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Balat, Fener & the walls: what’s worth it?

Colourful Balat, Chora, Eyüp and the Theodosian Walls.

Chora (Kariye) — photo by Berrak Aygün

Worth itReality 79 +361Chora (Kariye)★ 4.5Balat, Fener & the walls · Sacred siteByzantine church-turned-mosque with some of the world's finest 14th-century mosaics and frescoes

Eyüp Sultan — photo by Hidayet Korkmaz

Worth itReality 76 +12Eyüp Sultan★ 4.8Balat, Fener & the walls · Sacred siteIstanbul's holiest mosque, built over the tomb of the Prophet's companion Abu Ayyub

Theodosian Walls — photo by Xu Han

Worth itReality 76 +633Theodosian Walls★ 4.4Balat, Fener & the walls · History5.7 km of 5th-century triple land walls that held Constantinople for a thousand years

Pierre Loti Hill — photo by Pierre Loti Tepesi

Worth it if…Reality 65 +54Pierre Loti Hill★ 4.3Balat, Fener & the walls · ViewpointHilltop tea garden above Eyüp with a sweeping view down the Golden Horn, reached by cable car

Balat — photo by musa Mavas

Worth it if…Reality 61 +115Balat★ 4Balat, Fener & the walls · NeighbourhoodHilly historic Golden Horn quarter of colour-washed houses, churches, cafés and antique shops

Panorama 1453 — photo by T Abdullah

Skip itReality 49 +26Panorama 1453★ 4.5Balat, Fener & the walls · Museum360° domed painting of the 1453 Ottoman conquest, by the Theodosian Walls at Topkapı

Miniatürk — photo by Safiye Altun

Skip itReality 44 −187Miniatürk★ 4.6Balat, Fener & the walls · AttractionOpen-air park of 139 scale models of Turkish and Ottoman landmarks on the Golden Horn

The numbers

#	Place	Verdict	Hype	Reality	Gap	Google
1	Chora (Kariye)	Worth it	43	79	+36 · Underrated	★ 4.5 (12,359)
2	Eyüp Sultan	Worth it	75	76	+1 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.8 (66,826)
3	Theodosian Walls	Worth it	13	76	+63 · Underrated	★ 4.4 (2,103)
4	Pierre Loti Hill	Worth it if…	60	65	+5 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.3 (48,462)
5	Balat	Worth it if…	50	61	+11 · Underrated	★ 4 (5,007)
6	Panorama 1453	Skip it	47	49	+2 · Lives up to the hype	★ 4.5 (16,065)
7	Miniatürk	Skip it	62	44	−18 · Overhyped	★ 4.6 (37,669)