Porto is Europe’s friendliest city in 2026, according to the readers of Condé Nast Traveller. In the magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards, published on 6 October 2026, Porto scored 98.33 out of 100 and finished first among European cities, ahead of Lisbon (97.60), Amsterdam (97.50), Stockholm (96.67) and Valletta (95.00). In the magazine’s separate world ranking, Porto came second, behind only Melbourne (98.52). Euronews reported the result on 14 October 2026.
This guide gives you the full list of the 15 friendliest cities in Europe with every score, explains what the numbers can and cannot tell you, compares Porto with Lisbon, covers the costs that matter (tourist tax, trains, airport links) and links to the latest cheap flights we found to Porto and Lisbon from the Baltics, Poland and beyond.
- Top three in Europe: Porto (98.33), Lisbon (97.60), Amsterdam (97.50). Stockholm (96.67) and Valletta (95.00) complete the top five.
- Who ran it: the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, published 6 October 2026. The scores are percentages that represent overall average satisfaction.
- World ranking: Melbourne 98.52, Porto 98.33, Seoul 97.94, Lisbon 97.50, Amsterdam 97.35. Only three European cities reach the world top 10.
- Friendliest countries in Europe: Ireland (98.39), Portugal (96.67), Italy (96.54), Greece (96.31), Spain (95.63).
- New in the top 15: Stockholm, which the magazine says is on the friendliest list for the first time.
- Costs to know: tourist tax of €4 per night in Lisbon and €3 in Porto, both for up to seven nights. The direct train between the two cities takes about 2h40 to 3h15.
- The catch: it is a reader vote, not a scientific survey. Porto beats Lisbon by only 0.73 points.
Europe’s 15 friendliest cities in 2026: the full ranking
Condé Nast Traveller asked its readers where in Europe they had the warmest welcome. Here is the complete top 15 with the magazine’s scores.
| Rank | City | Country | Score | Our deals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porto | Portugal | 98.33 | Porto deals |
| 2 | Lisbon | Portugal | 97.60 | Lisbon deals |
| 3 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 97.50 | Amsterdam deals |
| 4 | Stockholm | Sweden | 96.67 | Stockholm deals |
| 5 | Valletta | Malta | 95.00 | Malta deals |
| 6 | Edinburgh | Scotland | 94.55 | Edinburgh deals |
| 7 | Vienna | Austria | 91.43 | Vienna deals |
| 8 | Kraków | Poland | 91.43 | Kraków deals |
| 9 | Palma | Spain | 90.00 | Palma deals |
| 10 | Granada | Spain | 88.57 | Spain deals |
| 11 | Genoa | Italy | 88.18 | Genoa deals |
| 12 | Cork | Ireland | 88.05 | Cork deals |
| 13 | Paris | France | 87.46 | Paris deals |
| 14 | Rome | Italy | 87.38 | Rome deals |
| 15 | Reykjavík | Iceland | 87.14 | Reykjavík deals |
Vienna and Kraków finished level on 91.43, and the magazine lists Vienna first. Euronews published the same 15 places in the same order but without scores. The scores come from Condé Nast Traveller’s own ranking page.
What the 2026 numbers actually show
A ranking is only useful if you read the gaps, not just the order. Here is what stands out in the scores.
- A tight top five, then a cliff. The top five span just 3.33 points (98.33 to 95.00) and Edinburgh is sixth on 94.55. Vienna in seventh is 3.12 points lower, the biggest gap anywhere in the list.
- Porto’s lead is small. Porto beats Lisbon by 0.73 points, and Lisbon beats Amsterdam by only 0.10. Treat the top three as a close race, not a clear gap.
- Portugal is the standout. It has the first and second city, and it is also second among the friendliest countries (see below).
- The bottom of the list is very tight. Paris (87.46), Rome (87.38) and Reykjavík (87.14) are within 0.32 points of each other, and 11.19 points behind Porto.
- The list is spread out. The 15 cities come from 12 countries (counting Scotland separately). Portugal, Spain and Italy have two cities each.
- One newcomer. Condé Nast Traveller says Stockholm made the friendliest list for the first time this year.
Porto beats Portugal; most other cities trail their country
Condé Nast Traveller also ran a vote on Europe’s friendliest countries. Comparing the two lists shows something unusual about Portugal: it is the only one of the five countries that appear in both top lists where the best-placed city scores higher than the country itself.
Ireland is the most striking opposite case. It is the friendliest country in Europe (98.39), yet Cork, its best-placed city, is only 12th on 88.05. The two votes are separate, so this does not mean Ireland is less friendly in its cities. It shows that a country’s reputation and a city’s reputation are judged on different things.
