experiencing the real Istanbul. In this afternoon walking tour, we take you away for an introduction to the local life style of Istanbul. We will start with experiencing of using tram. Visiting the residential neighborhoods which will give you the chance to see how locals live in this cosmopolitan city. We will sit at the local cafes to sip cay tea and see how local get social. We will pass through the local markets, bakeries, tea houses. We will learn how the Constantinople was concurred by Ottoman in 1453.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(83)
We had a fantastic private tour with Beyhan and would highly recommend her. She was so friendly, passionate and incredibly knowledgeable about the history and culture of Fener and Balat. We loved exploring the churches, colourful streets and learning the colourful stories behind them, it was a side of Istanbul we would never have discovered on our own. One of the highlights of our trip. Thank you Beyhan!
Had and amazing time! Beyhan was a great tour guide and taught me so much. Highly recommend!
Thank you so much for your kind review! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your experience with our guide Beyhan. She is a young and enthusiastic guide and very happy show you around Istanbul and sharing its culture, local life and history with you. I’m so glad you had an amazing time and that you enjoyed the experience. Thank you for your recommendation, and I hope to welcome you back to Istanbul again one day!
We had a fantastic private tour with Beyhan and would highly recommend her. She was so friendly, passionate, and incredibly knowledgeable about the history and culture of Fener and Balat. We loved exploring the churches, colourful streets and learning the stories behind them, it was a side of Istanbul we never would have discovered on our own. One of the highlights of our trip. Thank you, Beyhan!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you had such a fantastic experience exploring Fener and Balat with Beyhan. She is truly passionate about sharing the rich history, culture, and hidden stories of these unique neighborhoods, so it’s wonderful to know that her enthusiasm and knowledge made the tour so memorable for you. We’re especially happy that you enjoyed discovering the churches, colorful streets, and the local stories that make this part of Istanbul so special. Thank you for choosing to explore with us and for your kind recommendation. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Istanbul in the future!
Birak was wonderful, showing us a side of Istanbul outside of the typical tourist spots. He is extremely knowledgeable about the history and religion, tying together themes from the 1400s to current day. We could not have asked for a better guide. He also talked about current culture in the areas we visited. At the end of the tour Burack gave us a recommendation for dinner which was spot on. I highly recommend both the tour and especially Burack as your guide.
A very nice, entertaining, and beautiful walk for great photos.
Excellent walking tour with an exceptional guide. His knowledge and explanations of everything were great. He answered every question and was a wealth of knowledge about Istanbul and the area we toured.
Delightful colorful neighborhood, pleasant to lose yourself in its cheerful alleys full of nice people and locals to eat or buy some souvenirs
The tour was very exciting. If you are interested in the diverse and exciting history of Istanbul aka Byzantium and Constantinople and would like to see something off the beaten track, this is the place for you. Salih is a great, experienced, very friendly and personable guide who knows how to tell in detail about the coexistence and conflicts of religions - Orthodoxy, Judaism and Islam - over the millennia. Thank you!
Colourful, charismatic neighborhood. Streets, shops, restaurants, neighborhood life, everything always to surprise and that deserves to be visited without rush.
Great opportunity to see less visited parts of Istanbul -- particularly the largely former Greek Orthodox and Jewish sections of the city. This is one of 2 tours done with Burak, who was superbly knowledgeable in both
