Fener & Balat Places to Visit and Travel Route

Fener and Balat, one of the multicultural and colorful districts of Istanbul, are one of the popular places in Istanbul. The Fener – Balat route ranks first among the places I enjoy going in Istanbul, I don't know how many times I went. Many of these trips were guided tours. Thus, I had the opportunity to obtain detailed information about the history of the region. Photography groups, those looking for alternative venues and history buffs are increasing their interest in this region day by day. In this text Fener – Balat places to visit ve Fener & Balat excursion route you will find my suggestions, happy reading!

Fener, Where is Balat?

Fener and Balat districts are located on the southeast coast of the Golden Horn between Eyüp and Eminönü, and even between the Atatürk Bridge in Unkapanı and the Golden Horn Bridge. The point shown in red on the map below shows the area where Fener and Balat are located.

"Why is the name Fener Balat used together, are they the same places?"One cannot help but say. Fener and Balat neighborhoods are called together because they are intertwined over time. That's why they're called together. Actually, if we start from Eminönü direction; These are the sequential neighborhoods of Cibali, Ayakapı, Fener and Balat, respectively.

• Cibali: The side of Kadir Has University, I will not mention Cibali in this article.
• footkapi: Between Cibali and Fener, the district where the Gül Mosque is located and which is entered through the Ayakapı gate.
• Fener: The area where Fener Greek High School and Patriarchate are located.
• Ballad: The Çıfıt bazaar is the side of the Bulgarian Church.

If you want to know the place that separates Fener and Balat from each other, Wooden Minaret Bath and the small square in front of it is the intersection of two neighborhoods.

The important difference between Fener and Balat; The settlement of Greeks in the Fener district and Sephardic Jews in the Balat district during the Ottoman period. Currently, churches, mosques and synagogues are together in this area. This intricate mosaic increases the attractiveness of the region day by day.

How to go to Fener & Balat?

You can reach Fener and Balat by your private car, bus, tram or ferry.

• If you are going to come here with your private vehicle, let me state that there is a serious parking problem. My advice is to come here by public transport, not by car.
• There is a ferry port in Fener. This is one of the intermediate stops of the ferries that travel between Üsküdar and Kadıköy and Eyüp. Ferries are not very frequent, so I suggest you check the hours beforehand and plan accordingly.
• Fener is one of the stops of the tram on the Golden Horn coast line, for example, if you are coming from somewhere on the metro line, you can reach here by using the completely rail system by switching from the metro to the tram.
• Finally, many bus lines going from Eminönü to Eyüp pass through Fener. After reaching Eminönü, you can reach the Fener stop with a 10-minute journey by bus.

Fener & Balat Travel Route

My route around Fener Balat starts from Edirne Gate, not from the Golden Horn shore. Because I add a few museums in between, so that I have a itinerary that covers the whole day from morning to evening. You can choose the whole or the short version. First, let me briefly share the places on the Fener Balat excursion route;

• Edirne Gate
  • Chora Museum
  • Tekfur Palace
  • Kariye Garden Street
  • Asitane Restaurant
  • Fethiye Museum
• Fener
  • Church of the Virgin of the Mongols (Blood Church of the Virgin Mary)
  • Yuvakimyon Greek Girls High School
  • Fener Greek High School
  • Greek Orthodox Patriarchate
  • Stevi Stefan Bulgarian Church
  • Vodina and Yıldırım Streets full of cafes (these are candidates to become the new Karaköy)
  • Lighthouse Pier
• Baladi
  • Çıfıt Bazaar
  • Agora Tavern
  • Sevda Gazozcu
  • Ahrida Synagogue
  • Ladder Hill and Kiremit Street, which you see in all Balat photos
• footkapi
  • St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
  • Balat Toy Museum
  • Ayakapi Wall Gate
  • Rose Mosque
  • Ayakapi Hisaronu Street

Fener & Balat Travel Map

On the Fener & Balat travel map below, you can see my suggestions for places to visit and places to eat and drink in Fener and Balat.

Fener & Balat Attractions

I would like to explain the list of places to visit in Fener and Balat, which are on the route above, in a little more detail and with explanation.