Europe’s friendliest countries in 2026
According to Condé Nast Traveller’s countries ranking, 300,000 readers voted. These are the top 10:
| Rank | Country | Score | Note from the magazine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ireland | 98.39 | Third year in the top three, first after two years in second place |
| 2 | Portugal | 96.67 | The magazine says the Portuguese people are stealing the show |
| 3 | Italy | 96.54 | Up from seventh place in 2025 |
| 4 | Greece | 96.31 | Praised for philoxenia, the Greek word for hospitality |
| 5 | Spain | 95.63 | Locals described as easy-going and keen to talk to strangers |
| 6 | Türkiye | 95.59 | Spans Europe and Asia |
| 7 | Estonia | 93.84 | Debuted in 2025 and went straight to first place |
| 8 | Slovenia | 93.27 | English widely spoken, low crime, lower prices than some neighbours |
| 9 | Croatia | 92.18 | New entry in the top 10 |
| 10 | Austria | 91.49 | The “Lebensgefühl” idea of enjoying life, shared with visitors |
For readers in the Baltics: Estonia is seventh among countries, but no Baltic capital appears in the cities top 15.
The world ranking: only three European cities make the top 10
Condé Nast Traveller also ranked the friendliest cities in the world. Time Out reported the list on 7 October 2026 and says Lisbon climbed from eighth place last year to fourth. Porto, Lisbon and Amsterdam are the only European cities in the top 10.
Where the ranking comes from, and what it cannot tell you
The Readers’ Choice Awards are Condé Nast Traveller’s annual vote. For this category, readers are asked where they had the warmest welcome. The magazine publishes a score for each city, which it describes as a percentage representing overall average satisfaction.
Three things are worth knowing before you quote or rely on the numbers:
- It measures reputation among readers, not local behaviour. The voters are travellers who chose to take part. Nobody measured how locals treated visitors, and the pages we checked do not say how many people voted on the cities list. The 300,000 figure belongs to the vote on countries.
- Different lists give slightly different scores. On the magazine’s Europe page, Lisbon scores 97.60 and Amsterdam 97.50. In the world ranking as reported by Time Out and IamExpat, they score 97.50 and 97.35. We could not open the magazine’s world page directly, so check which list a figure comes from before you repeat it.
- The news coverage is thinner than the source. Euronews reported the order of the 15 cities but not their scores, so the gaps between cities only show up on Condé Nast Traveller’s own page.
That does not make the ranking worthless. A reader vote that puts the same two cities near the top of both the European and the world lists is a good sign that visitors keep coming away from Portugal with warm stories, and it matches Portugal’s second place among countries. It is simply not proof that Porto is exactly 0.73 points friendlier than Lisbon.
Porto: Europe’s friendliest city in 2026
The magazine describes Porto as one of the few non-capitals on its list. It points to the pastel-coloured houses along the Douro and an atmosphere it calls less manicured and more genuine than the rest. It tells readers they voted Porto the friendliest city in all of Europe, and, as quoted by Euronews, suggests sharing petiscos, small plates of local food, with residents in a neighbourhood restaurant. Euronews also quotes the magazine as saying the result reflects Porto’s rise as a city-break refuge for food and culture lovers.
How to experience the welcome in Porto
- Eat petiscos in a neighbourhood restaurant rather than on the busiest riverfront terrace. Small plates are made for sharing and for conversation.
- Walk into São Bento station to see its blue-and-white tile panels. It costs nothing, and your direct train from Lisbon arrives at Campanhã, a few minutes away by suburban train.
- Plan around São João, Porto’s big street celebration on the night of 23 to 24 June. The 24th is a city holiday.
Getting to Porto and around
From the airport, the Violet Line (Line E) metro runs into the centre in about 30 minutes to Trindade, with no change needed. Porto charges a municipal tourist tax of €3 per person per night for guests over 13, for up to seven consecutive nights. In a report dated 30 September 2026, the city council was starting a review of the rules that could raise it to €4, but no new amount had been set.
Our latest fare example: flights from Riga to Porto from €122 return with Norwegian, posted on 9 October 2026. See all our Porto flight and hotel deals.
Lisbon: second in Europe, fourth in the world
The magazine describes Lisbon as a city of tumbling alleys, soulful fado music and creamy pastéis de nata, built on hills above the Tagus. It says the people tie it all together: a youthful, inclusive atmosphere runs through the steep neighbourhoods, and it recommends the café culture, where groups gather for a ritual morning espresso. Visiting during the Festival of Saint Anthony, when cobbled streets fill with open-air parties, is its other tip.
How to experience the welcome in Lisbon
- Time a visit for Santo António, the city’s mid-June festival. The festivities peak on the night of 12 June, and 13 June is a city holiday. Neighbourhoods such as Alfama, Mouraria and Graça hold street parties.
