Istanbul In Colors: Balat Tour

This was our favorite tour in Istanbul. Rose was very nice and knowledgeable. She shared a lot of facts and details of Istanbul’s History that we wouldn’t have known if we walked on our own. We highly recommend this tour.

Very good tour to get a foundational understanding of different face of Istanbul. Rose was our guide and she was perfect: friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable and a fun sense of humor. Her willingness to share her own experience of life in an earlier time in Turkey when asked was much appreciated.

Our favorite tour. Perfect for families studying classical history. It was very well managed and scheduled to show us lots of history that filled in gaps in our history lessons. Highly recommend. Also, this one was especially good because it's a female tour guide who addresses everyone. The male tour guides in Türkiye will not talk to the women in a group.

This tour is well paced and informative with a knowledgable guide. We saw interesting parts of Balat that we would not have otherwise visited and got some real insight. We would highly recommend this tour!

What a sweet tour. Just a walk around a cute neighborhood with lots of history and color. Tried some great coffee and bought a couple souvenirs to bring home.

This was one of our favorite tours in Istanbul. Our guide was communicative, knowledgeable, and very friendly (and didn’t mind our frequent stops to photograph cats on the street). This tour felt unique and away from the classic sights around the city. Highly recommend for something that feels a bit different and special.

The neighbourhood is very lovely and colourful with small houses and artisan shops. It’s a different vibe in Istanbul. We liked our guide Rose she was an expert guide.

I think this was my favourite place and tour. Rose was so nice, welcoming and genuine. It would be shame not to see these places if you are visiting Turkey. A must do tour for sure. Highly, highly recommend!!

I really enjoyed this tour. Rose was very kind and friendly and she knew a lot of stuff. If you visit Istanbul, I highly recommend it!

Really nice experience. Very friendly and funny guide. I love the tour and the locations and it was very well organised.

Amazing Balat tour with Rose! She is knowledgeable and super friendly. The tour was relaxed, informative, and full of fascinating stories that brought Balat to life. We discovered hidden corners, learned about the history, and got great local tips. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Istanbul, Rose made it a memorable experience!

I had such a great experience exploring Fener and Balat. Rose was very knowledgeable about the area and it was interesting learning about the darker and sad history of this part of the city.

The neighbourhood is quite unique. It looks like an anime town with real people 😅 our favourite place in Istanbul. Rose was absolutely professional and friendly same time. Best guide

This is a fabulous walking tour of Istanbul . Our guide Rose was exceptional . Nothing was too much trouble and she was very informative and kind . Could thoroughly recommend this tour .

This was an amazing walking tour! I learned so much history about the country, but also saw things I would never have done on my own. My husband and I had a wonderful time with our tour guide Rose. I would recommend this tour to everyone-you will not be disappointed!

Rose was a very pleasant guide. We were a small group who got a very nice tour and a magical end to the trip with a hidden gem that alone was worth it!

What an amazing experience it was experiencing Istanbul by the eyes of Rose. This is the true guide to understand and know what is to be part of the city through the delicacies of the street art to the amazing sights that an eye can experience.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pleasant walk with a passionate guide. Enjoyed the tour and Istanbul. He was very xcellent thank you Emir, hope to see you in future again

We had a very informative and knowledgeable guide with us. She was full of history and cultural heritage info. She was very patient with us and answered out million questions without hesitation. Valuable advises and insights for the city and the people. We appreciate your service Rose.

Our guide Rose was informative and friendly. We never felt any rush or stress about time or schedule. She strolled us through all labyrinth streets of Balat and shows us all the colours, building, churches, synagogues, local artisan shops and cafes. Eventually she took us to the best view cafe in the area after the tour and had extra time with us chatting. It helped us understand the local community more and she is very funny person. Thank you very much Rose, excellent service and you're an excellent guide. I'll recommend your tours to all my friends and family.

The Guide was excellent and he was very good at this tour ! Had a pleasant stroll through beautiful city and had some great pics

Every thing was memorable. We arrived at Cafe Society and had Turkish Coffee and shared a baklava. In the Spice Bazaar we bought magnets of the places we travel. The wall across the Bosphorus near St George Church. St George Church with the relic of Jesus’ Cross and the martyrs. Finally the colorful neighborhood. Rose - The Guide was professional and very knowledgeable. We must definitely go on another tour with her!

