The Best City To Visit Travel Tournament 2012: Championship
It is hard to believe that it’s been a little over a month, 7 rounds, and 103 cities later that we’ve arrived at the 2012 Best City to Visit Travel Tournament Championship. Fethiye put up a strong fight but Sarajevo continued on with the momentum of nearly 5,000 votes while Guimaraes again edged out another round to sneak past a stubborn Istanbul. Today we are left with an exciting match up – and Friday we’ll have The Best City to Visit in 2012. Will Sarajevo continue its impressive march to victory or will Guimaraes again slip past a tough challenger? You decide and tell us who is the best.
Voting in the Championship will be open until 11:30am US EST this Thursday, March 29th. Results may not appear after you vote so check back throughout the day and I’ll post updates in the comments below. Those of you reading through email and RSS will have to click-through to this page to vote. FINAL RESULTS won’t be announced until Friday, March 30th.
Please keep in mind the final votes for any poll aren’t final until they’re verified by my diligent verification team.
View The Best City To Visit 2012: Sweet 16 in a larger map
Remember, I won’t be sharing the final results until The Best City to Visit in 2012 is announced this Friday, March 30th. Good luck to both cities!
GUIMARÃES, for sure!
I believe there are no words to express how beautiful Guimarães is, not only the city itself, but the passion and hospitaliy that runs in every “vimaranenses” blood. We absolutely love to live here, but the moments that take our breath away are the ones in wich people from other citys, countrys and cultures come here and begin to love the city as much as we doo. (it happens every time ehehe).
We are waiting you! Come
Sarajevo!!
Go Guimaraes!!! Great place, great welcoming people!!!
I vote Guimarães
Sarajevo!!
Explore it and you will remember it for the rest of your life..
guimarães!!!
Guimarães ale Guimarães ale Guimarães ale Guimarães ale
Best city in the world…the city where Portugal born!!!
There is just something special about Sarajevo…its vibe, its pace of life, its people…go Sarajevo!
Shure…but the same New York Times also said that Guimarães is one of the best destinations this year to visit
I didn’t see Sarajevo there on the list 
SARAJEVO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MY EVERYTHING
Rajvosa
Sarajevo has attracted international attention several times throughout its history. In 1885, Sarajevo was the first city in Europe and the second city in the world to have a full-time electric tram network running through the city, the first being San Francisco.The only major city in Europe to have a mosque, cathedral, orthodox church and synagogue within the same neighborhood…..and more,more….
I do find it interesting that the photo on top the the page is from Matosinhos in Portugal, any reason for that?
On the vote, being from Guimaraes I have to say it is a wonderful city in so many ways, Unesco world heritage site, first capital of Portugal, European Capital of Culture, etc… For Sarajevo it has unfortunately been on the news for many wrong reasons, so a lot of respect from my side. It does look like a city with a lot of history and worth visiting.
In the end i find it amusing that 2 small cities from small countries end up in the final. May the most deserving city Win.
Go Guimaraes!!!!!!!!
Yes, it’s because Porto won last year – so all of the photos in each round have been from last year’s best city to visit. If Guimaraes or Sarajevo wins, it will likely be the same for both next year
http://foxnomad.com/2011/12/06/discovering-the-art-and-heart-of-porto-the-best-city-to-visit-in-2011/
Hopefully we’ll have a picture from Guimarães on next’s year competition
Angelina Jolie would vote for Sarajevo
as well as John Travolta,Penelope Cruz, Mickey Rourke,Morgan Freeman,Kevin Spacey,Brad Pitt, John Malkovich,Bono Vox,Orlando Bloom,Nick Nolte, Jeremy Irons, Gilian Anderson, and so on..
Yes they would…if they dind’nt already voted for Guimarães
Ummm… I doubt, but, but… That’s ok, Sarajevo got their fan’s votes
hahah Hope you can visit Guimarães this year and see for your eyes how beautiful we are. I’m sure that Sarajevo is also beautiful but Guimarães is more :p
the people that I listed have all visited sarajevo
Angelina and others where already in sarajevo , angelina is coming back all the time
hahahaah SARAJEVO THE BEST ! I’ll come back to you my city 
Another update everyone: Guimaraes has closed about 2% since that last time I checked in with you but the margin is still wide, Sarajevo has about 67% of the vote.
that is nice to know
BRAVO Sarajevooooooooo, Forzaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s still possible! Vote for Guimarães, European Capital of Culture in 2012 and World Heritage by UNESCO since 2001. If you’ve never visted us, you should because we are the most beautiful city in the the universe. You are more the welcome
New York Times article for the best destinations in 2012:
“Guimarães, Portugal
A city of youth is fired up by its art scene.
