A Sardinian town is also among the top 20 most popular European destinations for international tourists according to the European Best Destinations 2026 ranking , which, like every year, publishes the results of a survey of the desires of over 1.3 million travelers from 154 different countries . The initial selection includes more than 500 European destinations evaluated based on popularity, quality of tourism offerings, growth in online interest, and focus on sustainability. This town is Bosa, which ranks 17th . Looking at Italy, seven Italian towns are included in the ranking: in addition to Bosa , Verona, Burano, Cefalù, Ravello, Procida, and Taormina are also included.
The annual ranking, based on traveler votes, is designed to highlight the year's most popular European destinations but also to identify new trends with sustainable and less crowded destinations. The ranking highlights, in addition to interest in our country, the growth of historic destinations (from Madrid to Paris and Lisbon) and sustainable experiences focused on nature and outdoor tourism, with more sustainable and green destinations like Slovenian Styria and the island of Madeira.
Another trend that travelers are reporting with their ratings is a gradual decline in the "hit-and-run" tourism model in favor of more immersive, longer, and carefully planned trips.
At the top of the list is Madrid : the Spanish capital, voted by more than 127,000 travellers, wins the title of best destination in Europe for 2026, ahead of the Cypriot capital Nicosia and the Slovenian region of Štajerska .
(Unioneonline/lf)
