Istanbul has been voted Europe’s “Most Desirable City” at the 2025 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, taking the top Gold prize at a ceremony held Wednesday at London’s National Gallery, a year after winning Silver.
Wanderlust magazine said Istanbul’s “East-meets-West magnetism” helped it claim the top spot, highlighting how the Turkish metropolis “blends history with modernity, from its skyline of domes and minarets to its emerging art and dining scenes.”
Readers cited sunset crossings over the Bosphorus, culinary traditions shaped by centuries of cultural exchange, and strolls between churches, mosques, and modern art galleries among their favorite experiences.
“Istanbul’s energy lies in how comfortably it lives between worlds,” said George Kipouros, editor-in-chief of the UK-based magazine. “It has history in its stones but also imagination in its future.”
The recognition caps a strong year for the city. Istanbul Airport was recently named the world’s “Best Airport for Food” in Condé Nast Traveller’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards.
“This Gold award reaffirms Istanbul’s position as Europe’s most captivating city, where the meeting of continents continues to attract and inspire visitors year after year,” Türkiye’s Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) said in a statement.
TGA added that Türkiye welcomed 50 million international visitors in the first nine months of 2025 — a 1.6% rise from the same period last year — and now leads the world in sustainable tourism, with more than 2,000 hotels certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), representing over 80% of all such properties globally.
Now in its 24th year, the Wanderlust Awards are among the travel industry’s most respected honors, celebrating destinations, tour operators, and airlines that inspire the magazine’s global readership.
Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Madrid, Spain, took Silver and Bronze respectively in the “Most Desirable City (Europe)” category. The ceremony, hosted by British broadcaster and adventurer Simon Reeve, drew participation from over 200,000 readers, who cast 4.8 million votes across 22 categories.