Another Istanbul: districts of Fener, Balat, and Likos

What to Expect

Eastern Color and Coffee
Let's start the walk in the busiest part of Likos - at the Egyptian Bazaar. You will immerse yourself in the atmosphere of abundance and hustle of Eastern stalls offering goods for every taste - from fragrant oils, sweets, and spices to a variety of souvenirs. We will visit a Tea House with an ancient roaster for coffee beans roasting and after a cup of strong coffee, we will head to Rustem Pasha Mosque - one of the most impressive in Istanbul, decorated with 16th-century blue ceramics. And then we will take a tram along the Golden Horn to the districts of Fener and Balat, whose streets were once inhabited by wealthy Romans and Jews.

Christian Shrines
We will pass by an old tobacco factory and fortress gates through which the Ottomans broke into Constantinople in the 15th century. We will visit the Orthodox St. George's Cathedral, where the relics of saints and the column of flagellation of Jesus Christ are kept. We will admire the exterior of the Roman Lyceum, built in the form of a fairytale castle made of expensive French brick. We will visit an ancient abode - Church of St. Mary of the Mongols, where unique Byzantine icons are kept.

Synagogues and Colorful Houses
On the old streets of Balat, we will see numerous graffiti and reach the colorful staircases where Turkish TV series are often filmed. Walking among the colorful houses, we will find ourselves in an area with a whole collection of synagogues - I will tell you about the Jews who lived here and the respect they enjoyed from the Ottoman sultans. You will see a variety of auction shops and old houses with unique finishes. Passing by them, we will reach the embankment of the Golden Horn, where we will visit the Bulgarian Church, the body of which is made of iron.