- Start the day in a local café. A coffee at the counter is the quickest way into the daily rhythm the magazine describes.
- Use the hills as a reason to slow down. Viewpoints over Alfama are a good place to end an afternoon, as the photo above shows.
Getting to Lisbon and around
Lisbon’s Red Line metro stops at the airport. The city charges a tourist tax of €4 per person per night, for up to seven nights, and children under 13 are exempt. The rate doubled from €2 in September 2024.
Our latest fare examples: Riga to Lisbon from €185 return with SAS / CityJet (17 October 2026) and non-stop Vilnius to Lisbon from €199 return with airBaltic (24 September 2026). See all Lisbon deals.
Porto or Lisbon? A side-by-side comparison
Both cities are in the world top five of the same vote, so the better question is which one suits the trip you want. This table puts the verified facts next to each other.
| Porto | Lisbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Europe rank and score | 1st, 98.33 | 2nd, 97.60 |
| World rank and score | 2nd, 98.33 | 4th, 97.50 |
| The magazine’s portrait | Pastel houses on the Douro; less manicured, more genuine | Seven hills, alleys, fado and pastéis de nata; youthful, inclusive |
| Big local celebration | São João, night of 23 to 24 June | Santo António, around 12 to 13 June |
| Tourist tax | €3 a night, over 13s, up to 7 nights (under review) | €4 a night, up to 7 nights, under 13s exempt |
| Airport to centre | Violet Line (E) metro, about 30 minutes to Trindade | Red Line metro stops at the airport |
| Train between the two | Direct, 2h39 to 3h13 in a June 2026 timetable check. Arrives at Porto Campanhã, and at Lisboa Oriente or Santa Apolónia. | |
| Our latest fare example | Riga from €122 return (Norwegian) | Riga from €185 return (SAS / CityJet) |
Do both: fly into one city and out of the other
Because the two cities are only a few hours apart by train, the neatest plan is an open-jaw trip: land in one, take the train, fly home from the other. A June 2026 check of CP trains by EveryRail found standard second-class fares of €35.70 on the faster Alfa Pendular and €28.05 on the slower Intercidades for travel on 24 June 2026, with limited promotional fares from €21.50 (Alfa Pendular) and €17.00 (Intercidades) on some departures. Fares move with the date and how early you book, so confirm on cp.pt.
A three-night stay in each city adds up to €21 per adult in tourist tax at today’s rates (3 nights at €3 in Porto plus 3 nights at €4 in Lisbon).
The rest of the top five: Amsterdam, Stockholm and Valletta
- Amsterdam (3rd, 97.50). The magazine credits the convivial way of life around the canals, with terraces and parks in summer and steamed-up cafés in winter. It is fifth in the world list (97.35). See Amsterdam deals.
- Stockholm (4th, 96.67). The first time the Swedish capital has made the list. The magazine notes that locals are known as reserved but are also well regarded as polite and helpful. See Stockholm deals.
- Valletta (5th, 95.00). A regular favourite in the awards, with honey-coloured Baroque architecture. The magazine also cites about 300 days of sunshine a year and a family-first warmth. See Malta deals.
Ranks 6 to 15 are Edinburgh, Vienna, Kraków, Palma, Granada, Genoa, Cork, Paris, Rome and Reykjavík. Each has a link to related deals in the table above.
Five habits that earn the warm welcome
A friendly city is partly a two-way street. These small habits work in Porto, Lisbon and most of Portugal.
- Greet first. Say bom dia (good morning) or boa tarde (good afternoon) when you walk into a small café, shop or restaurant.
- Say thank you the Portuguese way. Obrigado if you are a man, obrigada if you are a woman.
- Ask for the prato do dia. The dish of the day is usually written on a board at lunchtime and is where many locals eat.
- Watch the couvert. Bread, butter, olives or cheese may arrive at your table without being ordered. You normally pay only for what you eat, and if you do not want it you can ask the staff to take it away.
- Keep the old towns quiet at night. The historic districts of both cities are lived-in neighbourhoods, so keep the noise down late in the evening.
Cheap flights to Porto and Lisbon: our latest finds
These are the most recent fares we published. They are “from” prices for return tickets at the time of posting, so check the dates on each page.
- Riga to Lisbon from €185 (SAS / CityJet, 17 October 2026)
- Riga to Porto from €122 (Norwegian, 9 October 2026)
- Vilnius to Lisbon non-stop from €199 (airBaltic, 24 September 2026)
Earlier this year we also found Tallinn to Lisbon from €179 with LOT (summer, posted 10 April), Warsaw to Lisbon from €135 with Wizz Air / Ryanair (10 April) and Vilnius to Porto from €150 with SAS / Norwegian (4 March). Those fares may have expired, but they show which airlines serve each route.
