Madrid has just been named the best destination in Europe for 2026.
The Spanish capital was handed the title by European Best Destinations, which has been releasing an annual ranking of cities across the continent since 2009.
After an initial screening that looked at data including tourism growth and search demand, a long list of 42 destinations was voted on by travellers to decide the top 20 places people most wanted to visit in the coming year.
“Madrid stands out as a capital where heritage and modernity coexist effortlessly: world-class museums, dynamic neighbourhoods, green spaces, bold architecture, a thriving food scene and an unmistakable joy of living that resonates deeply with today’s travellers,” European Best Destinations said.
Why you need to visit Madrid in 2026
Music tourism has been on the rise in recent years, and 2026 will see some of the world’s top artists descend on the city.
April will see Spanish singer Rosalía perform at the Movistar Arena across four nights for her LUX TOUR 2026, followed by shows from Tame Impala, Louis Tomlinson and Ne-Yo.
In late May and early June, Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny, who performed at this year’s NFL Super Bowl half-time show, will be live for 10 nights at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium, while later that month, South Korean boyband BTS will hit the stage as part of their first world tour since returning from military service.
Other major names playing in Madrid this year include Linkin Park, Bruno Mars, My Chemical Romance and The Weeknd.
Leaving the stadiums and heading into the grandstands, the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix will be held in Madrid this September.
Work is currently underway on the Madring, a planned street circuit centred around the IFEMA Exhibition Centre. The current host, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, will instead host the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on alternate years from 2028, with the slot occupied by the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps for 2027.
For foodies, there are currently 31 Michelin-starred eateries in the city, including two new additions for the 2026 list: Ramón Freixa Atelier (two stars), and EMi (one star).
The former, recognised just five months after opening, seats 10 guests and focuses on fine dining tasting menus, while the latter is the first solo restaurant from Chef Rubén Hernández Mosquero, with a menu inspired by New Nordic Cuisine while drawing on Japanese and Korean cooking techniques.
In the cultural space, Espacio Mistral, which focuses on theatre, music, dance, cinema and the spoken word, opened in October last year.
The programme for 2026 includes plays, operas and festivals as well as film screenings with talks from directors and actors.
Italy dominates the top 20 destinations in Europe for 2026
Last month, European Best Destinations named Cyprus’ Nicosia as the best cultural destination on the continent – so it should come as no surprise that it took second place in the overall rankings.
Yet it was Italy that dominated the list overall, with seven destinations named among the top 20.
Verona, the city of love, was the top ranked in fourth place, followed by the colourful island of Burano in eighth.
Sicily’s Cefalù came in 15th, with four Italian destinations rounding out the top 20: Sardinia’s Bosa, Ravello on the Amalfi Coast, Procida Island off the coast of Naples, and Taormina, the setting of the second season of The White Lotus.
Countries strongly represented on the list include Spain, with Almería and Begur in 10th and 14th place respectively; Portugal, with Madeira’s Câmara de Lobos in sixth, Lisbon in ninth, and the Costa Vicentina in 12th; and Greece, with Ano Koufonissi in 13th and Avlemonas in 16th.
Other destinations in the ranking are Paris in fifth, Alaçatı in Turkey in seventh and Stavanger in Norway in 11th.
Third place went to the Štajerska Region in Slovenia. Last year, Maribor, which is the largest city in the region, was named the Best Wine Capital by European Best Destinations, while Ptuj, another city nearby, was also handed the title of Best Cultural Heritage Town in Europe.
How the European Best Destinations ranking is decided
To decide which places deserve the title in a particular year, European Best Destinations monitors nearly 500 cities, towns and regions, looking at data including international arrivals, overnight stays and growth rates, search demand on major search engines, international media visibility, and growth on social media platforms.
From this, it creates a longlist of 42 destinations which show the “strongest momentum” for the upcoming year, which are then up for a traveller vote. Voters come from the platform’s own database and have a strong interest in travelling to Europe.
Travellers are asked “which destination would you most like to visit in Europe in 2026?” and can cast up to three votes. Voters are given an overview of each of the destinations alongside a selection of images, and they will not be able to vote for a destination in their own country.
Overall, 1.3 million votes were cast, although European Best Destinations has not revealed how many people took part in the survey.
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