Now that each nation in Europe has reopened with out restrictions and overseas travellers are exhibiting a powerful curiosity in visiting the “Outdated World,” the massive query is…the place to go among the many innumerable presents of metropolis break locations, romantic getaways, nature, seashores, small cities, cultural and gourmand itineraries?

With greater than 400 European locations on the listing, and based mostly on a document variety of some 700,000 votes from travellers representing 78 international locations, the European Greatest Locations (EBD) group has launched its listing of the 20 trendiest locations in Europe for 2023 that will help you plan your journey alone, with household or buddies.

Incomes a document variety of votes, Warsaw, Poland, seems on the high of the listing, adopted by Athens (Greece), Maribor (Slovenia), Vienna (Austria) and Cittadella, (Italy) taking the primary 5 spots.

Chosen for his or her development in reputation on social networks over the previous 12 months, rising numbers of tourists, high quality of life, sustainable improvement and year-round cultural enchantment, the 20 profitable locations will likely be promoted all year long and are licensed to show the title “European Greatest Vacation spot.”

Working with the European Fee since 2009 to advertise sustainable tourism and in partnership with greater than 300 tourism workplaces in Europe and the European Comission’s EDEN Community, (Awarded Sustainable Locations), EBD additionally organizes a few of the important tourism competitions in Europe, together with Greatest European Christmas Markets, Greatest European Seashores, Most Romantic locations and Greatest European Ski Resorts.

These are EBD’s 20 Greatest European Locations:

1. Warsaw, Poland

Stunning, pleasant, inexperienced, open-minded, good for a household metropolis break, a cultural metropolis break, a purchasing expertise or a romantic keep, Warsaw, the #1 European Greatest Vacation spot 2023 has one thing to supply everybody.

“Take a stroll in its lovely parks, chill out on its metropolis seashores, benefit from its nice gastronomic provide, come at any time of the yr and revel in its wealthy calendar of occasions,” EBD advises.

Be dazzled by its emblematic locations together with the Outdated City Market Sq. and its colourful buildings, the Palace of Tradition and Science (the tallest constructing in Poland), Lazienki Park and its palaces, pavilions and orangeries.

Throughout your keep, don’t miss a stroll to “Krakowskie Przedmieście” essentially the most prestigious avenue in Warsaw. And go to The Warsaw Barbican, the historic fortifications that after encircled Warsaw.

If touring with household, you’ll want to go to Warsaw Zoo and take a dip at Moczydlo Water Park with its slides, wave swimming pools and different water actions.

Warsaw is taken into account one of many most secure metropolis breaks in Europe – thrice safer than Paris, twice as protected as Rome and even safer than Vienna.

2. Athens, Greece

The capital of Greece is a must-see vacation spot for a lot of purpose, not just for having served because the cradle of democracy and philosophy but additionally as a result of it’s legitimately believed that the blue of the ocean, the unimaginable landscapes and the gorgeous daylight all assist elevate the spirit and supply an escape each day cares.

Athens is a complicated cosmopolitan hub with wonderful gastronomic delights, electrifying nightlife, inventive vibes and a booming artwork scene. It’s a creative beacon of the traditional world with spectacular Mediterranean landscapes. Athens can be one of many Greatest Road Artwork Locations in Europe.

Throughout your keep, don’t miss the Most Stunning Seashores in Greece, Greatest Hidden Gems in Greece, Most Stunning Islands in Greece and Greatest Pure Wonders in Greece.

3. Maribor, Slovenia

Maribor ranks as one of the lovely Slovenian locations among the many European Greatest Locations 2023.

Town of Maribor is a captivating cultural and culinary heart within the northeastern area of the nation. Town’s deep historic roots date again to the Center Ages, and the outdated metropolis heart presents a wealthy architectural heritage and a wealth of genuine experiences.

The locals are notably pleased with their Guinness World Document standing because the oldest grapevine on this planet.

Maribor was the European Capital of Tradition in 2012 and has a fame as a contented and hospitable metropolis, internet hosting quite a few worldwide cultural and sporting occasions all year long.