Kariye Mosque

Chora Museum was the museum I visited the most in Istanbul when it was a museum. At the same time that the Hagia Sophia Museum was converted into a mosque, the Kariye Museum was also converted into a mosque. However, it was closed to visitors in 2022 for restoration reasons.

Kariye Museum is at a point that you can easily reach by walking from Edirnekapı. The mosaics inside are dazzling. The Museum Card is valid, if you don't have a card, you can get it here.

• There is a park where you can see the estuary view from the back street of the Chora Museum. Make sure to wander around and take a look at the view.
• If you come across the lunch hour, you can try examples of Ottoman cuisine at the Asitane restaurant right next to the Kariye Museum. This place also seems to be closed temporarily, it is useful to get information before going.
• If you come to the Kariye Museum, past the Asitane restaurant, there is a street with steep slopes, its name is Kariye Bostanı Sokak. Make sure to stop by to see the colorful, wooden Ottoman houses on the street and for a photo break.

Tekfur Palace

One of the places to see in Edirnekapı is Tekfur Palace, the only example of Roman palace architecture in Istanbul when I went to this 3-storey palace, there was a restoration and I couldn't see it.

Fethiye Museum – Fethiye Church

Fethiye Museum, the building that used to be a church is now used as a mosque and a small part of it has been turned into a museum. When you get to the museum side, it hurts to see the walls built on the church mosaics. Entrance is 5 TL, Museum Card is valid.

Church of Our Lady of the Mongols – Church of the Bloody Virgin Mary

They sent the Roman Mary to the Mongolian Dynasty as a bride, and she worked to spread Christianity in Mongolia, and when her husband died, she returned and became known as the Virgin of the Mongols. This church had additional buildings in the form of a monastery, but only the church has survived to this day. After Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered Istanbul, he gave a fatwa not to turn this church into a mosque. You can see the fatwa inside the church.

The church is open to visitors until 16:00, if you knock on the door when you go, the staff will open it. It is forbidden to take photos inside. You can see very beautiful angles of Fener Greek High School from its garden.

Yuvakimyon Greek Girls High School

Yuvakimyon Greek Girls' High School is an abandoned girls' high school that is not currently in service. Since the education level was very high during his service, the Greek community competed to enroll their girls in this school. Even the people living in the surrounding houses hosted the female students studying here. However, when the congregation dwindled, this place had its last graduates in 1987 and was closed in 1988. The remaining students were transferred to Fener Greek High School.

The school keeper is there to help you enter the school with prior notice. This place is a treasure for those who love to take pictures. There is a wonderful view of the Golden Horn from the upper floor and the backyard. The school is currently used for exhibitions or photo shoots.

Fener Greek High School

One of the first places that comes to mind when Balat is mentioned is Fener Greek High School with its wonderful red building. Everyone who sees it for the first time thinks it is a church or Fener Greek Patriarchate, but it is not. This place was first built as a boys' high school, but when the congregation decreased, secondary and high school services were started to be provided in a mixed form of girls and boys. After the conquest of Istanbul, Fatih Sultan Mehmet gave the Greeks the right to use the school. The school, whose redstones come from Marseille, has been serving as an educational institution for 560 years.

Currently, it is not free to enter and wander around, it continues to serve as a school. Maybe if you go on weekdays, you can have a chance to enter the garden with a little cuteness. Every year, the Christmas market is held and the school is open to visitors on those days, but there was a stampede in the bazaar in 2022, take this into consideration if you want to go.

One of the most beautiful photos of the high school overlooking a narrow street can be taken from the ferry. Otherwise, if you want to take photos from the street, you need to have a wide-angle camera lens. Very good angles could be captured from the courtyard of the mosque on the upper street of the school, but the walls of the mosque garden were raised and green cloth was stretched, unfortunately preventing entry for photography.

Let me give you another tip. Ferries to Kadıköy and Üsküdar pass through Fener pier. If you take the ferry a few stops earlier or from Fener pier, you can take wonderful photos of both the high school and the Fener & Balat district from the ferry.

