Paris, France is the best European city to visit in 2027: it topped the Condé Nast Traveller 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards for Europe with a score of 97.14, and over 18 million international visitors went there in 2025. Istanbul (95.96) is #2 and Valletta (95.76) is #3.
Photo: Yann Caradec from Paris, France / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictReaders’ top city in Europe for 2026, with a 97.14 score.
Readers’ Choice score: 97.14 out of 100International visitors (2025): Over 18 millionUNESCO World Heritage site: Paris, Banks of the Seine (inscribed 1991)
Paris came first in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards for the best cities in Europe, with a score of 97.14. Euromonitor International reports that Paris welcomed over 18 million international visitors in 2025. Its riverside heart, Paris, Banks of the Seine, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991.
Go ifA first trip to Europe with world-famous museums and landmarks
Skip ifYou want a smaller, quieter city: Valletta and Porto are far smaller
Why #1 over #2: Paris scored 97.14 against 95.96 for Istanbul.
2
Istanbul, Turkey
Photo: Arild Vågen / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictSecond only to Paris, and it adds two major sporting events in 2027.
Readers’ Choice score: 95.96 out of 100UNESCO World Heritage site: Historic Areas of Istanbul (inscribed 1985)2027 event: UEFA Conference League final, Beşiktaş Stadium, Wednesday 2 June 2027Formula 1 in 2027: Turkish Grand Prix returns, race weekend 1-3 October 2027Airport: Istanbul Airport (IST) was voted the best airport in the world in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards
Istanbul scored 95.96 and sits on two continents. The Historic Areas of Istanbul were inscribed by UNESCO in 1985. In 2027 the city hosts the UEFA Conference League final at Beşiktaş Stadium on Wednesday 2 June, and Formula 1’s Turkish Grand Prix returns on the 1-3 October weekend. Readers also voted Istanbul Airport (IST) the best airport in the world.
Go ifHistory that spans two continents, plus a football final and a Grand Prix in 2027
Skip ifYou want a city fully inside the European Union
Why #2 over #3: Istanbul scored 95.96 against 95.76 for Valletta, and adds two major sporting events in 2027.
3
Valletta, Malta
Photo: TerryDOtt / CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe smallest city in the top three, and last year’s winner.
Readers’ Choice score: 95.76 out of 100UNESCO World Heritage site: City of Valletta (inscribed 1980)Last year: Readers named it the best city in Europe the year before
Valletta, Malta’s small walled capital, scored 95.76 after readers named it the best city in Europe the year before. The whole City of Valletta has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980.
Go ifA compact, walkable Baroque capital on the Mediterranean
Skip ifYou want big-city nightlife and shopping
Why #3 over #4: Valletta scored 95.76 against 94.44 for Amsterdam.
4
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Photo: Anne Dirkse (www.annedirkse.com) / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictA new top-five entry in 2026, and third-friendliest city in Europe.
Readers’ Choice score: 94.44 out of 100UNESCO World Heritage site: Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht (inscribed 2010)Friendliest cities in Europe (2026): No. 3, score 97.50
Amsterdam scored 94.44 and is new to the top five in 2026. Its Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring was inscribed by UNESCO in 2010, and readers also ranked it No. 3 in the friendliest cities in Europe, with a score of 97.50.
Go ifCanal walks, museums and a famously friendly welcome
Skip ifYou want warm, reliable beach weather
Why #4 over #5: Amsterdam scored 94.44 against 94.17 for Stockholm.
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Stockholm, Sweden
Photo: Acediscovery / CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictScores well across the board and makes the friendliest list for the first time.
Readers’ Choice score: 94.17 out of 100Setting: 14 islands linked by 57 bridgesUNESCO World Heritage sites: Skogskyrkogården (inscribed 1994) and the Royal Domain of Drottningholm (inscribed 1991)Airport rail link: Arlanda Express reaches the city in 18 minutesFriendliest cities in Europe (2026): No. 4, score 96.67
Stockholm scored 94.17. The Swedish capital is spread across 14 islands linked by 57 bridges, and the Arlanda Express train reaches the city from the airport in 18 minutes. Two UNESCO World Heritage sites are nearby, Skogskyrkogården (1994) and the Royal Domain of Drottningholm (1991), and placed No. 4 in the friendliest cities in Europe with 96.67.
Go ifA capital built on water, with an 18-minute airport train
Skip ifYou are on a tight budget
Why #5 over #6: Stockholm scored 94.17 against 93.97 for Madrid.
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Madrid, Spain
Photo: Zarateman / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictHosts both the Champions League final and a Formula 1 weekend in 2027.
Readers’ Choice score: 93.97 out of 1002027 event: UEFA Champions League final, Estadio Metropolitano, Saturday 5 June 2027Formula 1 in 2027: Madrid race weekend, 10-12 September 2027UNESCO World Heritage site: Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences (inscribed 2021)
Madrid scored 93.97. It hosts the UEFA Champions League final at the Estadio Metropolitano on Saturday 5 June 2027 and a Formula 1 race weekend on 10-12 September 2027. The Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2021.