The picturesque pure surroundings presents limitless alternatives for climbing, biking, snowboarding, and different adrenaline-boosting sports activities.

Want one more reason to go to Maribor in 2023? It has been awarded the title of Greatest Culinary Vacation spot in Europe.

4. Vienna, Austria

Vienna is a perfect vacation spot for love: horse-drawn carriage rides, visits to town’s royal palaces and, within the night, a waltz to the sound of Strauss’s Blue Danube will transport you to the time of the Empress Sissi.

Vienna can be the right metropolis for a glowing, unique break for buddies, households, lovers and singles.

An brazenly gay-friendly metropolis, it’s additionally one of many most secure cities in Europe. The sensation of safety could be very sturdy and Vienna is thought for its high quality of life and low crime charge.

“We love Vienna in spring and summer time, with its parks labeled among the many most lovely metropolis parks in Europe, just like the “Prater” park — house to one of the lovely Ferris wheels on the continent.”

It’s additionally thought of to be top-of-the-line locations for a wedding proposal.

Do you wish to meet folks? Head to the Palmenhaus. Along with being the most important greenhouse in Europe, it homes a bar for lighter cocktails and a super-trendy restaurant of Austrian specialties.

5. Cittadella, Italy

Cittadella is just not solely essentially the most lovely walled metropolis in Europe, but additionally its best-preserved.

Positioned within the coronary heart of the Veneto Area in Northern Italy, it enjoys a strategic place as a result of it’s near crucial cities within the space: an hour’s drive from Venice and Verona, and simply three hours by automobile to Milan and Florence.

From Cittadella, it’s straightforward attain each the ocean of the Venetian Lagoon and the Dolomite mountains for a nice day journey. It’s additionally a great place to begin to go to the Veneto and all of Northern Italy.

Based in 1220, its origins are medieval, which explains the historic worth of its partitions, which in 2020 celebrated 800 years of historical past. Cittadella is Europe’s solely walled metropolis with a medieval walkway, elliptical in form and utterly walkable.

6. Essen, Germany

Essen is Germany’s third-greenest metropolis and the continent’s Capital of Tradition 2010, an ongoing European Inexperienced Capital and a pulsating metropolis on the coronary heart of the Ruhr area.

Right here, city fashionable districts meet historic outdated cities; excessive tradition meets avenue artwork and plush inexperienced meadows and forests meet the incomparable appeal of former collieries.

Additionally in Essen, the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein meets the magnificent Villa Hügel, the previous seat of the economic Krupp household. A high-tech metropolis tour distinctive on this planet additionally takes you to the oldest sculpture of the Virgin Mary on this planet: the Golden Madonna in Essen Cathedral.

Discover the inexperienced south alongside Baldeneysee and the Ruhr Valley or the city north with its industrial tradition and the outdated coal mine settlements.

When you merely wish to unwind, benefit from the tranquillity of the centrally-located, 170-acre Grugapark or the Baldeneysee leisure paradise with its quite a few water sports activities actions.

7. Veszprém, Hungary

Veszprém, the European Capital of Tradition 2023 can be the Greatest Vacation spot to go to in Hungary in 2023 and on the listing of Greatest Household Metropolis Breaks.

Wedged between the wooded slopes of the Bakony Hills and the northern shore of Lake Balaton, it’s a spot of uncommon and distinct pure and environmental property and a lovely cityscape.

This superb metropolis, also referred to as the “Metropolis of Queens,” has been a gathering place for cultures for a thousand years: Discover the modern artwork galleries, the colourful music scene and the various festivals that play a major position in shaping the cultural lifetime of town.

Cosy cafés, atmospheric bistros and first-rate eating places are to be explored.

For a particular household expertise comply with the indicators for Veszprém Zoo.

8. London, U.Ok.

After Brexit, Covid and border closures, it’s excessive time to rediscover London in 2023, certainly one of Europe’s most visited locations.

