The Fener-Balat quarter, once the little Greece of Istanbul, is now one of the city’s trendy design districts and regaining the international feel of its pastIstanbul city guide: essential sights, and where to eat, drink and stayJust two miles north along the Golden Horn from Eminönü – the quarter known for Topkapi Palace, tour groups and Hagia Sophia – lies another Istanbul altogether. In the side-by-side quarters of Fener and Balat, lines of drying laundry stretch across steep, winding streets. Century-old Ottoman houses lean against each other in a kaleidoscope of reds, blues and greens. And art galleries and design shops dot the area along the water.Like the rest of Istanbul, Fener-Balat is changing. Unlike much of the rest of the city, though, the changes don’t – yet – involve condominiums and shopping malls. Nor have rents skyrocketed as much as in other areas that have retained an Ottoman flavour. This is why the quarter has become a cool hangout and a recognised design district; last autumn, tours of the area were a main event at the Istanbul Design Biennial. Related: The insider's cultural guide to Istanbul: 'This city is steeped in music' Continue reading...
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