Discover Istanbul: Antiques and Artisans Tour in Historic Balat Neighborhood

Embark on an exclusive walking tour through Istanbul’s historic Balat neighborhood, known for its cultural diversity and vibrant artisan, antique, and coffee shops. Explore the well-preserved Orthodox, Jewish, and Muslim communities while immersing yourself in the local art and craftsmanship. Don’t forget your comfortable shoes!

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Misir Carsisi (Spice Market) - Spices, dried fruits, nuts and seeds are among the many treasures to be found at this bazaar also known as the Spice Market.
What's Included
  • All local taxes included
  • Expert professional guidance
What's Not Included
  • Tips
  • Food & Beverages
  • Transportation
Additional Information

A neighborhood which has been a cultural melting pot for centuries!
Balat has always been a home for Jewish society. People from different backgrounds and of every age today help for a colorful transformation with lots of artisan, antique & coffee shops and together build one of the best hotspots in Istanbul.
An exclusive walking tour through well…

Location
Cafe Society
Kalçin Sokak
In front of "Cafe Society" very nearby the Spice Market(Spice Bazaar) and Hamdi Restaurant
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(81 Ratings)
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1 star
Lamarcristv
Feb 25, 2025
Highly recommend this tour - Highly recommend this tour with TG, she was gregarious, knowledgeable, very accommodating, and helpful with all the questions i peppered her with. An excellent way to spend my day getting acclimated!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Flyer48295420923
Feb 18, 2025
Colorful Balat - Great insights into a lively and colorful Balat. With children, church attendance is probably a bit long.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K1875gfdannyh
Feb 17, 2025
Thank you for this outstanding tour - Some tours are just hours of information without interaction but some are definitely different. With our guide we felt like bonding and the feeling of knowing someone for years... Rose is absolutely the best guide ever. The neighbourhood, historic information, tea time talk and experience exchange... Definitely worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Iaing969
Feb 6, 2025
An incredible tour - This was an excellent three- hour tour of all the historic spots in Balat Istanbul. Our tour leader, TG, was fantastic! The tour was very informative and one that I would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Macdonaldb2025
Jan 27, 2025
I would highly recommend - Was blown away by Tg’s knowledge not only of Turkish history but also Roman, Greek history and both Islam and Christianity. I can’t imagine anyone else being able to put it all together to the depth that she did. As described, this walking tour with take you through all the highlights of the Balat area …and there’s plenty. I definitely appreciated being able to skip the lines at the most popular spots, during high season this alone is enough reason to get the tour. My wife and I usually make our own way during trips but this was one where we were glad to have done the tour, we would have missed so much invaluable info without Tg. The most special parts of the tour was by far the views. Her passion for Turkish history made everything from the architecture to the events that took place, special.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S8083btstevem
Jan 25, 2025
This is an absolute must! - Rose was a phenomenal guide and her tour was one of the best I’ve been on. Her special knowledge of the sites and her passion for the history is evident- she knows the stuff you can’t google. This was truly a special experience for myself and my friends, we walked away learning so much more than expected. I couldn’t recommend this experience enough if you’re in Istanbul, this is an absolute must!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X6777uldavidg
Jan 18, 2025
Wonderful 4 days with our expert tour guide in Turkey - I hired Burak to show me and my family around Istanbul for 4 days. She personalised our experience and she made sure we were comfortable and had a great time during her tours. It would not have been possible for a tourist to see Istanbul on their own the way Rose showed us. Rose was able to show us areas not visited as much by tourists, the tram, funicular and even by driving us herself which my daughters loved! She escorted us to restaurants with great food and she was a joy to talk to. She was very informative and considerate in what we wanted to do for the day. With having 2 young children we even cut some days short and he made the best of that day. There were so many areas and sites she showed us and she did a wonderful job. I really appreciated her time and I would highly recommend her to anyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tasyav2025
Jan 16, 2025
Absolutely wonderful tour - Absolutely wonderful tour. TG makes it easy to navigate and her level of expertise on Turkish history and culture is amazing. I can not highly recommend this tour enough for those of you who are curious and want to learn more about Istanbul.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Natalieav7280bo
Jan 6, 2025
We really enjoyed Balat with our guide - The best neighbourhood in town! After such a nice walk in colourful houses we headed to the cafe Rose recommended for us. I'm sharing a photo of the view, fascinating really. Thank you very much Rose, you're amazing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
427ivanae
Nov 29, 2024
I am glad I chose Rose for my tour. - This was my first time solo travelling to Istanbul and I chose Rose as guide for local sightseeing. Honestly this was one the best experience I had. Rose is very knowledgeable and walked us through the city very well. She also gave helpful tips and recommendations. Additionally, she also showed us amazing hidden gems which was a beautiful surprise.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
March 2025
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