Istanbul named “Most Desirable City in Europe”

At the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2025, held last week at the National Gallery in London, Istanbul was named “Most Desirable City in Europe” and won the Gold Award in this prestigious travel competition.

Istanbul won the Silver Award last year. Explaining the choice, British magazine Wanderlust wrote: “Istanbul’s unique East-meets-West appeal took it to gold. Istanbul blends history with modernity — from the domes and minarets of its skyline to its emerging art and food scenes.” The magazine highlighted readers’ favourite moments, such as crossing the Bosphorus at sunset, enjoying dishes with centuries-old roots, and wandering among churches, mosques and modern art galleries.

According to official data, Türkiye welcomed 50 million international tourists in the first nine months of 2025 — 1.6% more than in 2024 — and, with more than 2,000 GSTC-certified hotels, is now a global leader in sustainable tourism (more than 80% of all GSTC-certified hotels worldwide are in Türkiye).