“Turkey 🇹🇷 ~ The Colorful, Whimsical Balat District”
If you ever visit Istanbul, and we hope you do, don’t miss a chance to wander around the cobblestone streets of Balat! One can find these narrow cobblestone streets on the European side of the Golden Horn; a body of water that stands alone and flows Northwest from the Bosphorus Strait.
From the location of our flat, we are very near the Halic Station, so we walked across the metro bridge, to begin making our way to Balat.
There are plenty of coffee shops to enjoy in Balat, so go ahead and stop for a cup of tea, or the famous Turkish hot brew, if you desire; perfect opportunity to sit and “people watch,” Cats and dogs are also part of the scene, here. They know their manners, so no worries. (just in case you are not a fan of the fur babies). Interestingly enough, the dogs and cats of Istanbul are owned and cared for by the government. (see caption under animal photo for a local story).
The neighborhoods of Fatih, Fener and Balat are surely the ones that have the richest history in Istanbul. They are also on the list of the UNESCO heritage sites, and yet it is still a region that remains a secret.
We had fun losing ourselves for awhile in Balat, an area designed for doing just that, as the atmosphere is really unique.
The diversity of the Balat has rolled into the food options, providing cafe and restaurant which are truly spectacular. It’s the kind of district where you can’t really go wrong. Around each corner you will find a variety of oldest cafés in the city, or city’s oldest meyhane; a type of traditional dinner spot.
The district is genuinely hidden away a little bit, set past the shores of Eminönü along the Golden Horn waters. The coastal road along the Golden Horn is extremely pleasant, with it’s massive parks, and where people can stroll along the promenade, all the way up to Pierre Loti at the end of the Golden Horn.
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About Us
Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More