European citizens have voted Istanbul as European Best Destination 2013.* European Consumers Choice, an independent non-profit-making organization conducted the survey.

If the approval of fellow travellers wasn’t enough, here are five more reasons to visit Turkey’s largest city.

Featured image: Inside Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar by mtarlock

1) Two continents

Istanbul is the only city in the world to straddle two continents – the bustling Bosphorus River divides Europe and Asia

2) Topkapi Palace

Unesco describes Topkapi Palace as one of the finest remaining examples of the Ottoman Empire

3) Grand Bazaar

There are few more vibrant and exhilarating shopping experiences than bargaining at the city’s Grand Bazaar, one the largest and historic covered markets in the world

 4) Galata Tower view

Overlooking one of the world’s most charismatic cityscapes from the vantage point of the Galata Tower

5) Turkish bath

Having the ills of the world scraped, kneaded and pummelled from your body at a hamam (Turkish bath)

* Previous winners have been Porto (2012), Copenhagen (2011) and Lisbon (2010)