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Where do you find your calm? Is it deep in a forest, the only sound that of sprightly birds tweeting gently overhead? On a secret beach, having clambered down a rockface in search of a quiet spot to lay your towel? Or face-down on a massage bed, drifting off as spa therapists ease the stresses of modern life with a spread of essential oils?
Wherever your preferred quiet place is, the benefits of a ‘calmcation’ – a calming holiday, that is – are undeniable. Luckily for us, the holiday experts at Wizz Air have partnered with multidisciplinary wellbeing practitioner Sama Trinder to crunch the numbers, revealing the most calming holiday destinations ahead of summer.
“Being in a different environment gives us a fresh perspective, which actually helps us rewire our brains, take on new challenges or let go of old habits. The value of this is shown by the significant increase in wellness tourism over recent years. In a different environment, we can really relax and reconnect with ourselves and our families,” says Sama.
“Our modern lifestyle has led us to be 'always on'. Our nervous systems are in a stress response, where we are constantly wired for threat, fear, or danger, which is not sustainable and can lead to burnout, addiction, depression and other mental health conditions.”
To reveal where we should be heading for some valuable peace this year, the data boffins at Wizz Air assigned each country a score based on various factors, including the number of spas and green spaces per 10,000 tourists, hiking routes, and air quality levels. Other deciding factors include the average sunshine hours between June and August and noise pollution.
Some destinations are more surprising than others, best known as lively holiday spots or city break favourites – but there’s much method to the madness. Here, we rank the calmest holiday destinations in Europe right now.
10. Prague
The capital city of the Czech Republic is working hard to shake off its stag-do image. While one of the best-known spas in Prague is so because treatments include bathing in beer, there are plenty of soul-healing activities that don’t involve touching a drop of, admittedly, very affordable liquor. It leads the way as a walker's haven, with the surveyed area boasting a whopping 790 walking and hiking routes – the most of any city on the list.
9. Izmir
Turkey’s third most populous city might not be the first place that springs to mind for a peaceful retreat. However, Izmir holds its own against the competition thanks to the thriving hammam culture, seaside location and ample green space – not to mention an average of 12 sunshine hours a day between June and August.
8. Madrid
The Spanish capital is known for its vibrant nightlife and buzzy street culture, but it’s a surprisingly peaceful and safe place; so much so that it’s a favourite among solo travellers looking to unwind in the city’s plentiful green spaces. While a city of Madrid’s size has countless hidden corners worth uncovering, there’s a lot to be said for joining the rest of the burnt-out tourists on Retiro Park’s lake, where sun-seekers take to the water on rowing boats for leisurely afternoons after lip-smacking picnic spreads.
7. Larnaca
The Cypriot port city of Larnaca is perfect for sunny city breaks and beach escapes alike. Spend balmy afternoons exploring medieval castles or ancient ruins – or take a sigh of relief as you hear little else but water lapping against the shore. It’s also a wellness enthusiast’s paradise, with the surveyed area offering the second-highest number of spas per 10,000 tourists on Wizz Air’s top-10 list.
6. Rhodes
The Greek island of Rhodes is a firm favourite among Condé Nast Traveller’s most notorious grecophiles for all the right reasons. See the island while stretching the muscles along more than 150 hiking trails, all while basking in an average 12 hours of daily sunshine during the peak summer months.
5. Burgas
Burgas has long been one of Europe’s most underrated ‘calmcation’ hotspots. The Black Sea city is best known for its historic buildings, fascinating museums and sweeping beaches – with those further from the hustle and bustle of the city centre best for true tranquillity. Burgas ranks highly for green spaces at 0.63 per 10,000 tourists, while it also offers guaranteed summertime sunshine, with 12 hours per day.
4. Zakynthos
The second Greek island to make it onto the list is Zakynthos, offering more spas and green spaces per 10,000 tourists than Rhodes, with almost identical average sunshine hours and noise and air pollution scores. In search of accommodation inspiration? Lesante Classic Luxury Hotel & Spa is one of our favourite Greek island hotels for a peaceful, wellness-oriented break.
3. Olbia/Sardinia
The second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea is a bucket list destination for any beach lover thanks to the white sand coves that envelope it. It’s also a great place to unwind among nature, with 0.87 green spaces per 10,000 tourists; take some time out to explore Bellavista Natural Park, set across 40 hectares of the island’s picturesque landscape.
2. Riga
Coming in second place as the calmest holiday destination in Europe is the Latvian capital, Riga. The city frequently features among the continent’s most affordable and underrated cities, attracting tourists from all over the world to the cobblestone streets of its UNESCO World Heritage Old Town, charming markets and buzzy cultural events. It ranks as the best destination for wellness enthusiasts, with 0.8 spas per 10,000 tourists.
1. Ibiza
Forget the strobe lights, superstar DJs and deep house pulsating through glitzy beach clubs – unless that’s your calm. The White Isle’s notoriety as Europe’s party capital is undeniable, but there are a dozen secret coves and sumptuous spas for every state-of-the-art sound system. Embark on a mind-clearing amble along one of the 599 hiking trails, take a breath of fresh air and return home feeling truly rejuvenated. With much of the party scene focused around the island’s south, head to the hippier, happier north to discover the Ibiza of times gone by; check into Atzaró Agroturismo Hotel or Ca Na Xica for the ultimate peaceful escape.