Thelife
Millions of TripAdvisor users voted on their favorite destinations around the world, and Istanbul took the top spot. This is surprising because the Middle Eastern city jumped 11 spots from the previous year, surpassing perennial favorites like London and Rome.
So why are travelers flocking to Istanbul? Perhaps it's because the vibrant city embodies both ancient and modern. It's chock-full of historic mosques and monuments, but it also has tons of hip boutiques, cool restaurants, and design-savvy boutique hotels that hipsters, foodies, artists and fashionistas love. The city feels decidedly hip - and travelers from all over the world are taking note.