Warsaw is 2023's European Best Destination
Warsaw has won the prestigious title of the most attractive tourist destination in Europe in the European Best Destinations 2023 contest. A total of 686,000 people from 178 countries participated in the contest. 48% of them came from Europe and the rest from other parts of the world. Warsaw received 142,081 votes, beating Athens, which received 91,000 votes, to become the contest winner. It is worth mentioning that Warsaw broke the record in the "European Best Destination" contest, previously held by Porto in 2017 with 138,000 votes, which is 4,000 votes less than Warsaw.
Representatives of the Warsaw Tourist Organization emphasize that this prestigious title will strengthen Warsaw's position as an attractive tourist destination on the international stage and allow for more effective promotion and marketing of the Polish capital in the coming months.
This is also great news for the meeting industry. The European Best Destination title for Warsaw means promotion for the Polish capital for the following year. The positive effects will be felt not only by tourists, but also in the medium and long term, it may lead to greater interest in the international meeting industry and events.
Warsaw is considered a top destination for tourists
Warsaw is described by the organizers of the European Best Destinations competition as:
Beautiful, friendly, green, open to the world, perfect for a family city break, cultural holidays, shopping experiences, romantic stays - Warsaw, your European Best Destination 2023 has something for everyone. Stroll through its beautiful parks, relax on the city's beaches, take advantage of its fantastic gastronomic offer, come at any time of the year and take advantage of its rich events calendar. You'll be dazzled by its iconic places such as the Old Town and its colorful buildings, the Palace of Culture and Science, the tallest building in Poland, the Łazienki and its palaces, pavilions and greenhouses.
During your stay in the Best European Destination 2023, don't miss a walk down "Krakowskie Przedmieście", the most prestigious street in Warsaw and a visit to the Warsaw Barbican, historic fortifications that once surrounded Warsaw. Warsaw is a dynamic and shining city, and thousands of activities and experiences await you in Warsaw, from sampling local culinary specialties to a hot air balloon ride and zip lining in one of the city's parks. Would you prefer a cruise down the beautiful Vistula River? If you're traveling with your family, be sure to visit Warsaw's zoo and try the Moczydło water park, enjoying its slides, wave pools, and other water attractions.
The competition in numbers:
This was a remarkable contest in history. Many records were broken:
- Warsaw collected a record-breaking 142,081 votes (+66,439 votes compared to last year's winner - this is a record number of votes since the inception of this contest - the previous record was for Porto and its 138,116 votes in 2017).
- Warsaw received 68% of the votes from outside of Poland. Without domestic votes, it would still have been chosen as the best European tourist destination in 2023.
- In total, European Best Destinations collected a record 686,244 votes from 178 countries (528,069 for the 2022 edition of this event).
- The voting website was shared a record + 193,000 times on social media in the last 21 days (122,000 shares for the 2022 edition of this event)."
The ranking of the most attractive cities in Europe in 2023 according to internet users:
- Warsaw
- Athens
- Maribor
- Vienna
- Cittadella
- Essen
- Veszprém
- London
- Grenoble
- Mannheim
- Porto Santo
- Toledo
- Faial
- Rhodes
- Copenhagen
- Tossa de Mar
- Ascona-Locarno
- Milos
- Prague
- Soller
- Delft
Without a doubt, these cities have a chance to become the most popular travel destinations in 2023. There are the best cities to visit in Europe on the list, also very unique places in this part of the world. You can add these locations to your list of favorite cities to visit when planning a vacation.
Besides the title "European Best Destination 2023" which was determined by the results of the competition, Warsaw was also acknowledged and distinguished by the organizer in four other categories:
- Best Destinations for a city break
- Best Destination for Food Lovers
- Best Cultural Destination
- Safest Destinations in Europe
European Best Destination - Polish cities in the contest in the past
Warsaw is not the first Polish city with the title European Best Destination. In the history of the contest also other destinations in Poland took part in the contest:
- Bydgoszcz - 10th in 2020
- Poznan - 5th in 2019
- Wroclaw -1st in 2018
- Gdansk - 3rd in 2017
About the EBD2023 competition
European Best Destinations is an organization founded in 2009 with the mission of promoting tourism and culture in European cities and regions. It collaborates with the EDEN network operating under the European Commission, influential media on a global scale, and over 400 European destinations. Once a year, between January and February, a contest for selected cities and regions takes place, with the winner being determined through open internet voting. Several hundred thousand people from all over the world participate. The results and progress of the contest are widely commented on in the global media.
You can follow European Best Destinations on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Hashtag #EuropeanBestDestinations #EBD2023
Source: EBD pressrelease