Like no different place, town brings collectively merchants, enterprise folks, eccentrics, artists, creators, designers, royals and celebrities. Its vacationer provide goes nicely past Huge Ben, the London Eye and Madame Tussauds, which can all the time delight younger and outdated.

Parks of uncommon magnificence ranked among the many most tasty metropolis parks in Europe.

A backdrop to legendary movies like “Notting Hill,” London presents the Portobello flea markets and its colourful homes, famously eccentric neighbourhoods reminiscent of Camden City, tidy industrial streets like Regent Road and Oxford Road and designer, inventive and impartial purchasing districts Carnaby Road, Covent Backyard and the LGBTQ district of Soho.

London theaters are recognized for internet hosting world-renowned performs and musicals.

Spring and summer time are good instances to go to — much less crowded and the parks within the metropolis heart and surrounding areas together with Richmond Park, are chic with blossoming vegetation, historic bushes and deer roaming freely.

9. Grenoble Alps, France

Grenoble boasts an distinctive location, nestled on the coronary heart of emblematic mountain ranges together with Vercors, Chartreuse and Belledonne. A pioneer, modern and provoking metropolis, the Capital of the Alps is continually reinventing itself.

Chosen as the very best inexperienced vacation spot for this yr’s competitors by being awarded by the E.U. title of European Inexperienced Capital, it’s a great vacation spot for an city and nature-based keep.

Accessible and not using a automobile, it presents a delicate stability between tradition, residing arts, open areas and out of doors actions in winter as in summer time (ski touring at ‘Col de Porte’, city via-ferrata on the foothills of the Bastille, canoeing on the Isère river, paragliding in Saint Hilaire du Touvet, evening snowboarding with breathtaking views of Grenoble).

The flattest metropolis in France, Grenoble Alps is well run by by two-wheelers alongside its 450 kilometers of cycle paths and through leisure time, with 21 bike loops sign-posted paths for mountain biking.

The vacation spot is growing ‘low-carbon’ vacation packages pointing at comfortable mobility, and, specifically, biking.

Grenoble can be thought of the very best vacation spot to go to in France in 2023 and it’s ranked among the many Greatest Road Artwork Locations in Europe.

10. Mannheim, Germany

Mannheim on the coronary heart of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan area is an thrilling college metropolis with a multicultural aptitude and a wealthy calendar of occasions.

Referred to as town of squares, Mannheim presents a number of architectural treasures: the baroque palace, a historic water tower and an Artwork Nouveau sq., to call just a few.

Mannheim hosted the very best occasion 2023 and seems because the Greatest Road Artwork Vacation spot in Europe.

A metropolis of tradition and festivals, it attracts theater lovers and techno followers, jazz connoisseurs and cinema buffs. The artwork scene is packed and different, from the Reiss-Engelhorn museum advanced and Kunsthalle artwork gallery to the murals by graffiti artists in an open-air gallery for worldwide avenue artwork.

It’s a inexperienced metropolis on the banks of two rivers that mixes urbanity with leisure actions in nearly solely untouched pure settings.

A spotlight for Mannheim in 2023 is the Federal Backyard Present “BUGA” (April 14 to October 8, 2023) a big laboratory of the way forward for city improvement that goes far past a mere exhibition of vegetation and flowers.

11. Porto-Santo, Madeira Islands

This island, little sister of the primary island of Madeira, is accessible by aircraft or by ferry and presents essentially the most lovely sunsets in Euroe and a sunny local weather nearly all yr spherical.

Porto Santo is an invite to find lovely seashores, historic heritage and geological exuberance.

Referred to as a “golden island” for its 9 kilometers of sandy seaside, Porto Santo is the smallest inhabited island of the Madeira Archipelago, solely an hour and a half flight from Lisbon, within the excessive southwest of Europe, 500 kilometers from the African coast and 1,000 kilometers from the European continent.

Briefly, it’s an ideal place to disconnect, get pleasure from nature, chill out watching the sundown, have an excellent spa remedy, a recreation of golf or a seafaring exercise.

