Balat – Istanbul

Fener/Balat Walking Tour in Istanbul, Pierre Loti Hill and Ferry

It is a program organized for our tourists who want to get to know the history of Istanbul, to go beyond the known and to get to know different atmospheres. 

It is enough to spare 1 day to witness the local culture and lifestyle, see the centuries-old Ottoman buildings, take the cable car to Pierre Loti Hill and cruise the waters of the Golden Horn.

You can visit Ottoman houses, churches, mosques and synagogues in Fener/Balat district. When you go to the historical Pierre Loti Café, you can watch the magnificent view of Istanbul. Enjoying a ferry ride on the waters of the Golden Horn, the world's most important natural harbor, is also a good activity, and you can let it take its place in your memories.

Be sure to visit the colorful Fener/Balat district, once home to Istanbul's Ottoman Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim residents. See the vestiges of Ottoman life, including wooden houses, mosques, churches and synagogues, that stood together and illustrated the multicultural and religious ways of the Ottoman Empire.

After walking the cobbled streets of the Fener/Balat World Heritage site, you will continue along the historic Byzantine walls, which date back to the 4th century AD and the reign of Constantine the Great. See the exterior of the historic Eyüp mosque complex, a sacred site where pilgrims come to visit mosques and shrines of saints. From here you will take a short cable car ride to the famous Pierre Loti Café, a popular meeting point for locals.

Enjoy the stunning panoramic view of Istanbul while sipping a drink at one of the cafes where the French poet Pierre Loti was inspired to write Aziyade, a part biography and part love story about his escapes in Istanbul in the late 1800s. Return to Eyüp to board the local ferry for a cruise on the blue waters of the Golden Horn. See Ottoman houses, shipyards, old and new Galata bridges, Atatürk Bridge, ancient city walls, mosques, churches and other historical and modern places. You will land at Karaköy Harbor, where the tour ends.

OUR SERVICES INCLUDED

English-Speaking Local Guide

Golden Horn Ferry Tour

Cable Car to Pierre Loti Cafe

Tea break

Turkish Coffee or Soft Drink at the panoramic Pierre Loti Café

Public Ferry Fare Return to Karaköy

EXCLUDED SERVICES

Extra Drinks

tips

This tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments and Wheelchair Users.

Important information; Comfortable shoes are definitely a must have for our trip.

Detailed information is given at the time of booking.