When planning your next European escape, what’s top of your list? Stunning coastlines? Affordable plates of something delicious? Cobbled streets lined with art galleries and wine bars? They’re all worthy reasons to travel – but how about a warm welcome, too? Because let’s be honest: nothing beats getting lost down an alleyway, stumbling into a dive bar and ending up chatting with locals until last orders.
According to Condé Nast Traveller’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards, one often-overlooked country has officially been crowned Europe’s friendliest. Readers across the world shared their travel intel, and the surprise winner? Estonia.
That’s right – the small Baltic nation known for its storybook forests, wild beaches and lakeside saunas has beaten Europe’s heavy hitters to the top spot. Its capital, Tallinn, is a pastel-painted UNESCO World Heritage site, all cobbled lanes, medieval walls and tucked-away courtyards. By day, it’s pure fairytale charm, and by night, it transforms into a buzzing mix of live music bars, taprooms, and speakeasy-style spots that pour local craft beer. The air might be crisp, but Estonia’s energy is anything but cold.
In second place is Ireland, where good craic is practically a national sport. Grab a stool in a Galway pub and you’ll be chatting with locals in no time. Out on the Aran Islands, friendly guides share stories older than the ancient ruins, while in surf-happy Bundoran, everyone’s on a first-name basis by sundown.
Recommended: Europe’s coolest neighbourhoods, ranked – from Borgerhout to Digbeth
And rounding out the top three is Portugal, where the people are as sunny as the weather. In Porto, feast on humongous francesinhas dripping with cheese while taking in riverside views. Over in Gerês National Park, ride horses through one of the country’s most beautiful nature parks or hop over to the Azores to see the postcard-perfect twin lakes of Sete Cidades. Wherever you head in Portugal, it has a way of making every traveller feel at home.
The friendliest countries in Europe, according to Condé Nast Traveller
- Estonia
- Ireland
- Portugal
- Iceland
- Turkey
- Greece
- Italy
- Austria
- Spain
- Cyprus
Did you see that these are the world’s best universities for 2026, according to The Times?
Plus: The beautiful Mediterranean capital named Europe’s best city to visit this year.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.