Considered the birthplace of Portugal, this picturesque northern city has long been of great historical importance to the country. Now, with half its inhabitants under 30, it is also one of the youngest cities in Europe. A string of recent developments, like its selection as a 2012 European Capital of Culture and the rehabilitation of the Unesco-designated historic center, have helped turned the youthful “cradle city” into one of the Iberian peninsula’s emerging cultural hot spots.
Much of the city’s burgeoning music and arts scene is nourished by the Centro Cultural Vila Flor, a contemporary-minded cultural center that opened in 2005 in a converted 18th-century palace. It includes amphitheaters, an exhibition villa, artists’ studios and a modern Portuguese restaurant. This March, the center will host the first International Festival of Contemporary Dance, bringing in an impressive selection of dance companies from throughout the world.”
CHARLY WILDER
No doubts that Guimarães deserves to win this competition. Even in America they know it
Sorce: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/travel/09where-to-go.html?pagewanted=3
Just check on New York Times’s web site how seriuos they are
One of the most prestigious news paper in the world 
Dear Mr Francisco Silva,
I’m (and probably others who read this comments) continuously bored from your strenuous comments.
Please give others the chance to say their meaning without your interrutpion and suggestions.
I belive that the best city’ll win, but I’m sorry, as I can see only the same things you’re repeating for Guimaraes.
Thank you for participation, but it’s enough.
Best regards from Sarajevo.
Mr Moke, just showing people that Guimarães is a very beautiful city, distinguished in several foreign newspapers and magazines. Tough, it’s a city that is not known by most part of you guys and we are only showing you that Guimarães is one of the places to visit, not only in 2012 but whenever you want to, because you’ll always be welcome here. You won’t definitely regret it. The extraordinary food, the sunny weather, the exquisite monuments, the beautiful night life, where you can have a nice conversation at a terrace with some friends..you’ve got a lot to see here. A lot, indeed.
You don’t say much about your city, maybe because most part of people know that you’re city is great. I haven’t got yet the opportunity to see it for myself but I have no doubt that it is, in fact, a great city to visit, as well as Guimarães.
Sarajevo is a winner already as well, we’re both in the final and people are talking about these two cities.
Best wishes from Guimarães
I don’t think you should take Francisco’s comments as a personal offense. He, as all of us, is just a passionate Vimaranense, who loves his city and is proud of it. Vimaranenses like to show and tell the beauty of Guimarães. Not just for a contest but in all occasions. Nevertheless who might win, we will maintain ourselves like this, passionate by our city, humble and just hosting people! May the best city win!
With all due respect, I’ll moderate the comments here. You’re free to voice your opinions but people can post whatever they wish so long as it’s respectful, not self-promotion, spam, or otherwise. That goes for everyone, thanks…
Dear Mr. Moke,
can you be more expecific with your comment? Being proud of my city and tell everyone to vote for it it’s not a crime. In all rounds I always maintained my posture and I’ve never had a problem.
I can’t seriously see when and where I was wrong.
repeating waht I think and see about Guimarães just shows how much I love my city and many ohers did the same.
Just like someone said in here, both cities should already be proud to be in here in the final. Many other known cities have been defeated so we’re just have to be proud.
May the nest win.
best regards,
Francisco Silva
MoKe i have to say you something u are right and i love you because of that
Mr. Moke,
I agree with you 100%… There is “passionate” and there is “pushy” and the line between the two is very thin. However, let’s show our competitors that we are WELCOMING and GRACIOUS and that of course their passion for their city is admirable
as is ours for our dear Sarajevo 
!! Let’s go Sarajevo 2012!!
Guimarães, Aqui Nasceu Portugal!
A VISITAR
Guimarães, Capital Europeia da Cultura 2012
Uma cidade, um povo, uma cultura a descobrir!
Voto em Guimarães, claro.
Guimarães is a beautiful city. I love this city. Força Guimarães
S A R A J E V O
I love Sarajevo and voted for it, hoping for Sarajevo to win. However, looking at photos of Guimaraes, I realised that is is beautiful and I would really like to to see it. So far, I visited Porugal twice. I adore Lisbon and Sintra already. Looking forward to seeing Guimaraes.
Best wishes from Sarajevo.
Guimarães obsiouly.
A city full of culture and history
Guimarães was one of five cities awarded a GLOBAL CITY BADGE’s foursquare!
These results were announced today!
A victory for Guimarães!
http://blog.foursquare.com/2012/03/29/global-city-badge-winners-announced-4sqcities/
i Vote Guimarães, the best City in The World
Guimarães is a beautiful city. I love this city.Guimarães
Go Sarajevo ! Congrats on the win!