Fener & Balat Streets for Instagram Photos

Vodina and Yıldırım streets, which start from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and continue towards Balat, are a perfect photographic decoration with their new generation coffee shops, concept cafes and colorful streets. You can take lots of Instagram photos.

For the colorful Greek houses, which are the real Fener & Balat view, you should go to Kiremit Caddesi and Merdivenli Yokus. If you get the opportunity from other photographers and vehicles, you can take great photos.

If you go in the afternoon on the weekend, these streets are very rude, so if your aim is to take pictures, I suggest you go early in the morning. While visiting these streets, pay attention to the reliefs and engravings on the buildings. For example, you can see the Star of David embroidery in Jewish homes, or you may see ship embroidery in a sailor's home. Another note is that while the Jewish houses are plain, the Greek houses are more ornate, so you can guess who the inhabitants are.

Agora Tavern

Did you know that the famous Agora Tavern, which is the subject of songs, is in Balat? There are two Agora taverns in Balat; One is the tavern, which is really the subject of songs and is called Agora 1890, and the other is the tavern that uses the name and uses the name Balat Agora Meyhanesi. These two places got into a name fight, but I think they found the solution by adding 1890 and Balat to their names.

I went to the tavern which is Agora 1890 several times, its appetizers are very diverse and delicious. You can find Syriac wine. When this place was first established, its name was Marmara Winery and it was considered among the best wine houses in Istanbul. Other wine houses on the list; Victor Levi and Pano wineries.

Agora 1890, that is, a historical tavern, is a place that has been the subject of songs and has been used in many Turkish films. If you want to eat here during the day, it is quieter, but if you plan to go in the evening, it would be better to call in advance and make a reservation.

Agora Tavern Phone: 0 546 631 21 30

Sevda Gazozcu

Located right next to Agora Meyhanesi, Sevda Gazozcusu is a soda shop where you can buy local sodas from Turkey. It was closed on my last visit, but I had caught the open version before. On the same street, there is a confectioner on the opposite side of the soda shop, I'm sure you see it often in Balat photos and videos.

Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

The Patriarchate, which has a very important place for Orthodox Greeks, is located just at the entrance of Fener district. Within the Patriarchate building, there are Aya Yorgi Church, library, tower, holy oil chamber, New Patriarchate Residence (office), additional buildings and Patriarch V. Grigorios gate. 

You can enter its garden and Aya Yorgi Church to visit it. If you come across the liturgy on Sundays, you can attend. Let me remind you that there is a lot of rudeness in special rituals on special days. Both Greek and Russian Orthodox come to visit here from different parts of the world.

The presence of holy relics in the Aya Yorgi Church makes this place more special for orthodox people. The most important trust; A fragment of the cross on which Jesus was crucified.

Marasli Primary School

If you head towards Cibali from the entrance of the Patriarchate, Maraşlı Primary School will welcome you with its interesting architecture. With its columned front face, it makes you wonder what is this building doing in this side street. When I went to Fener in January 2023, I saw that the school was restored, I hope its architectural structure is preserved.

Sveti Stefan Church, Bulgarian Church or Iron Church

Known as the world's largest prefabricated iron church, Iron Church, Bulgarian Church or Sveti Stefan Church, the church was built entirely of iron in Vienna, moved to Istanbul over the Danube River, and moved to its current location. The church, which is affiliated to the Bulgarian church, was re-established in Istanbul, and the wall (ikonastas) with the icons was expected to be prepared for 2 years, and then it was opened to visitors in 1859.

After a long restoration, it has been opened to visitors since 2018.

You can see the mechanism used to fix the church to the Golden Horn by going down to the basement of the church. The basement also hosts exhibitions. There is a wonderful view of the church from the upper floor. If you go upstairs, especially on a sunny day, you will witness the color play of the stained glass, make sure to go upstairs.

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

The Church of St. Nicholas in Ayakapı was built in 1838. The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, the saint of sailors. Churches dedicated to St. Nicholas always have a ship figure, and here there is a chandelier in the shape of a ship.

The church is normally closed to visitors except for its congregation. I participated in Antonina Tourism's Crucifixion Tour on January 6th, we were able to visit the church because our guide had it opened.

