Wednesday, July 06 2011 13:14
City highly commended at Telegraph travel awards
Istanbul has been named runner-up in two categories - Best Cultural City and Greatest Cultural Destination - at the Telegraph's travel awards, meaning the Turkish city might be good for people planning solo holidays.
The awards were judged by an expert panel headed by author Anthony Horowitz, along with readers of the newspaper.
Tolga Tuyluoglu, who is the London director of the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office, said he was proud to accept the award on behalf of the country.
"I am delighted that Istanbul's status as a top cultural destination has been recognised in this way," he said.
"These awards undoubtedly celebrate the achievements of Istanbul as a European City of Culture in 2010. They also underline the importance of Turkey's cultural attractions to the UK market."
Unesco World Heritage Centre has recently announced that the Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex in the former Ottoman capital of Edirne has been ascribed World Heritage Site status.