Istanbul Must-Visit: Seven Hills Restaurant's Free Seagull Terrace
Discover a truly unique experience in Istanbul, perched between the iconic Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. The Seven Hills Restaurant offers not just a meal, but a memorable encounter with the city's charm, complete with a complimentary seagull feeding terrace.
Location, Location, Location!
This restaurant boasts an unbeatable location, situated within the Seven Hills Hotel, right in the heart of Istanbul's most visited tourist district. It's perfectly positioned between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, making it an essential stop for any traveler.
Dining Options: Two Levels of Delight
The Seven Hills Restaurant features two distinct levels: an open-air rooftop dining area and an indoor dining space one floor below the rooftop. For a more relaxed dining experience, we highly recommend choosing the indoor level. This allows you to savor your meal first, and then ascend to the rooftop to enjoy feeding the seagulls and capturing those iconic photos without the worry of unexpected avian visitors.
Operating Hours
The restaurant is open daily from 8:30 AM to 11:00 PM, providing ample opportunity for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Our Breakfast Experience
We contacted the restaurant via WhatsApp to inquire about breakfast reservations and were informed that they were not necessary. However, to avoid potential queues, we decided to visit right at opening time, 8:30 AM. Upon arrival, a few hotel guests were already enjoying their breakfast. The indoor dining area was about one-third full.
For breakfast, you can opt for à la carte dishes or choose a set meal. Feeling ravenously hungry and impressed by the substantial-looking set breakfast, we ordered the two-person full breakfast set. At 1200 Lira per person (approximately RM170 at the time), it's on the pricier side for Turkey. However, considering it's a hotel restaurant with the added bonus of the rooftop seagull feeding and photo opportunities, the value for money is excellent.
The breakfast did not disappoint! It was incredibly generous, featuring an array of breads, fruits, cheeses, scrambled eggs, salads, sausages, fried items, and more. The flavors were also perfectly suited to our palate.
The Grand Finale: Rooftop Seagull Feeding and Sightseeing
After our satisfying breakfast, it was time for the main event: heading up to the rooftop to feed the seagulls and capture stunning photos of Istanbul's two most famous landmarks. The rooftop area is divided into a dining section and a photo-taking zone.
By around 9:00 AM, the dining area upstairs was already fully occupied. In the photo-taking area, staff members were prepared with forks, kitchen scraps, and leftover cheese and fries from guests. This is all provided freely for visitors to feed the seagulls and snap memorable pictures.
Despite the popularity, with people from various nationalities queuing for photos, the orderliness of the crowd was commendable. Everyone managed to get their desired shots and photos, making it a truly enjoyable experience.
Seven Hills Hotel
Address: Cankurtaran, Tevkifhane Sk. No:8 Kat:3, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey
Operating Hours: Daily 8:30 AM - 11:00 PM
