Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Here's Why Istanbul Is The Most Popular Travel Destination In The World

Jennifer PollandApr 8, 2014, 22:07 IST

Shutterstock.com

Istanbul, Turkey, was just ranked the most popular travel destination in the world by TripAdvisor.

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.