It goes without saying that I looked up these places on the internet before planning my trips. This is exactly what I did before visiting Istanbul. I visited Istanbul twice and during my second visit there I added a lovely rooftop terrace to my trip itinerary. I’m talking about the rooftop terrace of the Seven Hills Restaurant which is part of the hotel with the same name. Situated in Tevkifhane Street, No. 8, Sultanahmet District, this rooftop terrace is located in the heart of Istanbul just a few steps away from the two of the most beautiful mosques in the city.

The terrace of the restaurant offers you the chance to admire splendid views of the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. It’s a great experience to enjoy a drink or a meal while you admire these beautiful mosques. The beautiful morning when I got to this place is still so vivid in my mind. I remember I chose one of the best tables on the terrace and I enjoyed a great view of the two mosques and the surrounding area. Beautifully decorated with colorful flowers and plants, this terrace is the perfect place to relax and serve a delicious meal.

Even though Seven Hills Restaurant attracts many tourists thanks to its position, the restaurant is also known for its delicious food. When it comes to food, you can choose from a variety of dishes because the restaurant serves a lot of Turkish and Mediterranean specialties. All things considered, make sure you will not miss this place in case you get to Istanbul. Seven Hills Restaurant is waiting for you to enjoy a meal and an amazing panorama on its gorgeous terrace.

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From wonderful places and landscapes to different cultures and delicious food, traveling is a variety of experiences. Taking into account the blend of tastes and flavors, food can be a great traveling experience, too. As far as I’m concerned, good food is always one of the ingredients of a perfect trip.

It goes without saying that I made no exception during my trip to Cappadocia. Recommended by the hotel receptionist, Kebapzade Restaurant was a real treat during the four days we spent in Göreme. Kebapzade Restaurant is a great option in case you want to treat yourself with a variety of local dishes. Situated in Bilal Eroğlu Caddesi No. 3, 50180 Göreme, Nevşehir, the restaurant offers a wide selection of dishes belonging to the Turkish and the Mediterranean Cuisine. A lot of fish, seafood and meat specialties are among the dishes that Kebapzade Restaurant urges you to try. In case you don’t like or eat meat at all, there is no problem because you can choose from a variety of appetizing vegetarian dishes. Not to mention the delicious appetizers which anticipate a great meal. The icing on the cake is the tasty fresh baked bread that goes hand in hand with the food served there.

I still remember the delicious appetizers served with Turkish yoghurt and freshly baked bread, the tasty grills served with vegetables, the kebap specialties and the tasty traditional dishes. It was a real treat to try as many of these dishes as possible.

When it comes to the restaurant itself, the second-floor terrace is the main attraction. Embellished with plants and colorful flowers and offering a lovely panorama, the terrace is the perfect space to enjoy a meal. I must confess that it was a great experience to combine the pleasure of eating these delicious dishes with the mesmerizing view of the rock formations of Cappadocia.

Regarding the prices, Kebapzade Restaurant practices the most reasonable prices in the area. All these details are perfectly completed by a friendly staff which provides great customer service. To conclude, Kebapzade Restaurant means delicious food, impeccable service and a great atmosphere. I strongly recommend this place in case you ever get to Göreme.

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I have always dreamed to fly in a hot air balloon above Cappadocia, which is in my opinion, the best place to live such an experience. Fortunately, my dream came true during my most recent trip to Turkey. I have always wanted to live this experience in the magical region of Cappadocia because there is something special about this place. Cappadocia is situated in the middle of Anatolia, 750 kilometers away from Istanbul. This region is blessed with amazing landscapes that seem to be cut out of a fairy tale. Cappadocia is famous for its unusual orange and light brown rock formations of different shapes and sizes which became the image of the entire area. Besides these interesting rock formations, this fabulous area shelters churches dug in volcanic rocks, troglodyte dwellings dug by water and mysterious underground cities.

Beyond all these interesting tourist attractions, Cappadocia gained its notoriety thanks to the colorful hot air balloons. Some time ago, someone came up with the idea of organizing hot air balloon flights above this wonderful area and thanks to the thousands of pictures taken there, Cappadocia started attracting more and more tourists. I must confess that my obsession with flying in a hot air balloon above Cappadocia started the moment I saw a gorgeous picture with the sky full of hundreds of colorful balloons. During peak season more than 200 balloons fly at the same time above Cappadocia and the sky looks like a festival of colors.

I dreamed of this moment with all my heart and maybe this is why I still remember every detail of this experience. I must confess that the morning when the car from the agency came to pick us up and take us to the take-off field, I felt a bit scared and anxious because I was afraid of heights. It was still dark outside when we got to the land where the balloons take off. We had already seen the balloons the previous morning when we admired them rising in the sky. It was great to see the entire preparation process again, but this time the best part was to be in one of those balloons. It goes without saying that I panicked a little at the beginning, but after the balloon went up, I had a feeling of peace and relaxation. It’s an incredible feeling to fly in a hot air balloon above Cappadocia, surrounded by hundreds of other colored balloons.

We tried to immortalize those memorable moments and we took a lot of pictures. An interesting aspect is the fact that the pilot can only handle the balloon up and down, any lateral movement being caused by the air currents. This is why we didn’t land in the same place where we took off. It was a one-hour flight, but time went by too fast and I must confess that I could have spent hours in the balloon. The experience ended with a cup of champagne offered by the travel agency after we landed.

I strongly recommend this experience because it is the most beautiful thing you can do in this fairytale land. If you are already planning a trip there and the hot air balloon experience is on your trip list, there are a few things you should take into account. First of all, you should know that there are two types of balloons, the standard balloons and the VIP balloons. The platform of the standard balloons has a capacity of 20 people and it is divided into five different compartments, one for the pilot in the middle of the balloon and the other four for the tourists. The platform of the VIP balloons is smaller and it has a capacity of 8 people.

During peak season, the flights are organized twice every morning. One flight takes place before the sunrise and the other one immediately after the sunrise. My advice is to choose the first flight because this way you will have the chance to admire a beautiful sunrise in the air.

After choosing the type of flight, the next step is to make the reservation. I advise you to book the flight in advance, at least a few months before you get to Cappadocia because this way you will save some money. Also, the balloons have a limited capacity and you might not find tickets for sale.

Another important advice is to book your flight for your first morning there. The flight might be delayed because of the bad weather conditions and in this case, you will be rescheduled for the next day or you will receive your money back. The standard hot air balloon flight costs between 150 and 300 euros per person, but it is worth every penny.

I hope you are a morning person because the mornings in Cappadocia start very early. I woke up at 4 o’clock every morning to fly in the balloon or to admire the sunrise and the sky full of balloons. All things considered, in case you plan a trip to Cappadocia, you cannot leave this region without trying the hot air balloon experience.

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One of my favorite places in Turkey is Pamukkale. Situated in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey, Pamukkale is a natural site that seems to be unreal at first site. The hot water springs, the calcium travertine terraces and the spectacular natural pools highlight the beauty of this place. The “Cotton Castle”, as it is called, is indeed a masterpiece of nature. I strongly recommend this place if you are going to visit Turkey and if you take a look at the following pictures it will be easy to decide.

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