Top 5 European holiday destinations for 2017
Lesser known Georgia and Croatia beckon to be explored, while old favourites Greece and Spain continue to top the list.
We asked Irfan Ahmad, CEO and editor-in-chief of Islamic halal travel guide Irhal for his top five European travel destinations for 2017. The guide covers 27 European cities. In 2016 Irhal has received more than 300 requests for adding new cities. Based on the popularity of the existing cities and the frequency of requests for new ones, he came up with the following predictions for the top five European destinations for 2017.
1. ATHENS
Photo: Athens, Greece - December 01, 2016: View of Acropolis from a roof-top coffee shop in Monastiraki square, Athens. / Milan Gonda / Shutterstock, Inc.
“The most popular European city on Irhal will retain its top ranking among European destinations favoured by travellers from the Middle East because of three important reasons: Greek history and the Acropolis attract tourists. Inexpensive flights to Athens and inexpensive hotels are a plus. And finally, Greek salad with feta cheese and olives are healthy alternatives when you cannot find Halal food.”
A fascinating insight into Greek history is the Acropolis Museum, which offers a good view of the Acropolis itself.
From the Greek capital, the islands beckon visitors to the country. There are day trips from Athens, cruises and longer stays at the islands to choose from.
Photo: Athens, Greece - October 14, 2016: Ancient herodes atticus theater amphitheater of Acropolis of Athens, landmark of Greece / Nataliya Nazarova / Shutterstock, Inc.
2. BARCELONA
Photo: BARCELONA, SPAIN - JULY 07, 2015: Park Guell in Barcelona, Spain. / muratart / Shutterstock, Inc.
“From La Rambla, the most happening of places where you can sip coffee and people watch, to the architecture of Gaudi and his magnificent buildings, to the Spanish fashion icon Zara, there is plenty to do and see in Barcelona. But the city’s biggest attraction is its famous soccer team FC Barcelona. It doesn’t hurt that a four hour train ride away is Cordoba, the capital of Muslim Spain.”
Wander around La Boqueria, sampling fruit and freshly prepared food at the stalls. Admire the quirky genius of Gaudi at Park Guell. And Barcelona is well connected to the other Spanish and Portuguese cities.
Photo: BARCELONA - FEBRUARY 24 Park Guell - a garden with architectural elements designed by Antoni Gaudi. Built in 1900 - 1914. Part of UNESCO World Heritage, February 24, 2010 in Barcelona Spain. / Palabra / Shutterstock, Inc.
3. AMSTERDAM
Photo: AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - APRIL 13, 2016: Rijksmuseum (National state museum) and city icon I Amsterdam slogan on Museumplein / umike / Shutterstock, Inc.
“Windmills, cheese and tulips are perennial attractions.” The Dutch capital is a tourist magnet all times of the year. Like a supermodel, it seems to have no bad angles and always looks postcard perfect with its narrow canal houses, and boats puttering along the waterways any time the sun is out. It has several world class museums such as the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh and the Stedelijk if you are so inclined.
In winter, the city is lit up with gobsmackingly beautiful light installations. Public ice rinks appear and stalls selling delicious Dutch goodies mushroom up over the city. In Spring, the flowers are out and a train ride takes you through riotously coloured fields of tulips. Summer is a good time to explore and barbeque in one of the many public parks. And autumn usually marks the beginning of the cultural season, with concerts, ballet and other festivals in the city.
Photo: AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - JANUARY 15, 2016: Many people skate on winter ice skating rink in front of the Rijksmuseum, a popular touristic destination in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. / InnervisionArt / Shutterstock, Inc.
4. TBILISI
Photo: Tbilisi, Georgia - April 24, 2015. View on buildings on the Old Town of Tbilisi. Narikala Fortress on background / Fotokon / Shutterstock, Inc.
“We have lately received more requests to add a Tbilisi city guide than any other European city. The capital of Georgia is now a major attraction because Gulf Cooperation Council country residents can travel there without a visa.”
Mountains, hot springs, a quaint old town, Tbilisi offers a lot to the tourist.
Flea markets with Soviet memorabilia, and fairly unknown territory to the mainstream tourist make for a promising trip.
Photo: TBILISI, GEORGIA - OCT 9: Traders of flea market having a lot of vintage cameras, souvenirs, toys and retro staff for the customers on October 9, 2016. Tbilisi has a population of 1.5 million people / Radiokafka / Shutterstock, Inc.
5. ZELL AM SEE
Photo: View over Zeller See lake. Center of the alpine city Zell am See, Austria, Europe. / Oleskandr Osipov / Shutterstock, Inc.
This small city in Salzburg, Austria, is like heaven on earth. With snow covered mountains, lush green forests and waterfalls, its natural beauty attracts a large number of tourists from the Middle East. Several Halal restaurants can be found in the city which is becoming popular for family travel.
Photo: ZELL AM SEE, AUSTRIA, JULY 28, 2016: People are strolling through the historical center of Zell am See town In Austria. / trabantos / Shutterstock, Inc.
Irfan says that two other cities likely to attract visitors from the Middle East are Dubrovnik in Croatia (made famous by Game of Thrones) and Dublin, Ireland which is slowly creeping up the charts. “We are working on updating all our city guides, and hope to add Tbilisi and Zell am See in time for summer 2017”, he says.
So, what attracts Muslim tourists? “Halal food and convenient prayer places can certainly help but there is no substitute for natural beauty, history and culture, and in these wallet conscious days, inexpensive flights and hotels. Shorter vacations are becoming common and places that are less than five hours away will gain in popularity in 2017,” says Irfan.
And here are the top 10 European cities searched on Irhal in 2016
- Athens
- Barcelona
- Paris
- Amsterdam
- Moscow
- Rome
- London
- Prague
- Budapest
- Frankfurt
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Susan Muthalaly