☰Balat

Balat lines the Golden Horn's western shore with streets of brightly painted Ottoman-era houses that have become one of Istanbul's most photographed spots. Historically a Jewish and Greek neighbourhood, it remains home to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Ecumenical center of Orthodox Christianity. The Chora Church (Kariye Mosque) is nearby, housing some of the finest surviving Byzantine mosaics and frescoes. Gentrification has brought specialty coffee shops and boutique galleries into crumbling townhouses, creating an odd but appealing tension between old and new. The steep streets climbing up from the waterfront reward wandering — you'll find hidden synagogues, crumbling hamams, and neighbourhood bakeries that haven't changed in decades. Come on a weekday to avoid the Instagram crowds that flock here on weekends for the colourful facades.