- Lisbon is Europe’s best capital city to be a tourist in this year, followed by Amsterdam and Prague.
- Berlin and Vienna are no longer part of the top ten, as they have been replaced by Warsaw and Bern.
- While the rankings have changes, overall, Europe is becoming more expensive, less safe, and less friendly to visit.
After struggling to meet the pre-pandemic levels last year, the travel and tourism industry is expected to fully recover to 2019 levels in 2024. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) even predicts that this year, international tourism will grow two percent above 2019 levels.
Just as in 2023, when it reached 94 percent of pre-2020 levels, Europe will mark a further growth in the following months of this year, as data by the European Travel Commission (ETC), claim that 75 percent of those eager to travel overseas plan to visit Europe.
Europe is a continent where all four seasons occur, from milder summers and harsh winters in its north to Mediterranean Europe, which is characterized by lengthy, sweltering summers and brief winters. Travelers can choose between both or settle for the middle.
With its centuries-long history that has left behind countless castles, temples, old towns and markets, to modern Europe that offers visitors the chance to see sleek skyscrapers and avant-garde cultural centers, Europe’s always a good idea for travel enthusiasts of every type.
However, in a world where travel is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity for one’s personal growth and mental health, travelers are taking more and more factors into consideration before taking a trip to a particular destination, rather than just its beauty and uniqueness.
A report conducted last year by VisaGuide.World had shed light on the things travelers value most when visiting Europe, compiling a list of the continent’s best capital cities to visit as a tourist.
Due to changes that have occurred in the past year, VisaGuide.World has updated the list, coming up with a surprising ranking. According to the same, for 2024, Europe’s best top 10 capital cities to visit as a tourist and their scores are as follows:
| Rank | Country | Capital | Avg Weekly Budget | Tourism Score | Safety Score | English Speaking Score | Friendliness Score | VG City Score |
| 1st | Portugal | Lisbon | €385 | 4.5 | 0.87 | 607 | 0.93 | 29.83 |
| 2nd | Netherlands | Amsterdam | €465 | 4.9 | 0.93 | 647 | 0.86 | 26.16 |
| 3rd | Czechia | Prague | €365 | 4.1 | 1.15 | 565 | 0.4 | 25.92 |
| 4th | Poland | Warsaw | €395 | 3.8 | 1.07 | 598 | 0.64 | 24.67 |
| 5th | Spain | Madrid | €440 | 4.5 | 0.98 | 535 | 0.98 | 24.13 |
| 6th | Croatia | Zagreb | €425 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 603 | 0.51 | 23.58 |
| 7th | UK | London | €575 | 4.8 | 0.96 | 700 | 0.62 | 21.32 |
| 8th | Italy | Rome | €505 | 4.4 | 1.14 | 535 | 0.94 | 20.25 |
| 9th | Switzerland | Bern | €725 | 5.0 | 0.78 | 553 | 0.81 | 15.98 |
| 10th | France | Paris | €640 | 4.5 | 1.03 | 531 | 0.54 | 15.61 |
*The lower the Safety Score, the safer a city is.
Lisbon Is Europe’s Best Capital City to Be a Tourist This Year
For a long time now, Lisbon has been a target in the eyes of well-traveled people, and not in vain. The city is widely known for its colorful buildings, beautiful scenery, and warm climate. However, for travel enthusiasts, in particular post-pandemic and amidst global inflation, Lisbon offers way much more than that.
Placed first in VisaGuide.World’s ranking of Europe’s best capital cities to be a tourist in during 2024, Lisbon is one of the cheapest destinations on this list to visit, with an estimated average of €385 needed to spend a week in the city. Yet, these prices will for sure increase next year due to inflation. In addition, tourists staying in Lisbon will soon have to pay a €4 tax per night spent.
Moreover, its citizens are some of the friendliest, just after Spaniards and Italians, and second best when it comes to English knowledge, just after the Dutch, Britons excluded.
Data from Portugal’s National Institute of Statistics (INE) show that in 2023, the city witnessed a 40.2 percent increase in total revenues and a 43 percent increase in accommodation revenues compared to 2019.
Spain remains the main source of tourists to Lisbon, even in 2023, followed by France and the UK. Outside Europe, Brazil tops the list, followed by the United States.
