Turkey and Greece Boast Some of Europe’s and the World’s Best Hotels
BalkanTravellers.com
Two hotels in Istanbul were present in the world’s Top 100 Hotels list – the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet, in 41st place, and the Çiragan Palace Kempinski, in 61st place.
The two hotels were also present in the Top 50 Hotels in Europe category, at 7th and 14th places respectively. There, they were joined by the Swissôtel The Bosphorus, also in Istanbul, which was ranked 26th among the continent’s best.
Two hotels in Greece’s capital also made it among the top 50 in Europe - Grande Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel in 29th position, and King George Palace, in 46th place.
In addition, the survey also ranked Istanbul as the world’s eight best city in its Top 10 Cities category.
“Many travellers don’t venture far beyond the ancient neighbourhood of Sultanahmet—home to the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque—which would be a mistake,” according to Travel + Leisure’s destination guide, which added that “Istanbul is made up of a vast network of neighbourhoods that are worth a visit, from the centuries-old Genovese colony–turned–shopping enclave of Galata and neighbouring Beyoglu, to Kadiköy, a happening district on the Asian side.”
Travel + Leisure’s 13th annual survey was based on responses by the magazine’s readers who selected their favourite hotels, spas, airlines, cruise lines, outfitters, cities, and islands around the globe.
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A Perfect Shot
Koprivshtitsa Fair, Bulgara. Photographs by Neva Micheva
In Homo Urbanus Europeanus, exhibited May 9-24 in front of the National Theatre in Sofia, Jean-Marc Caracci presents his photographs of people in the urban environment of European capitals.
RED&WHITE SOFIA. On the 1st of March Bulgarians say goodbye to the winter. They buy each other red&white threads to carry around until they see a stork and spring can begin. Photography by Lode Desmet
BULGARIA D'OR: The Bulgarian countryside, patinated with the noble golden dust of the autumn. Photographs by Lode Desmet
360 degrees Bulgaria, an exhibition by photographer Alexandar Ivanov, is on display at the Sea Garden in Varna until August 28. It will be shown at Plovdiv’s Central Square from Sept 5.
The exhibition Photographs of a Trip Through Bulgaria by Hungarian photographer András Balla can be seen in Sofia's Hungarian Cultural Institute, at Aksakov 16 Street, until August 22
Instant Spring in Sofia | Photographs by Lode Desmet
Off-the-season Beauty of Bulgaria's Black Sea Coast | Photographs by Adelina Iliev
Bulgaria's Northern Black Sea Coast
Photographs by Albena Shkodrova
excellent smugs
