Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Karakoy Rihtim, Rihtim Caddesi Karakoy, Beyoglu, Istanbul 34560 Turkiye
Meet your expert guide with your private group to start exploring the Golden Horn of Istanbul.
Discover Fener and Balat with an expert local guide and get to know these two historically rich neighborhoods in Istanbul located along the Golden Horn.
Fener and Balat are off the major tourist trail; their authenticity makes this guided tour worthwhile. This tour is always a favorite because it’s a reason to leave Sultanahmet and see Istanbul beyond the open-air museum.
Stop At: Ayvansaray, 34087 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Explore Ayvansaray, the very spot that Constantinople officially ended. Walk along the mighty Byzantine walls from the fifth century. Listen to many stories from your guide about how the siege happened between the Ottoman and Byzantine armies.
Visit the extraordinary Greek Orthodox Church, Mary Blachernae, the only church in the whole world where there’s a service on Friday mornings. This church is built on a sacred water source and is a pilgrimage for Greek people.
You are led by an expert local guide, who has a good story to tell about this unique structure and its history in Istanbul.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Fener & Balat, Fener & Balat, Istanbul
Pass onto Balat walking through the splashes of color and see the vibrancy of its street life, the crisscross of washing lines on the crumbling buildings.
Take a break to take in the synagogues, the churches, and the labyrinth of cobblestone streets teeming with kids playing football.
Starting in 1492, Balat grew to become a thriving cultural melting pot of Sephardic Jews from Spain, Greek and Armenian Christians, and Muslims.
During our walking tour, we take a break in this vibrant neighborhood and enjoy watching people in their everyday activities.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Fener Rum Patrikhanesi, Dr. SadIk Ahmet Cd. No:44 Yavuz Sultan Selim Mahallesi, Istanbul 34083 Turkiye
Continue to Fener to visit the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate housing a column which is believed to have been used for the binding and flogging of Jesus in Jerusalem.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchal Church is an essential part of this tour because it’s the most sacred site for all of the 300 million Orthodox people in the world. We talk about why Mehmet II, who conquered Constantinople, let the site stay in Istanbul. What is its importance in the Christian world? How are they related to the Catholic church? We learn this and much more.
It’s a pleasure walking the streets of these two very old neighborhoods of Istanbul.
Duration: 45 minutes