12. Toledo, Spain

Toledo blends eras, kinds and identities as each top-of-the-line medieval locations in Europe and one of many Greatest Erasmus locations in Europe with its world-renowned college.

A younger and historic metropolis, Toledo is genuine and glowing, conventional and trendy.

“Toledo” comes from the Latin phrase “Toletum,” which suggests “fortified inhabitants.” Constructed by the Romans within the 2nd century BC, it’s situated on the heart of Spain, inside straightforward attain of Madrid — solely half-hour away by prepare.

13. Faial, Azores

Searching for wild and inexperienced? Then go for eco-responsible adventures within the Azores. Greener than Iceland, with a average local weather, the Azores are a main vacation spot for nature lovers, out of doors sports activities, climbing — but additionally gastronomy and even for lovers since these islands are ranked among the many greatest wedding ceremony locations in Europe.

Thought of by the European Fee as a European Vacation spot of Excellence (EDEN), Faial presents lovely landscapes, distinctive birds and vegetation and iconic geological formations, all surrounded by an impressive blue sea.

With Sao Jorges and Pico, they type a triptych of distinctive islands in the course of the Atlantic Ocean. A spot the place sailors crossing the ocean wish to cease over for just a few days…or a lifetime.

The biodiversity of Faial is wealthy: 855 vascular plant species, 57 of that are endemic. The ocean of Faial is a unprecedented mosaic of colours, shadows, sounds and life within the type of cetaceans, seabirds, sharks and different inhabitants.

14. Rhodes, Greece

The island of Rhodes is an ideal vacation spot for lovers of outdated stones, fortresses, turquoise sea and castles. This medieval metropolis is certainly one of Europe’s greatest preserved, so price a to the Palace of the Grand Grasp, the Historic Acropolis of Lindos and the historic Rhodes Outdated City. Or simply chill out on Agios Pavlos or Tsambika seashores.

Rhodes is likely one of the most lovely islands in Greece in addition to of all Europe. An ideal vacation spot for every type of vacationers. And it’s sunny from Might till late September and presents pure wonders like “Kallithea,” the Butterfly Valley, and Lindos Village & Seven Springs.

15. Copenhagen, Denmark

One of many trendiest capitals in Europe, Copenhagen bursts with hidden gems: the thrift shops, impartial boutiques, the Tivoli Backyard, ranked among the many greatest amusement parks in Europe, and a legendary canal with its romantic cruises.

There are lots of actions and experiences to get pleasure from in Copenhagen. As one of many culinary capitals of the world, town is house to a few of the greatest eating places on this planet and is the middle of craft beer.

16. Tossa de Mar, Spain

Blue sky, blue sea and wonderful sand, pine forest and medieval partitions characterize Spain’s Tossa de Mar, one of many standout gems of the Costa Brava and one of the lovely secret locations in Spain.

Positioned simply 1 1/2 hours from Barcelona, it presents a number of wonderful, golden-sand seashores and an impressive medieval citadel because the candy scent of pine bushes floats by the gorgeous fishing village.

17. Ascona-Locarno, Switzerland

Ascona-Locarno is described as “a bit of nook of paradise” in its lovely and peaceable pure setting. It additionally counts on a wealthy cultural, gastronomic and sporting custom.

Positioned within the Swiss a part of Lake Maggiore, together with Brissago and different small villages, it prides itself on its quite a few pure magnificence spots. Due to the unique flowers and vegetation from all of the continents, the Botanical Backyard of the Brissago Island is a significant attraction.

Close to the lakeshore and the centre of Locarno lies the Camellia Park with over 900 species of vegetation, a few of that are very uncommon.

Locarno is acknowledged worldwide for its Worldwide Movie Pageant, the most important cultural occasion in Switzerland. It additionally has a powerful hyperlink with flowers and nature lovers are drawn to the spectacular shows of camellias, mimosas and magnolias.

18. Milos, Greece

Milos Island has been voted as top-of-the-line locations for a dream vacation in Greece. It additionally seems as one of many Greatest Pure Swimming pools in Europe and Greatest Seashores in Europe.

