The No. 1 travel destination in the world right now? Istanbul, Turkey TripAdvisor's annual Travelers' Choice Destinations survey is based on millions of reviews and consumer opinions gathered during the period of Feb. 2013 to Feb. 2014. The poll actually identified the  top 25 travel destinations and here I've listed the top 10 – and I've annotated with what I think is the main appeal of each. This looks like it will be the 'Year of Istanbul.'  

  (Sultan Ahmed, a.k.a. Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey: Courtesy: WikiCommons Images)

1. Istanbul Turkey: It's the only city in the world on two continents, Europe and Asia, and the food and culture reflect that mix.
2. Rome, Italy: Definitely visit the Vatican but do check out the rest of the ruins scattered throughout Rome. The night life? Tops.
3. London, United Kingdom: I'd move here in a nano sec. London is one of my favourite cities. People are approachable, there's lots of history but the city isn't stuffy. Bonus: museums and galleries are free. Pub grub is best in the world.
4. Beijing, China: Go for the food. Prepare yourself for crowds. Put the Forbidden City on your list.
5. Prague, Czech Republic: Historic Charles Bridge should be your first stop, but do get away from the city centre into the real heart of Czech, the outlying neighbourhoods.
6. Marrakech, Morocco:  Read my blog about Majorelle Garden in Marrakech. Beautiful.
7. Paris, France: Paris is full of the expected (great food, high fashions, historic cites) but there's the unexpected, surprising side of Paris, too.
8. Hanoi, Vietnam: this ancient Vietnamese city is distinct from cities in the south such as Ho Chi Minh. Best day trip from Hanoi: Halong Bay.
9. Siem Reap, Cambodia: Here's the deal. Wake up at 4:30 a.m., and take a tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat Temple to see the sun rise over the most beautiful ruins in the world.
10. Shanghai, China: This is the modern side of China. On the foodie front, you'd be very wrong if you left without sampling lots and lots of soup dumplings, or xiaolong bao.Have you visited any of these cities? What would be No. 1 on your list?