2024’s best European capital city to visit as a tourist is Lisbon, a new ranking has shown.
The capital of Portugal has been a captivating destination for many for a long time now, with its vibrant architecture, stunning landscapes, and warm weather. When compared to other capital cities in the continent, Lisbon turns out to be amongst the most budget-friendly options, the safest and friendliest for tourists, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
An annual ranking by VisaGuide.World based on the things travelers value most when visiting Europe, has pointed out that Lisbon is now the best capital to visit, with a score of only 29.83. In 2024, travellers can visit the city with a weekly budget of only €385, though the same are poised to increase next year due to inflation and the upcoming €4 per night tourist tax.
The ranking points out that Lisbon’s residents are renowned for their warmth, just behind Spaniards and Italians, and the same have impressive English language knowledge, second only to the Dutch, excluding Britons.
Portugal’s Post-Pandemic Tourism on the Rise
In February this year, the tourist accommodation sector in Portugal accounted for 1.8 million guests and 4.3 million overnight stays, amounting to €276.4 million in total revenue and €202.1 million in revenue from accommodation, an increase of around 13 per cent for each of the latter two.
According to Portugal’s National Institute of Statistics (INE), the top main external markets are the UK and Germany.
All regions recorded an increase in overnight stays, with greater expression in Oeste e Vale do Tejo (+17.2 per cent) and RA Açores (+14 per cent). The smallest increases were registered in Alentejo (+1.5 per cent) and Centro (+1.7 per cent).
For years now, Lisbon has been the most visited Portuguese region by international travelers. In 2022, the city received a total of 5.4 million overnight visitors, whereas in 2023, their number grew to almost 6.5 million foreign guests.
Europe’s Top 10 Best Capitals to Visit
The annual ranking by VisaGuide.World has listed the following European capitals as the top best ten to visit as a tourist:
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Amsterdam, the Netherlands,
- Prague, Czechia
- Warsaw, Poland
- Madrid, Spain
- Zagreb, Croatia
- London, the United Kingdom
- Rome, Italy
- Bern, Switzerland
- Paris, France
While last year Amsterdam was listed first, the city now ranks second, due to a few factors. The report points out that travellers now need more money to visit Amsterdam – €465 instead of only €315 like last year – while the same has also experienced a drop in friendliness towards tourists.
Compared to last year, the ranking consists of the same eight cities, which of course have switched positions. Two capitals, on the other hand, Berlin and Vienna have been dropped from the list, and instead, Bern and Warsaw have joined.
