A happy place for most people is probably wherever they are taking their next holiday break! However, a new survey has identified the 'happiest' holiday destinations across the globe.
BookRetreats.com's new Holiday Happiness Index, created along with Harvard-affiliated clinical psychologist Dr Natalie Dattilo-Ryan, examined 47 destinations worldwide.
The rankings were based on criteria associated with the body's "feel-good" hormones: sunshine, sleep quality, healthy eating, time spent in nature, and walkability. Each was weighted equally, and destinations were given a happiness score out of 100.
The ten happiest holiday destinations were:
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Helsinki, Finland
- Orlando, USA
- Athens, Greece
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Madrid, Spain
- Vienna, Austria
- Budapest, Hungary
- Oslo, Norway
- Vilnius, Lithuania
Top five focus:
Lisbon: Assessed as the best, with nearly 10% of city restaurants classified as "healthy", the second-highest in ranking and outperforming gastronomy hubs such as Paris, Tokyo, and New York.
The city is regarded as easy to navigate on foot, with panoramic viewpoints that reward slow exploration. Despite the hilly terrain, the main sights, such as Praça do Comércio to Belém Tower, can be reached on foot in a few hours. Lisbon also offers 49 m² of green area per person, almost four times more than Madrid.
Helsinki: With the Finnish nation crowned the world's happiest for eight consecutive years, it is no surprise the capital ranks so well. If its parks and nature you crave, then Helsinki offers around 126 m² of green space per person, more than double that of Austria.
Peace and quiet are equally abundant. Helsinki tops the index's quality sleep score and has the best score for low noise and light pollution among all destinations. Visitors can easily explore the city on foot, with a 37-minute walk to landmarks including Temppeliaukio Church, Esplanadi, and Kauppatori market. All backed by safe streets, efficient transport, and a culture of trust.
Orlando: Known for its theme parks, Orlando also offers plenty of opportunities to improve wellbeing through nature and outdoor activities. With 148 parks and recreation areas, the highest green-space score in the index of 258 m² of green space per person, it also averages 2,930 hours of sunshine annually.
Visitors can balance thrilling attractions with kayaking, walking trails and botanical gardens. Although it scores lower for healthy dining and sleep quality, its sunshine and outdoor escapes make it an uplifting holiday destination.
Athens: Combining ancient history, sunshine and stunning coastal scenery, Athens is the most walkable destination in the index, scoring a perfect 20/20.
Visitors can explore major landmarks, such as the Acropolis of Athens, Temple of Olympian, Panathenaic Stadium, and the Athens National Garden, on foot, while enjoying 2,773 hours of sunshine a year and sample healthy Mediterranean cuisine.
Its coastal setting is a refreshing alternative, with the Athenian Riviera within easy reach. Athens rounds out a holiday experience that keeps travellers smiling long after they've left.
Edinburgh: As the only UK city in the top 10, Edinburgh earns its place as Britain's happiest holiday destination thanks to its abundant green spaces, walkability, quality sleep and healthy dining options.
With 144 parks and green spaces covering nearly half the city, visitors can explore the Royal Botanic Garden and Pentland Hills Regional Park. A 79-minute walk connects many major attractions, including Edinburgh Castle and the National Museum of Scotland.
The city also scores high for healthy dining options and is among the UK's greenest cities. Visitors can enjoy 78 m² of green space per person, with 1,428 hours of annual sunshine, one of the less sunny spots on the index.
Andy Probert is a British-born, Cyprus-based journalist who covers aviation, hotels, travel, and various topics for publications worldwide.
