Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni concluded a two-day visit in Istanbul yesterday (November 27 - 28), where she addressed an event hosted by the Greek Consulate on city-break destinations in Greece. Participants in the event had the chance to try Greek gastronomy prepared by renowned Greek chefs Lefteris Lazarou and Stelios Parliaros

Kefalogianni said that Athens, Thessaloniki and other Greek cities can become ideal city-break destinations for Turkish visitors thanks to low-cost flights and to the small distance between the two countries, which can be easily travelled by car or sea.

She further added that 2013 was among the best years for Greece regarding tourist arrivals from Turkey.

During her visit Kefalogianni was also received by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and met with Turkish Deputy Minister of Culture &Tourism Abdurrahman Arici and Minister of State for European Affairs Egemen Bagis to discuss joint tourism packages and the streamlinig of visa procedures between the two countries.