It counts as nicely with one of many Greatest Sculptures in Europe: the Venus of Milo now exhibited in Paris was found by a peasant on the island.

Milos can be ranked among the many Most Stunning Islands in Greece.

A calming day on the gorgeous seaside of Sarakiniko beckons, or on essentially the most unique seaside of Firiplaka. For historical past lovers, there’s the Historic Theatre of Milos and the Milos Archaeological Museum.

19. Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is likely one of the most visited cities in Europe, providing markets, cafes, eating places, monuments, quaint boutiques, attractive solar rises. Given the variety of guests, EBD suggests an early begin to see Prague from a special perspective.

Town is ranked among the many Greatest Christmas Markets in Europe, greatest locations to rejoice New Yr’s Eve, greatest honeymoon locations in Europe, greatest locations to suggest and greatest fairy story locations in Europe.

20. Sóller, Spain

Sóller on the island of Mallorca is certainly one of Europe’s most interesting hidden treasures – named as a greatest honeymoon locations in Europe, and greatest hidden gems in Spain, but additionally greatest biking locations in Europe and greatest locations to go to by prepare in Europe. (The little prepare that goes as much as the highest of the mountain is charming and genuine and can enchantment to the entire household.)

Sóller has additionally been ranked among the many greatest locations to retire in Europe.

Thought of essentially the most lovely village on the island, surrounded by mountains, quiet and peaceable nature, it presents nice walks, climbing and good meals for a household vacation.

Though remoted, Sóller is nicely linked to Palma de Mallorca, by many strains of trams and buses.

Additional additional data:

Mannheim can be awarded greatest occasion in Europe 2023 & Greatest Road Artwork Vacation spot, Maribor Greatest Culinary Vacation spot in Europe, Greece is with Spain the preferred nation with 3 locations inside the high 20,

Reported to its inhabitants Cittadella is the vacation spot which collects the best variety of votes, exhibiting {that a} small vacation spot can rise to the very best locations in a European rating.

Athens is for the 2nd time within the high 3 favorite locations of travellers, additionally it is awarded among the many greatest avenue artwork locations in Europe. Greece is essentially the most searched nation on EBD throughout the previous 12 months and is awarded #1 Greatest Nation to go to in Europe with #2.Portugal #3.Italy #Spain, #France.

Veszprém, voted among the many 10 Greatest Locations to go to in Europe can be awarded by the EU the title of European Capital of Tradition and has been voted Greatest Vacation spot to go to in Hungary in 2023.

After Brexit and Covid, London is again within the high 10 favorite locations of travellers.

Athens, Rhodes, Milos, 3 Greek locations are high listed by travellers amongst their 20 favorite locations in Europe.

Spain is following it with Toledo, Tossa de Mar and Soller. #Spain can be ranked within the #5 Greatest International locations to go to in Europe in 2023 (4th place, following Italy).

Portugal continues to be a high vacation spot to go to in Europe with this yr 2 smaller however engaging locations favoured by travellers: Porto Santo (Madeira Islands) and Faial (Azores – Sustainable Tourism).

The optimistic suggestions of this promotion is just not solely to the primary awarded vacation spot, Marbella loved a worldwide promotion of + 2 million euros in solely 2 months following the 2022 version and Locations ranked within the high 20 loved vacationer growths of as much as +25% because of this recognition.

Awarded locations will likely be promoted on essentially the most visited web site devoted to tourism and tradition in Europe for 10 years in a row in addition to in media prestigious journey media to a cumulative viewers of +/- 420 hundreds of thousands of travellers (estimation based mostly on previous yr version).

Official publication at 4PM Brussels native time this tenth February, because the hole between the primary and 2nd vacation spot have gotten extra essential we’ll possibly inform Warsaw of it this ninth or tenth within the morning for them to get ready as nicely.

Anyway: on the tenth February at midday you’ll have all of the correct figures however you’ll be able to have already got an entry to the photographs and texts, just some datas will change (complete nb of votes and complete nb of sharing of the voting web page).