Balat

The experience

A historic quarter on the western shore of the Golden Horn in Fatih, Balat became the heart of Istanbul's Jewish community after Sephardic refugees were welcomed by Sultan Bayezid II in the late 15th century, alongside Greek and Armenian residents. Its steep lanes are lined with brightly painted timber houses, old synagogues and churches. Today it has become a magnet for cafes, antique shops and photographers.

Istanbul's most photogenic old quarter for aimless wandering past rainbow houses and layered history.

What a membership adds.

Everything above is free: the name, the photo, the rating, the exact spot. What members get is the part you can't Google: the sourced insider tip for this place (what to order, when to go, what to skip), every day of your trips unlocked in full with the insider tip on every researched stop, and the concierge at full strength, answering with your own insider tips, no daily meter.