Balat – Secret Gem of Istanbul | A Rainbow of Colors
Balat is certainly a secret gem of Istanbul, a hidden treasure. Tucked away in a quaint area, far away from most tourist attractions, most people aren’t lucky enough to come here for a visit. But it is certainly not to be missed as it’s an amazing opportunity to see a different side of Istanbul’s multi-faceted array of places to visit.
Colors, Colors, and More Colors!
I’m pretty sure you can guess what drew me to Balat in the first place. Really, who can resist these whimsical, colorful houses, rainbow stairs, and bright cafes? Hipster heart of Istanbul. Local, organic cafes and restaurants. Laid back vibes. Colorful and quaint streets. Sounds like a dreamland.
After spending the whole morning in the Sultanhamet area, we decided to take a taxi to Balat to see a different side of Istanbul. About 15/20 minutes later and the whole city seemed to change. From the traditional Istanbul you see in tour books to a quaint and local neighborhood. I would have been super sad to miss this lovely place.
Beyond seeing the colorful houses and cute cafes, I was most excited to find the rainbow stairs and the umbrella street. After asking a few people and roaming a bit, we finally found it! And we were not disappointed!!
How to Get to Balat
It’s quite easy to get to Balat from anywhere in Istanbul. So even if you are not staying precisely in Balat, it’s only a short taxi drive away. It is about 15/20 minutes drive from the Sultanhamet area of Istanbul (where all the most famous tourist attractions are. From the Karakoy/Galata area it is also about a 15/20 minute drive.
Check out this post for more information about transportation in Turkey, tips, and tricks:
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TRAVEL IN TURKEY – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR TRIP
Tips for Visiting Balat
- Food– Balat is filled with adorable little cafes. It feels quite Parisian as you walk down the cobble-stone like streets and there are cafes on every corner, people talking over a coffee, smoking a cigarette. If you’re looking for a place to eat, you’ll certainly have no trouble!
- Shopping – If you want to find some traditional Turkish goods, Balat can be a great place to go shopping. As it is a much less touristic area, it’s easier to find traditional items at a better price!
- Where to Stay – Although there are some Airbnb’s in Balat itself, it would probably be better to stay in a different area of Istanbul and just take a 15 minute taxi drive for a few hours of wandering Balat. There isn’t too much to do in the area, so it may not be the best place to stay for many nights. We stayed in a cute boutique hotel in the Sultanhamet neighborhood, just a short taxi drive away.
- History – Balat is traditionally the Jewish quarter of the Fatih district of Istanbul. There are even some ruins of a Synagogue in the area.
Looking for other amazing things to do in Istanbul or Turkey? Check out our Turkey travel page for more tips and tricks.
Don’t forget your travel essentials!
Last but not least, don’t forget to bring a water bottle, hat and sunscreen! Here are some of our favorite essentials that we bring on every trip:
Every Day Bucket Hat 
Amazing Everyday Water Bottle – We literally don’t go anywhere without this water bottle. Perfect for hikes and also everyday! We can’t even describe how delightful it is to take a sip of water from this perfectly made bottle. Also available in multiple different sizes.
Timeless Vintage Backpack – What could be better than lots of different pockets to store all the little goodies that you bring along with you on your journeys? This backpack is comfortable, convenient, and a classic. A stylish backpack perfect for every environment.
Mini Tripod – Who doesn’t want to get the perfect photo while traveling? Not everyone is lucky enough to have a personal photographer with them at all times to capture the special moments, so that is where this portable tripod comes in handy. Adjustable, with a selfie stick handle, and a wireless control make it the perfect combo.
Rogue Fishing Co. The Protector Phone Tether – Adventurous journeys call for a little more caution when it comes to our electronics. This phone tether has saved us more than once on kayaking trips, rappelling, and hiking. The compact leash is small enough to stay out of your way, but stretches enough to help you get the perfect picture.
Lots of Love and Safe Travels,
Danielle and Brooke, Colorful Sisters
40 Comments
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oldbirdtravels
November 22, 2020 at 3:51 pmLove your blogs. Am getting ready to go back over to Turkey.
Colorful Sisters
November 23, 2020 at 8:31 amOh wow!! Thanks and I hope you enjoy your time there!! A truly lovely country!!
oldbirdtravels
November 24, 2020 at 1:16 pmYes I’ll need to go through your Turkey stuff again…
Colorful Sisters
November 24, 2020 at 1:22 pmYess please do!! And I hope it can be useful :))
FortunateCave
November 22, 2020 at 4:36 pmReally enjoyed this one.
Colorful Sisters
November 23, 2020 at 8:31 amI’m happy! Thank you!
Timothy Price
November 22, 2020 at 4:48 pmColorful place.
Colorful Sisters
November 23, 2020 at 8:31 amVery much so!!
