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Istanbul crowned Europe’s ‘Most Desirable City’ at 2025 Wanderlust Travel Awards
At the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2025, held at
London’s National Gallery, Istanbul claimed the coveted Gold Award as “Most
Desirable City (Europe)”, rising from Silver in 2024. Readers of the UK’s
leading independent travel magazine celebrated Istanbul’s unique ability to
“blend history with modernity,” highlighting its domed skyline, its thriving
contemporary art scene, and its dynamic culinary landscape.
“The East-meets-West magnetism of Istanbul propelled
it to Gold,” the magazine wrote, describing it as a city that “still surprises
every time.” Editor-in-chief George Kipouros added: “Istanbul’s energy lies in
how comfortably it lives between worlds. It has history in its stones but also
imagination in its future.”
A year of global recognition
The award adds to a string of international accolades
for the Turkish metropolis: Istanbul Airport was recently voted Best Airport
for Food in Condé Nast Traveller’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards.
In a statement, the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and
Development Agency (TGA) said: “This Gold award for Istanbul reaffirms its
position as Europe’s most captivating city — a place where the meeting of
continents continues to inspire and attract visitors year after year.”
Türkiye welcomed 50 million international visitors in
the first nine months of 2025, marking a 1.6% increase from the previous year.
The country now leads globally in sustainable tourism, with more than 2,000
GSTC-certified hotels — accounting for over 80% of all such properties
worldwide.
Among Europe’s elite destinations
Now in its 24th year, the Wanderlust Travel Awards
remain one of the travel industry’s most respected honors, recognizing
destinations, tour operators, and airlines that inspire its community of
readers. In this year’s results, Dubrovnik (Croatia) took Silver and Madrid
(Spain) claimed Bronze in the same category.
Hosted by British broadcaster Simon Reeve, the 2025
edition saw record participation, with over 200,000 readers casting 4.8 million
votes across 22 award categories — confirming Istanbul’s timeless appeal as the
city that bridges worlds.
Image
Credit: © TGA
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