Tourism in Europe is expected to reach record levels this year, as forecasts estimate tourists will spend €742.8 billion in 2024.
To provide travellers with the best options for a stress-free vacation, we spoke with the experts at HAYPP as they have created an index study analysing data for seven different variables to reveal Europe’s most stress-free destinations in 2024.
Europe’s top 10 stress-free travel destinations
| Rank | City | Country | Population with Convenient Access to Public Transport (%) | Number of Spas & Wellness Spots | Number of Nature Spots | Beach Areas (km2) | Relaxation Score (/100) |
| 1 | Nice | France | 94.6% | 97 | 49 | 0.5 | 75.4 |
| 2 | Oslo | Norway | 95.3% | 43 | 81 | 0.6 | 75.2 |
| 3 | Vienna | Austria | 97.3% | 112 | 83 | 0.1 | 68.2 |
| 4 | Reykjavik | Iceland | 94.9% | 31 | 32 | 1.8 | 65.7 |
| 5= | Sofia | Bulgaria | 89.8% | 107 | 36 | 0.9 | 62.8 |
| 5= | Marseille | France | 98.1% | 72 | 52 | 0.4 | 62.8 |
| 7 | Porto | Portugal | 89.2% | 69 | 52 | 6.9 | 61.9 |
| 8 | Bologna | Italy | 99.8% | 43 | 48 | 0.0 | 61.0 |
| 9 | Istanbul | Turkey | 76.5% | 366 | 202 | 0.4 | 60.1 |
| 10 | A Coruña | Spain | 93.5% | 6 | 18 | 0.6 | 59.4 |
Anyone looking for a stress-free summer vacation should head to Nice, France. The city is crowned Europe’s most stress-free travel destination after securing a relaxation score of 75.4/100. Situated on the breathtaking French Riviera, Nice provides easy access to public transport, along with 49 nature spots where one can admire its beauty.
Following very closely behind, boasting a relaxation score of 75.2/100, is Oslo, Norway. An ideal destination for anyone who wants to escape the summer heat, Oslo has everything required for a stress-free vacation, having 81 nature spots, as well as 43 spas and wellness spots. And with 95.3% of people having easy access to public transport, exploring the city would be a breeze.
Third on the list is Vienna, Austria, with a relaxation score of 68.2/100. Austria’s capital provides easy public transport access to a whopping 97.3% of the people, which means you don’t have to worry on how to best get around the city. Talking about stress-free, visitors of Vienna can pick from 112 spa and wellness facilities to ensure they go back home fully relaxed.
Yet another European destination to provide shelter from the summer heat, having a relaxation score of 65.7/100, Reykjavik, Iceland places fourth. Providing a variety of spas and wellness spots (32), including hot springs, the city is perfect for a stress-free vacation. With a population of just over 120,000, it’s a lovely destination to avoid crowds and enjoy some peace and quiet.
And rounding off the top five are two cities, Sofia, Bulgaria and Marseille, France, both achieving a relaxation score of 62.8/100. For those who like to enjoy wellness treatments, Sofia has 107 spots to choose from, 35 more compared to Marseille (72).
If you’d prefer to spend time in nature, Marseille might be the better choice, as it provides 16 more nature spots (52) than Sofia (36).