Go ifArt galleries, tapas and the biggest football match of 2027
Skip ifYou want the sea: Madrid is inland
Why #6 over #7: Madrid scored 93.97 against 92.78 for Porto, and hosts the Champions League final in 2027.
7
Porto, Portugal
Photo: Krzysztof Golik / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictVoted the friendliest city in Europe, with a 98.33 friendliness score.
Readers’ Choice score: 92.78 out of 100Friendliest cities in Europe (2026): No. 1, score 98.33UNESCO World Heritage site: Historic Centre of Oporto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar (inscribed 1996)
Porto scored 92.78 for best city and was voted the friendliest city in Europe, with a score of 98.33. The Historic Centre of Oporto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996.
Go ifPort wine, river views and the friendliest welcome in Europe
Skip ifYou want a big capital city
Why #7 over #8: Porto scored 92.78 against 92.70 for Vienna, and has the top friendliness score at 98.33.
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Vienna, Austria
Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de / CC BY-SA 3.0 de via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictIn the top 10 for the third year in a row, with a record 20,065,000 overnight stays in 2025.
Readers’ Choice score: 92.70 out of 100Overnight stays (2025): 20,065,000, a recordHotels: 450 hotels with about 42,400 roomsUNESCO World Heritage site: Historic Centre of Vienna (inscribed 2001)
Vienna scored 92.70 and is in the top 10 for the third year in a row. The Vienna Tourist Board reports a record 20,065,000 overnight stays in 2025, and the city has 450 hotels with about 42,400 rooms. The Historic Centre of Vienna was inscribed by UNESCO in 2001.
Go ifClassical music, palaces and coffee houses
Skip ifYou want beaches or warm winter weather
Why #8 over #9: Vienna scored 92.70 against 91.70 for Lisbon.
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Lisbon, Portugal
Photo: Dale Cruse - 10M views from San Francisco, CA, USA / CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictNew to the top 10, and the second-friendliest city in Europe.
Readers’ Choice score: 91.70 out of 100Friendliest cities in Europe (2026): No. 2, score 97.60UNESCO World Heritage site: Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon (inscribed 1983)
Lisbon scored 91.70 and is new to the top 10. Readers ranked it No. 2 in the friendliest cities in Europe with 97.60. The Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983.
Go ifHilltop views, trams and fado on a smaller budget
Skip ifYou dislike steep hills
Why #9 over #10: Lisbon scored 91.70 against 90.05 for Monte Carlo.
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Monte Carlo, Monaco
Photo: Gérard Kieffer / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictA new top-10 entry, and 2027 brings Monaco’s first sprint race.
Readers’ Choice score: 90.05 out of 1002027 event: Monaco Grand Prix weekend, 4-6 June 2027, with Monaco’s first Formula 1 sprint race
Monte Carlo scored 90.05, a new entry in the top 10. Its 2027 Grand Prix weekend runs 4-6 June and will include Monaco’s first Formula 1 sprint race.
Go ifLuxury hotels and the Monaco Grand Prix
Skip ifYou are traveling on a budget
How we ranked these
We ranked these cities by their score in the Condé Nast Traveller 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards for the best cities in Europe, highest first. The scores are percentages of overall reader satisfaction, so the order comes from readers’ votes, not from us or from any city. We then added facts from official sources: UNESCO for World Heritage sites, UEFA and the 2027 Formula 1 calendar for events, and tourism boards and Euromonitor for visitor numbers. We left out hotel prices because no single source compares them across all 10 cities. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.
Questions people ask
What is the best city in Europe to visit in 2027?
Paris. It topped the Condé Nast Traveller 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards for the best cities in Europe with a score of 97.14, ahead of Istanbul (95.96) and Valletta (95.76).
Which cities are the European Capitals of Culture in 2027?
Évora in Portugal and Liepāja in Latvia share the European Capital of Culture title for 2027, according to the European Commission.
Which big events are in these cities in 2027?
Madrid hosts the UEFA Champions League final at the Estadio Metropolitano on Saturday 5 June 2027. Istanbul hosts the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday 2 June 2027 and the Turkish Grand Prix weekend on 1-3 October. Monaco’s Grand Prix weekend runs 4-6 June 2027.
What is the friendliest city in Europe?
Porto. Readers voted it the friendliest city in Europe in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards with a score of 98.33, ahead of Lisbon (97.60) and Amsterdam (97.50).
Readers’ Choice score, best cities in Europe (2026) at a glance
Monte Carlo, Monaco90.05 score out of 100
Lisbon, Portugal91.7 score out of 100
Vienna, Austria92.7 score out of 100
Porto, Portugal92.78 score out of 100
Madrid, Spain93.97 score out of 100
Stockholm, Sweden94.17 score out of 100
Amsterdam, Netherlands94.44 score out of 100
Valletta, Malta95.76 score out of 100
Istanbul, Turkey95.96 score out of 100
Paris, France97.14 score out of 100
Readers’ Choice score, best cities in Europe (2026), as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.