Related reading: what Lufthansa’s winning bid for a stake in TAP Air Portugal means for fares, the new EU air passenger rights that apply from 23 October 2027, and our sleep tourism guide, which includes restful stays in Coimbra and the Douro Valley.
FAQ: friendliest cities in Europe 2026
What is the friendliest city in Europe in 2026?
Porto, Portugal. It scored 98.33 out of 100 in the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, published on 6 October 2026. Lisbon (97.60) was second, followed by Amsterdam (97.50), Stockholm (96.67) and Valletta (95.00).
Who decides the friendliest cities ranking?
The readers of Condé Nast Traveller vote, and the magazine publishes a score for each city that it describes as a percentage representing overall average satisfaction. It is a reader vote, not a scientific survey of locals’ behaviour. The pages we checked do not say how many people voted on the cities list. The countries vote had 300,000 readers.
Is Porto friendlier than Lisbon?
In this vote, yes, but only slightly. Porto scored 98.33 and Lisbon 97.60 on the Europe list, a gap of 0.73 points. In the world ranking as reported by Time Out, the gap is 0.83 (98.33 against 97.50). Both cities are in the world top five, so for visitors the difference is small.
What is the friendliest country in Europe in 2026?
Ireland, with a score of 98.39. Portugal is second (96.67), then Italy (96.54), Greece (96.31) and Spain (95.63). The vote had 300,000 readers, according to Condé Nast Traveller.
What is the friendliest city in the world in 2026?
Melbourne, Australia, with 98.52, in the same awards. Porto is second (98.33), Seoul third (97.94), Lisbon fourth (97.50) and Amsterdam fifth (97.35), as reported by Time Out and IamExpat.
Is Portugal safe for travellers?
Portugal ranks 7th of 163 countries in the 2026 Global Peace Index from the Institute for Economics & Peace (June 2026), with a score of 1.427. The index measures societal safety, conflict and militarisation across a whole country, not everyday travel risks such as pickpocketing in busy tourist areas, so normal city precautions still apply.
How much is the tourist tax in Porto and Lisbon?
Lisbon charges €4 per person per night for up to seven nights, and children under 13 are exempt. Porto charges €3 per night for guests over 13, for up to seven consecutive nights. A report dated 30 September 2026 says Porto’s city council was starting a review that could raise the tax to €4, but no new amount had been set.
How do I travel between Porto and Lisbon?
By direct train. A June 2026 timetable check found journeys of 2h39 to 3h13 between Lisboa Oriente or Santa Apolónia and Porto Campanhã. The faster Alfa Pendular and the slower Intercidades both run the route. Standard second-class fares in that check were €35.70 (Alfa Pendular) and €28.05 (Intercidades), with cheaper promotional fares on some departures.
When can I see Porto’s and Lisbon’s local celebrations?
Lisbon’s Santo António festival peaks around 12 and 13 June, with 13 June a city holiday, and Condé Nast Traveller recommends visiting then. Porto’s São João is celebrated on the night of 23 to 24 June, and 24 June is a city holiday in Porto.
What is the cheapest way to fly to Porto or Lisbon from the Baltics?
Our latest published fares are return tickets from Riga to Porto from €122 (Norwegian), Riga to Lisbon from €185 (SAS / CityJet) and non-stop Vilnius to Lisbon from €199 (airBaltic). Prices change daily, so open the deal pages listed above to see the dates before you book.
Sources
- Condé Nast Traveller: The friendliest cities in Europe, 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards (6 October 2026)
- Condé Nast Traveller: Europe’s friendliest countries, 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards (6 October 2026)
- Euronews: Hospitality is the key: Porto tops ranking as Europe’s friendliest city, with Lisbon close behind (14 October 2026)
- Time Out: The world’s friendliest cities (7 October 2026)
- IamExpat: Amsterdam named fifth friendliest city in the world 2026
- Institute for Economics & Peace: Global Peace Index 2026 (June 2026)
- Postal: municipalities charging a tourist tax, with Lisbon at €4 (June 2025)
- Rádio Renascença: Porto’s tourist tax rises to €3 (1 December 2024)
- SuperCasa: Porto may raise its tourist tax to €4 (30 September 2026)
- EveryRail: Lisbon to Porto by train (June 2026 check)
Ranking, scores, tourist taxes and train fares checked on 19 October 2026. Rankings and prices change, so confirm tax rules with the city councils and fares on the operator’s site before you book. Photos: featured image of the Dom Luís I bridge and Ribeira, Porto, by Dale Cruse / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0; other photo credits are under each image.