Balat Toy Museum

There is a toy museum right next to the Aya Nikola Church. I haven't visited, but I have added it to this list in case you want to include it in your program.

If you are interested in Toy Museums; Located in Göztepe Istanbul Toy Museum You can take a look at my post.

Ayakapi Wall Gate

Ayakapı Wall Gate is important because it is one of the rare gates in the Istanbul Walls still standing. There is a fountain built in the first years of the republic on one side of the gate and a tomb on the other side.

The pink-colored building on the beach before the gate was a janissary outpost during the Ottoman period and now serves as a cafe. On the other hand, there is the Ayakapı Bath, but unfortunately it has been abandoned to its fate and is even for sale at the moment.

Rose Mosque

The place of worship, which was built as a church during the Eastern Roman period, is dedicated to Aya Theodosia. The church was converted into a mosque in 1499 during the Ottoman period and was named the Gül Mosque. However, the building has all the church features, it was built in the shape of a cross, and the interior has Star of David painting. You can enter and visit the mosque as long as it is open.

Hisarönü Street, which you will pass through as you walk from the Ayakapı Wall Gate to the Gül Mosque, is very calm compared to the crowded Fener-Balat streets, and its colors can compete with them.

January 6th Ceremony of Crucifixion

January 6 is considered the day of the baptism of Jesus for the orthodox, therefore it is counted as the day when the waters were sanctified. Every year on January 6, the orthodoxes hold a ceremony of throwing the cross into the water in different places. In January 2023, I had the opportunity to attend and watch this ceremony with the tour of Antonina Turizm. The Greek Orthodox Party Bartelemeos conducted the ceremony in which I attended. The swimmers who jumped into the sea take the pilgrim, thrown into the water by the patriarch, out of the water. The first person to catch the pilgrim and pull it out of the water is blessed by the patriarch. Having this experience in the Fener-Balat region, one of the best examples of Istanbul's multicultural structure, was a very different experience.

If you want to take a tour with a private guide on the Cibali, Fener, Balat route, guided lighthouse tour You can find all the information you need on the website.

Fener & Balat Food & Drink Suggestions

I have included some of my suggestions for eating and drinking on the Fener – Balat route, and I will list the places that are not mentioned in the article;

• Workshop Head: This is on the Ayakapı side, more of an activity area than eating and drinking, but you can also go for breakfast or a drink. The interior of the place is very pleasantly designed.
• House Pastry & Pastry Shop: The oven in Fener is famous for its aniseed rusk. It's nice to have a snack while walking.
• Chocolate Mill: The cafe on Vodina Street has good coffees and a sweet decoration.
• acidhane: The restaurant, which is next to the Kariye Mosque and serves Ottoman palace meals, seems to be closed temporarily, I hope it will reopen.
• Dimitri Cantemir Museum Cafe: This is one of the most photographed places in Balat. It is very popular because of the colorful umbrellas hung above the cafe and the street with the stairs leading up from it.
• Meatballs in Hazelnut Shell: This may be one of the oldest venues in the Balat region. This meatball restaurant was popular before Fener-Balat became popular. They also make dishes like dried beans, I love it.
• POPSTEL: I didn't know which category to put Popstel in, so I put it here. Actually, this is a hotel, but there is a cafe on the roof terrace that overlooks Fener Greek High School. It's a good idea to call before you go as it's been very popular lately, especially on weekends, there may be a space problem.
• Cafe Naphthalene: This may be the most photographed cafe on Yıldırım Street.
• Historical Fener tripe store: Again one of the old places. If you like tripe, I suggest you stop by here.
• İBB Haliç Social Facilities: IMM's social facilities have the best sea view in this region. Prices and food and beverage are in IMM quality.
• Velvet Cafe: A cafe that will attract the attention of nostalgia lovers. It is located in one of the streets that cut Vodina Street.

All of these places are on the Fener – Balat travel map list that I shared at the beginning.

If you want to spend a weekend remembering old Istanbul intertwined with history and sipping your coffee in pleasant cafes, the Fener-Balat excursion route is just for you!

Stay on the Road!