Olha o palhaço aziado. Vai pa Marrocos pah!! Onde é que está a cidade Baca Augusta aqui? Ah pois, não está! A dor de coto por sermos CEC e vocês não é muita eu sei, rennie resolve isso.
GUIMARÃES!
Guimarães is the best. To Work, To Shop, to everything. Mr.Francisco Silva you are correct, forget who don’t understand.
Oh Anli
How it comes you haven’t been in Sarajevo. I am sure if u come u’ll feel like at home. It has the similar spirit like Istanbul, so hosgeldin 
No particular reason – the world is a big place and getting to every country will take me a while
But now Sarajevo is definitely in my 2012 plans:
http://foxnomad.com/2012/03/30/the-best-city-to-visit-2012-travel-tournament-winner-is-sarajevo-bosnia-herzegovina/
I believe that Guimarães is wonderful place to visit, still …… Sarajevo is European Jerusalem ……. people tend to call that city like that because it definitely deserve it ….. it is full of history – MAJOR history that impact the rest of the world, it is full of architecture – you can clearly see history of the city just by walking around ad looking at the buildings (Ottomans, Austrian’s and Hungarians, Socialist, now-days); it is full of cultural events – recently it has become a regional spot if interest – people from surrounding are coming for weekend more often …………. Sarajevo can give you everything you need in any season – winter is all about snow – that city is stuck in between high mountains and there is a lot of snow; Spring is clear as whistle and you can enjoy sightseeing’s from every corner; Summer is all about Sarajevo Film Festival and enjoying nature around the city (big waterfall even), Autumn in Sarajevo is best time and place for you to fell like high school starts again
)) and as some friend of mine said ….. “That is bloody green country” ……… It is green all over around!!!! Even rivers there are green (Google for Neretva – it has clear emerald color)
Therefore – I vote for Sarajevo!!!
ohhhhhhhhh ……. i forgot to mention people and food ……. those two simply MUST be seen, heard and lived ……….. Bosnian cosine is exceptional either you are looking for fast food on the budget, either you are looking for luxurious specialties ….. and people – they are worm, welcoming and they even have a tradition of helping travelers – they call them “putnik namjernik” …. if you ever visit Sarajevo, make sure to ask people to tell you stories about ćevapi and to try this wonderful local dish, make sure to ask them to explain to you “Bosnian coffee story” and to try this strong drink that will keep your eyes widely open for hours … I never could imagine that simple drink as a coffee can taste as a finest Dutch chocolate
)
and – if you pay attention to what is happening in Europe through history – Sarajevo always was and always will be cultural bridge between Western and Eastern Europe …. therefore Sarajevo does not need certificates to prove it…………it is what European’s simply know
Guimarães yes is a special city.
Croatia vote for Sarajevoo.. Mwaaaa komšije :*
Feel the Sarajevo once and the feeling remains forever in your heart, you will fall in love in this awsome city, and you’ll be back again…belive me, everyone who’s been there knowes…Love you Sarajevo!!!
Congratulations to Sarajevo! Hope you can visit Guimarães this year
Congratulations SARAJEVO <3
Love sarajevo , not important , both or every city have a speciall ‘thing’ ok ???
My city won , But I wanna travel around the world OFCs !!!
LOVE from Sweden this time
Congratulations Sarajevo
Congratulations to Sarajevo from Austria,I hope to visit sarajevo again, Sarajevo is probably in top 10 of the most beautiful cities in all Europe
And we won, which is absolutely fantastic, mean we are the Best City, viva SARAJEVO….
Congratulation Sarajevo! Go and visit this city and you will feel it’s great soul and it will accept you immediately so you will feel like at home. I also hope I will also visit Guimarães soon.
Sarajevo…..there is no word which can describe Sarajevo…. Last year I spent two weeks in it and I fell in love with people,food,and good mood
I’m very happy to hear that Sarajevo is a winner….congrats… 
And the winner by TKO SARAJEVOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!
Many congrats on the great win of a great city !
Bravo Sarajevo
Welcome to Sarajevo…..:-)
I think Sarajevo won didnt it
no comments?
It did win and plenty of comments around
If you pay attention to what happens in Europe you would know that Guimarães is the European Capital of Culture this year as well as World Heritage by UNESCO since 2001
if you are sorry for me I must be even more sorry for you 
too bad for guimares, but sarajevo has won
too bad for Guimarães? Congratulations Sarajevo, it was an extremely good competition, hope you all can visit Guimarães soon!