Turkish musicologist Alpay Unsal (Istanbul):

"Azerbaijan does a brilliant job of organising major international events, irrespective of whether it is in sport or music. We have visited Baku on several occasions, but this time it was to attend a festival of sport, the First European Games. It was as if we had turned up in another world, one of joy and beauty. I particularly liked the opening ceremony of the European Games. An amazing show was put on for us. The sports infrastructure, the design and the organisation of the competitions that we have witnessed in the Azerbaijani capital correspond to the highest world standards.

"It can be said that Azerbaijan has challenged the standards previously set in holding international competitions and has been victorious in so doing, presenting to the world a higher, better perfected and more ideal standard. Besides purely sports competitions, there are contests in the world for the prestige of the organising countries. In this contest, Azerbaijan has quite unambiguously become a champion. My favourite type of sport is gymnastics. My wife and I will attend all the gymnastics' competitions. Excellent conditions have been created for tourists in the capital. This is particularly true of security. We came to Baku in our own car. In the few days we have been here we have never locked the car. I would like to express my thanks to the organisers of the European Games."

Ewa MORAVIECZ, a tourist from Paris:

My daughter, who happened to be working in Baku, gave me the idea of visiting Azerbaijan during the European Games. It is the fourth time that I have had the pleasure of visiting your country. This time I am trying to enjoy the European festival of sport as much as possible. I have already been to the free-style wrestling contests, where I supported the Polish and French wrestlers. It has been made extremely convenient and advantageous for tourists to go to the competitions. The tickets to the contests are not expensive. We are going to see a lot more interesting competitions.

Incidentally, my French friends had their doubts about my decision to come to Azerbaijan. They said, "Aren't you afraid to go there? It's a Muslim country, an agricultural country where the local people don't speak to foreigners and cows are wandering round the city." I had to spend a long time explaining that Baku is an attractive, up-to-date, modern city and that people are open and welcoming in European fashion and what interesting sights, historical places, variety of architecture, beautiful hotels and boulevards there are here. My daughter exclaimed that Baku is much more beautiful than Dubai.

 "I am very pleased that I am in the Azerbaijani capital. The European Games have created a unique opportunity for Europeans to become more closely acquainted with Azerbaijan."

Sasa Spirelja and Zheljko Posavec (Zagreb) - sportsmen representing Croatia at the European Games:

"We have a bit of free time, so we would like to do some sight-seeing in the Azerbaijani capital. We have already been to the Shirvanshah complex, visited the Old City and tried Azerbaijani cuisine. You have a splendid promenade by the sea. Baku and its residents have made an extremely wonderful impression on us. We had heard how beautiful the city was, but now we have seen for ourselves how delightful and colourful the Azerbaijani capital is. 

Naturally, we thought the opening ceremony of the European Games was amazing. Just one word - beautiful - can describe the grandiose show at the opening ceremony. Excellent living and training conditions and leisure facilities have been created for us sportsmen.

"It is a shame that, owing to the tight schedule of the competitions, we will not be able to visit other cities in the country. We hope to come back next year and visit the other regions of Azerbaijan."

Mark STANIFORTH, British reporter:

"I would first like to note that Azerbaijan made top-notch preparations for the European Games. In many parameters, the competitions were on a par with not just continental, but full-scale Olympic Games. This imparts even more prestige to the competitions in Baku and to future European Games. I was very pleased that our British triathlon athlete won a gold medal.

"I have been delighted by the Azerbaijani capital. I found it very interesting to visit the Old City, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, I loved the view from the Flame Tower and I am planning to do some more sight-seeing in Baku. I shall definitely go to Saki and Qabala."