Talent Discovery
November 22, 2020 at 5:31 pmBeautiful places 🙂
Colorful Sisters
November 23, 2020 at 8:31 amLovely little nook of town!
salsaworldtraveler
November 22, 2020 at 8:38 pmColorful to say the least!
Colorful Sisters
November 23, 2020 at 8:30 amVery true indeed!!
Optimal Health
November 22, 2020 at 9:02 pmBeautiful pictures. It seems you truly enjoyed yourself.
Colorful Sisters
November 23, 2020 at 8:30 amThank you so much! Was lovely 🙂
hitravelstories
November 23, 2020 at 3:21 pmbeautiful colors as always!
Colorful Sisters
November 23, 2020 at 5:27 pmIt’s such a bright and beautiful place!!!
Cheryl Echevarria
November 24, 2020 at 11:53 amOne of the many reasons I work in the travel industry. Beautiful descriptions and pictures
Colorful Sisters
November 24, 2020 at 1:22 pmThank you so much! And I can understand your love of working in the travel industry!!
universityoflife&son
November 25, 2020 at 6:35 amBalat is my favourite to so far ☺️
Colorful Sisters
November 25, 2020 at 1:18 pmOoo I’m happy you enjoyed!!
rescuedogdexter
November 26, 2020 at 5:08 pmThere are many wonderful sights outside of the standard tourist fare in Istanbul. The Spice Bazaar, early in the morning just as the traders are opening for the day. Mainly the local people, mixed with a few knowing tourists, wander through and get their sensory overload. The Ciragan Palace in Besiktas in the evening overlooking the first bridge is very nice too. Park Fora Fish and Seafood Restaurant on Muallim Naci Caddesi (again next to Bosphorus) in Besiktas is fine food. Finally the seafood restaurants in Uskudar close by the ferry terminal all enjoy great views and good food.
Colorful Sisters
November 27, 2020 at 4:36 pmYess there are really so many incredible and hidden gems of Istanbul, it’s truly an amazing place!! I’ll keep those places in mind if I ever go back!
Adlynejep
November 28, 2020 at 1:22 pmLooking forward to visiting the place and experience the magic
Colorful Sisters
November 29, 2020 at 4:04 pmI really hope that you can!!
Stuart Danker
November 30, 2020 at 10:34 amWow the colours on the stairs reminds me of Batu Caves in my country (Malaysia). Amazing website you have here, not just in content, but aesthetically as well. One of the best blogs I’ve seen on WordPress in a while!
Colorful Sisters
November 30, 2020 at 4:27 pmWow thank you soo so much!! Really means a lot 🙂 I would love to visit Malaysia one day, seems like a beautiful place!
Eromonsele Emmanuel
November 30, 2020 at 11:00 pmBeautiful! That’s all I can say. I’ve seen those stairs on Instagram a couple times and the umbrellas are sure mesmerising. Surely, you’re the colourful sisters.
Cheers to more adventures!!!
Colorful Sisters
December 1, 2020 at 9:59 amHahahah it really is the perfect place for the Colorful Sisters, bright and colorful to say the least! Such a lovely little nook of the world 🙂
Eromonsele Emmanuel
December 2, 2020 at 12:02 amExcellent!!!
zuludelta45
December 7, 2020 at 3:52 pmColor indeed!!!
Manny
December 8, 2020 at 2:51 pmWOW!! This place is beautiful! Got to add this place to my bucketlist! 🙂
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December 8, 2020 at 4:20 pm[…] View the full post: BALAT – SECRET GEM OF ISTANBUL | A RAINBOW OF COLORS […]
Laleh
March 26, 2021 at 6:40 pmSo beautiful! I’ll keep this place in mind if I ever make it back to Istanbul.
Colorful Sisters
April 5, 2021 at 7:13 amYayy amazing! It’s such an underrated part of the city! I loved it so much 🙂
Christine
October 7, 2021 at 5:06 pmHi, how did you find the rainbow stairs and umbrella street please?
Colorful Sisters
October 10, 2021 at 6:29 pmHii I don’t remember the exact street honestly, but the Balat area is not too large! If you walk around and ask the locals you’ll be sure to find it easily!
Mary Ann
February 6, 2022 at 7:26 amHow far is Balat from Kadekoy Asian side
Colorful Sisters
May 5, 2022 at 5:45 pmIt is about a 30 minutes drive.
Priya Nagawah
May 11, 2022 at 7:48 pmHii! where is the sunflower field pls? going to Turkey this August 😁
Colorful Sisters
May 16, 2022 at 8:32 pmI wish I could give an exact location, but we simply saw soooo many fields of them as we took busses throughout the country. There are lots in the area outside of Cappadocia. We saw them driving towards Konya. Hope this helps!