Lisbon Named the World’s Happiest Holiday Destination
Most travel rankings reward landmarks and nightlife. A new one asks a different question: where will you actually feel happiest on holiday? The Holiday Happiness Index from BookRetreats.com, developed with Harvard-affiliated clinical psychologist Dr Natalie Dattilo-Ryan, puts Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, at the top.
How the index works
The index analysed 47 destinations worldwide across five factors scientifically linked to the body’s “feel-good” hormones:
- Sunlight
- Sleep quality
- Healthy eating
- Time in nature
- Walkability
Each factor was weighted equally to produce a single happiness score out of 100.
Why Lisbon came first
Lisbon’s win comes down to a strong showing across several categories:
- Healthy food. Almost 10% of the city’s restaurants are classed as “healthy”, the second-highest share in the index, ahead of food capitals like Paris, Tokyo and New York.
- Walkability. Despite its famously hilly terrain, Lisbon is compact enough that most major sights, from Praça do Comércio to Belém Tower, are within a couple of hours of each other on foot.
- Green space. There are 49 square metres per person, nearly four times more than Madrid.
- Beaches. Costa da Caparica and Cascais are easy to reach.
- Sunshine. The city gets a hefty 2,828 hours a year.
The rest of the top five
- Helsinki, Finland (2nd). Crowned the world’s happiest country for eight years running, and excellent for green space and low noise pollution.
- Orlando, USA (3rd). More green space per person than anywhere else in the index, and nearly 2,930 hours of annual sunshine.
- Athens, Greece (4th). The single most walkable city in the ranking, with the joint-highest share of healthy restaurants.
- Edinburgh, Scotland (5th). The only UK entry in the top ten, praised for its parks, sleep quality and walkability.
The full top 10
| Rank |
Destination |
| 1 |
Lisbon |
| 2 |
Helsinki |
| 3 |
Orlando |
| 4 |
Athens |
| 5 |
Edinburgh |
| 6 |
Madrid |
| 7 |
Vienna |
| 8 |
Budapest |
| 9 |
Oslo |
| 10 |
Vilnius |
Notably, eight of the ten are European cities, and sunshine alone doesn’t decide the order. Helsinki and Edinburgh place highly on the strength of green space, quiet and sleep.
What to take from it
The index is a fun way to think about travel, but it’s not a verdict on where you will be happiest. It rewards cities that are walkable, green and good for sleep and healthy eating, so it suits travellers who value a restful, active trip over a packed sightseeing list. If that sounds like you, the top ten is a useful shortlist.
The bottom line
Lisbon combines sunshine, sea, green space, walkable streets and a surprisingly healthy food scene, which makes its first place easy to understand. If you’re planning a trip designed to lift your mood, it’s a strong place to start.
Source: BookRetreats.com Holiday Happiness Index, as reported by Time Out (Roisin Teeling, 24 September 2026).
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