InterRail to name Europe's 2015 destination of the year

OSLO, Zurich, Lisbon... Which European city will emerge as this year's top destination? A total of 15 are on the ballot in a contest held by InterRail, the company that issues a single rail pass valid across Europe.
InterRail, the group of 32 rail operators that allows backpackers to explore the continent on a single pass, looked to the opinions of travelers to select the 15 destinations eligible for the title of Destination of the Year 2015.
Other criteria were also taken into account, including each city's overall appeal to tourists and value for money.
Steering clear of the obvious choices such as London and Paris, the list provides a nice overview of some of Europe's oft overlooked gems. The southern half of the continent is represented by Thessalonia (Greece), Bologna (Italy), Lisbon and Porto (Portugal), and Valencia (Spain).
The German cities of Leipzig and Heidelberg are also in the running, along with the Slovene capital, Ljubljana, and the Croatian capital, Zagreb.
York is the British entry into the list, while Oslo stands in for Norway, Rotterdam for the Netherlands and Antwerp for Belgium. Finally, the Swiss cities of Zurich and Graz are also on the ballot.
Voting is open through March 18 on InterRail's Facebook page, where participants can enter to win an InterRail pass. – AFP Relaxnews