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"Today I have walked around
one of the greatest cities on earth, if not the greatest," Gore
Vidal |
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Earlier this year we asked you
to vote for the things you really like about travel, from business
hotels to destinations, airlines to tour operators. From your responses
we compiled the Readers' Travel Awards 2010, the best the travel world
has to offer... |
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Outside the euro zone,
its exchange rate is kind to British visitors. You are guaranteed
top-wattage sunshine & a famously warm welcome. |
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Holidays to Turkey
combine the attributes of other destinations in the region, incredibly
however, these are all within one unbelievable country. |
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While that rustic old world is
tougher to find, the deep traditions and warm hospitality of the region
are as endearing as ever, especially if you venture past the predictable
sights and tourist zones. |
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Before going to
Istanbul, I barely thought about the place. Now, a year later, it is
often on my mind. That is mainly because it provides what is rarest in
travel: an aesthetic and even sensual surprise. |
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Turkish Airlines was
named the "Best Airline Europe" at the 2011 World Airline Awards, in a
ceremony held in the French Air & Space Museum. |
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Istanbul's
Grand Bazaar ranked 1st among Europe's most visited attractions, 10th in
the world, on a list of the top 50 most popular sites published by the
US travel magazine Travel and Leisure. |
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“It feels like a
nightclub on the ocean” said André Balazs, owner of the Chateau Marmont
hotel in Los Angeles. Mr. Balazs, who is also
a longtime regular in St. Tropez, discovered Turkbuku last summer on
vacation with Uma Thurman. |
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Hailed as “The Oscars of
the Travel Industry”, World Travel Awards is acknowledged across the
globe as the ultimate travel accolade, & celebrates those brands that
are pushing the boundaries of industry excellence. Turkey in particular
enjoyed a large slice of the evenings honours, reflecting its role as
one of the few success stories of the global downturn. |
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Jesus Christ's disciples
St Paul and St John the Evangelist both walked along this wide street in
Ephesus. Even Cleopatra, queen of Egypt from 47-30 B.C, walked exactly
here with Mark Antony. |
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Explore the best of
Turkey, the fusion point of east and west, where history has created its
unique identity and beautiful scenery. |
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To sail the Turkish
Coast is to embark on an historical and archaeological adventure that
spans over 3,000 years of history. |
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Turkey is a
tapestry of intrigue and romance. It's been settled and unsettled by
empires, earthquakes, prophets and profiteers. |
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As the French traveler
Petrus Gyllius remarked in the mid-16th century: “It seems to me that while
other cities are mortal, this one will endure as long as there are men on
Earth.” |
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History's just a
Turkish Delight. |
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Cappadocia, in central
Anatolia, is remarkable from any angle - in the air, on the ground
and deep below the surface. |
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The most dynamic city
in the World. |
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The football
world hadn't seen anything quite like it before. |
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The Birth of
Religion. We used to think agriculture gave rise to cities &
later to writing, art & religion. Now the world’s oldest temple
suggests the urge to worship sparked civilization. |
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An area that has traditionally
attracted backpackers & archaeology-minded tourists, Cappadocia is now
going upscale & drawing a younger more sophisticated crowd. |
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Istanbul
thrives as the new party capital of Europe. The Golden Horn is
booming as the world's most dynamic city transforms its skyline &
artists & students help make it buzz. |
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An evening stroll
along the banks of the Bosphorus is enough to make you to fall in
love with Istanbul. Here, exotic oriental luxury meets and mingles
with the most sophisticated of modern Europe. |
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With a
long & illustrious history involving the Greeks & Romans, apostles &
Byzantines, Ottoman Turks & more, Turkey is positively brimming with
fascinating historical religious sites |
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Europe (without the
euro), halfway house between the cultural sophistication of
Italy & the exoticism of Arabia, & half-priced at that... |
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Before a quick
tour - along spectacular coastal roads, across soaring mountains,
through unspoilt villages, past nearby Greek islands - a further
word of encouragement. Or warning. This is destined to become a
literary tour. |
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The
number of Canadians visiting Istanbul has skyrocketed as the city
becomes a buzzing... |
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