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:

*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.

Amsterdam Is Now the 2nd Best Capital to Be a Tourist in, Followed by Prague, Warsaw & Madrid

Listed first last year, Amsterdam has dropped in the second position as the best capital city to visit in Europe in 2024, a change that has happened due to an increase in the average amount travelers need to have in order to be able to manage visiting the city for a week, from €315 to €465.

Yet, the capital is far from being the most expensive, as capital cities like Bern, Paris, London, and Rome top the table in this regard.

Amongst the reasons that make Amsterdam the second-best capital city to visit in Europe are its friendliness score, as well as the English proficiency of its residents, which makes it easier for tourists to feel at home and navigate around.

The city is, however, struggling to deal with the large number of tourists, in particular of unruly ones. In a bid to drive tourists away, Amsterdam has decided to establish a multi-story complex called an “Erotic Centre” outside the city center and relocate its Red-Light District there. The city has also banned new hotels from being built.

Southern & Central European Capitals Take the Spotlight

Prague, which was listed seventh last year, is now the third best capital city to visit, mainly due to being very cheap, as well as the English proficiency of its citizens.

The city however is the least safe amongst all others, and at the same time it lags behind at the end of the list when it comes to friendliness, as its citizens are the least friendly out of the top ten. The average budget for visiting this country has also increased to €365, while last year it was €275.

In 2023, Prague marked a significant increase in tourism with 5.45 million visitors in the first three quarters of the year, a 28 percent increase compared of same period of 2022.

On the other hand, Warsaw, which was not included in the list at all last year, is now the fourth best, with tourists being able to spend a week in this city with only 395. The city is also the third most unsafe in this list, and just like Prague, lags behind in the friendliness score.

Zagreb, London, & Rome Kicked From the Top 5 List, But Remain in the Top 10

Listed third last year, Zagreb is still one of the best capital cities of Europe to be a tourist in, though now sixth. The city remains a “next to visit” destination for many, though its friendliness score has dropped, and instead of €285, travelers now need €425 in order to spend a week there.

London and Rome have also been kicked from the top five, and are now listed seventh and eighth, respectively. The residents of these two cities are less friendly now, compared to last year’s rankings, which might have also resulted in a downgrading of the safety score in the two, with Rome being the least safe in the list of Europe’s top ten best capital cities to be a tourist in.

Both cities are now more expensive too. According to VisaGuide.World, aside from inflation, Rome’s city tax rate has increased at the end of summer last year, and now varies from €4 to €10 per night, depending on the star rating of the hotel.

In London, on the other hand, even tourist attractions are now more expensive, while others like St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, which were once free, are now £25 and £29 respectively. As a result, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva), reports that in 2023, the number of visitors at the country’s top attractions fell by 11 percent.

The UK had also abolished tax-free shopping for tourists in 2020, making London less alluring for many, in particular for shopping tourists.

Paris Is Now the 10th Best & Has Become Less Safe

Paris’ safety score dropped last year, listing the French capital amongst the least safe capital cities in this list, just behind Prague, Rome, and Warsaw.

The reasons behind such a drop might also be the increase in petty theft, in particular at top tourism areas, even though government data show that violent thefts improved by 25 percent in 2023 due to increased police presence.

Visiting Paris in 2024 means travelers need to have some €150 more per week than last year, as the average weekly budget for this year is asserted to be around €640, up from €490 in 2023.

Data by Statista show that Paris marked 21.6 million tourists in 2023, which is still lower by 4.3 million compared to 2019. However, Paris is prepared to expect way more visitors this year due to the Paris Olympics and Paralympics set to be held throughout summer, during which period around 15.3 million visitors are expected to enter the city.

Berlin & Vienna Out, Warsaw & Bern In

Both Berlin and Vienna have been removed from the best European capital cities to be a tourist in, and have been replaced by Bern and Warsaw.

While Warsaw is listed fourth and is the third cheapest to visit, just after Prague and Lisbon, Bern is listed ninth and is the most expensive capital in this ranking, with travelers needing an average of 725 in order to remain in the city for a week. Yet, Bern has a good safety score compared to some others, and its residents perform well in the friendliness index and English proficiency.