Travelling can be stressful. Sometimes it’s worth a few hard days to discover a place that might change your life, but we’re not always in pursuit of self-discovery and transformation. Often, we just want a holiday that’s going to help us unwind and return home feeling more positive.
BookRetreats, a yoga travel agency, has developed what it calls a ‘Holiday Happiness Index’. It measures holiday spots on five different criteria: amount of sunlight, quality of sleep, how healthy the region’s diet is, how much time you can spend in nature and opportunities to exercise. Forty-seven destinations were marked in every category, then compared against eachother.
Lisbon named the world’s happiest place to visit
After crunching all that data, Lisbon came out on top as the happiest city to visit. According to BookRetreats, it ‘excels across multiple feel-good factors’, with food being a particular draw.
The Portuguese capital is full of healthy restaurants, coming second overall in this category. It’s also ‘compact and easy to navigate on foot’, and although those steep hills may not be what you feel like tackling after a hearty meal, they do keep you fit.
On top of that, there are plenty of green spaces – nearly four times as many as Madrid – and there is sun for 2,828 hours of the year. In short, Lisbon scores highly in every aspect of the Happiness Index, making it a clear winner.
Helsinki offers unbeatable connection to nature
In second place was Helsinki, which is particularly strong in the ‘connection to nature’ category. Finland is a famously happy place, so it’s no surprise to see it performing well in this study. BookRetreats highlights the ‘lush parks and tree-lined boulevards’ which ‘blend seamlessly with forest trails’, and note that Helsinki’s ‘calm pace of life’ is what makes it ideal for travellers looking for a tranquil break.
Orlando claimed third place. As long as you are able to avoid the throngs of small children, this Florida city can actually offer a pretty chill time. Yes, there are plenty of theme parks to keep you busy, but there are also loads of green spaces, beaches, and sunshine nearly year-round.
The top five ‘happiest’ holiday destinations in the world
1. Lisbon, Portugal
2. Helsinki, Finland
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Athens, Greece
5. Edinburgh, Scotland
You can have a look at BookRetreat’s full study on its website now.
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