Rosie was a great guide. She had interesting insights to the places on the tour and was definitely proud of her city and job. I really liked the St George church! Would recommend to others.

Such a fun walking adventure with Rose! Her knowledge of Istanbul and its rich history made for the perfect tour! We enjoyed every moment. I highly recommend any tour with Rose as a guide! Thank you!

Great tour around Balat. It was just my friend and I. We started in the Spice Market with lots of turkish delight tasters and then on to Balat. We would not have found the church with the splinter from the cross of Jesus or the Iron Church made by the Eiffel Tower people. Be warned this area is all cobbled and there are a lot of hills. Wear trainers! Loved the stories of what happened in this area. We would not have known any of this without a guide. You will need a credit card or Istanbulkart to pay for the tram.

Fantastic place to visit in Istanbul. You better walk around with your guide to ignore steep hills and the crowd. Thank you for the great tour

The tour with Rose was great! She was friendly, very knowledgeable, and informative. Since there were only 3 of us (including our guide), we were able to manuever the streets easier and pretty much received a private tour. Highly recommend this tour and Rose.

What a great tour! Rose has been a lovely and knowledgeable guide! She is so enthusiastic about her beautiful Country and she transfers it all to you! We really loved the time we spent with her and all the interesting informations she gave us about the history of Istanbul! Highly recommended!

Just loved my walk about on this tour. Rose is just sensational and a fun person to talk to. She was knowledgeable about facts and details of Istanbul and Turkiye, and it was great. We shared a common passion for photography and i enjoyed just discussing ideas with her. Rose is awesome. I highly recommend the walk around. We had so many laughs I definitely plan to cone back to Turkiye and when I do I will book tours with Rose, my nee go to guide in Turkiye

Balat is a lovely neighbourhood with lots of tiny coffee shops and colorful houses. Strolling through balat with rose was a nice experience that I’ll never forget. She’s very friendly and knowledgeable guide, patient and helpful same time. I’m glad to meet her

Really great value. Arash is such a good host. He is patient, super knowledgeable, kind and answered all of our questions. It was super fun to see all of these places in person. You learn so much about Istanbul! Thank you Arash!!!

It was a really cozy and exciting trip with Rose, who was a great storyteller. She was great at spreading good vibes. We got far and so many lovely places. The trip can be recommended.

Incredible tour! Z is so sweet and knowledgeable, you can tell that she loves sharing the history of her city and culture. Don’t hesitate to book!!

I took a guided tour with L and it was an extraordinary experience. L is an exceptional guide: she is passionate, knowledgeable and really knows how to share the city in a captivating way. Thanks to its anecdotes and knowledge, every monument and neighborhood has come to life. I highly recommend L to anyone who wants to experience Balat in its best light. Thank you, L, for this unforgettable tour!

Rose was our energetic, knowledgeable and friendly guide. Rose had a well planned itinerary and while walking from place to place she shared her wealth of knowledge with us. Throughout our time together it felt like we were being guided by a friend and we thoroughly enjoyed our time and conversations with her.

It was our second time in Istambul and we found this area very interesting. Especially coffee houses and mini bars are very cute. Recommend every second timer.

We highly recommend it. The guide’s deep knowledge of the neighborhood’s history and christian culture made the experience very informative. Balat’s colorful streets, historic building were brought to life through fascinating stories and insights. The guide was personable, attentive, and ensured the tour was engaging and informative. This tour is a must for anyone looking to explore one of Istanbul’s most charming and historically rich areas.

Istanbul is a fascinating city and I like discovering every part of it. It's been few times I have been in this city but first time in this interesting and colourful part. Our guide L was fantastic, all insights, recommended places and background stories of minorities in town was really helpful and acknowledging. Enjoyed it.

This tour route was my favourite in Istanbul. Such a vivid life in fener and Balat to experience the difference between metropolitan life and usual Istanbul life. We had a very friendly and knowledgeable guide to walk us through labyrinth like streets of this area and explained us every detail. Thanks for everything Rose

Very nice friendly and knowledgably good guide. Informative and chill tour, we really liked the area of Balat and neighborhood