A new year is upon us soon, and activities in the city along with New Year's Eve menus by restaurants are quite impressive. The streets and buildings of Istanbul have already been decorated with New Year's decorations. The excitement of 2019 is sweeping the entire city.

Divan Patisserie is one of the trendiest brands offering gift alternatives for New Year's Eve. Offering special concepts every New Year, the brand this year comes forward with its designs revolving around the peacock theme. The charming beauty of peacocks that has been told many times in fairy tales, comes together with chocolates and Turkish delights. In addition to the designs with the colors purple, green and blue, there are designs that reflect the shimmer of the peacock's flamboyant feathers. In addition to classic packages, there are also packages with modern designs. The boxes and packaging are very impressive. The New Year's gift sets, each with a unique name such as Iron, Emerald, Onyx, Indigo, Violet Honey and Cherry, can be ordered online. You can find gift ideas for your family and business associates.


Alavya Hotel has developed a social responsibility project about climate change for the New Year.

Restaurants have already started to announce their programs for New Year's Eve celebrations. Frankie in Nişantaşı is one of the most interesting places in this respect. The program, which will start with the performance of DJ Ari Kükyapıcı and continue with singer Nez's live performance. You will feel as though you are in New York with Nez, who sings jazz and songs in foreign languages with her amazing voice. The executive chef Melih Demirel will prepare the New Year's menu at Frankie. Truffle cauliflower soup, foie gras (goose liver) and scallops al la plancha are among the appetizers, while grilled Black Sea turbot and frilled karayaka loin of lamb will be offered for the main course. Frankie Istanbul completes the dinner with a chestnut dessert served with herbal ice cream. If you will be in Nişantaşı on New Year's Eve, I suggest you take a pleasant walk with your friends around the neighborhood. With its decorated and illuminated streets, florists selling Christmas flowers and gift shops will make you cherish the spirit of the New Year. You can take photos on Nişantaşı's streets before going to Frankie.

For more traditional New Year's Eve entertainment, Rana is another restaurant worth visiting. The venue which is in Taksim is attractive with its Bosporus view and nostalgic design. The antique objects and furniture used inside will take you back to the past. On Rana's New Year's Eve menu are cold appetizers such as stuffed cabbage, smoked salmon wrap with shrimp, marinated sea bass with ginger, pasha dish with walnut and Ezine cheese, and warm appetizers such as lamb leaf liver, shrimp with butter, herb and cheese roll. Rana's main course options are grilled sea bass, beef tenderloin, lamb tandoor that will make guests experience a flavor feast. The homemade baklava and the pumpkin dessert with walnuts will finalize your New Year's Eve with a sweet taste. I suggest you make early reservations for this venue which will also have a DJ performance.

If you want to spend New Year's Eve in nature, outside of Istanbul, my first suggestion is Sapanca. One of the most relaxing hotels in the area is Richmond Nua. Turkey's first and only destination spa hotel offers various water therapies, healthy menus, expert therapists and constantly renewed personalized programs. In addition to the spa experience, the comfortable rooms provide great purification for your body and soul. Just a short drive from Istanbul, Richmond Nua, where the green and blue come together, feeds both your body and your soul with different massage and treatments. While you are at the hotel on the shores of Sapanca Lake, you can take a walk in the surrounding forests, visit local farms and welcome 2019 in a relaxed and refined way.


Offering special concepts every New Year, Divan Patisserie comes forward with its designs revolving around the peacock theme this year.

Another suggestion outside of Istanbul is Izmir's holiday suburb, Alaçatı. The most impressive hotel in the region is Alavya. The hotel has developed a highly appreciated social responsibility project for the New Year. Hearing of the details from the hotel's marketing manager Zeynep Çiftçioğlu, I was impressed by the project. As you know, plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic straws that we throw away as trash, take 400 to 500 years to breakdown. The climate is changing and nature is warning us about this negative change. Alavya listened to nature's warning and wants to draw attention to this problem in the New Year. In cooperation with the artist Gülnur Özdağlar, the hotel is using plastic waste to decorate the Christmas tree. Özdağlar has made a magnificent tree design transforming plastic bottles. The Christmas tree, which is illuminated and adorned with different kinds of plastic bottles recycled with the artist's own technique, will brighten Alavya in December. The owners of the hotel Erol and Rana Tabanca's vision involves protecting nature and drawing attention to the deterioration of nature. I congratulate them.