This European Nation Has the Most Pleasant Climate in the World — and It Receives 300 Days of Sunshine a Year (2024)

Greece is truly perfect all year long.

By

Stacey Leasca

Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello.

Published on February 8, 2024

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This European Nation Has the Most Pleasant Climate in the World — and It Receives 300 Days of Sunshine a Year (2)

A kiss from the sun and a warm breeze stroking your cheek in the middle of winter may just be the best sensation of all. And if you’re reading this sentence somewhere where it’s snowing, then, I’m sorry. But the good news is you can experience a moment like this right now just by hopping on a flight to Greece.

In late 2023, U.S. News and World Report released its eighth annual Best Countries ranking, a list based on the “global perceptions” of destinations around the world in terms of several qualitative characteristics. According to the report’s methodology, the 2023 analysis covered perceptions of 87 nations and surveyed more than 17,000 people, asking them to rate destinations on 73 different attributes. And one of those attributes was just how pleasant a country’s climate is perceived to be.

After crunching the numbers, the report ranked Greece as the nation with the most pleasant climate on earth.

It’s well-known that the summers in Greece are pure perfection, with the sun shining almost every day and temperatures hovering in the 80s and 90s in the capital city of Athens and the 80s across the islands. Athens is even reported to get more than 300 sunny days a year. However, what makes it such a pleasant spot is the fact that the temperatures are always rather mild, even in months like January, when the average temperature in Athens dips to a cool, but not freezing, 48 degrees. And it only heats up from there.

Greece also ranked highly in other aspects of the survey, including ranking second for heritage and third for adventure.

But, if you need more variety, U.S. News and World Report also named Portugal as having the second most pleasant climate, followed by Spain in third, Brazil in fourth, and Italy in fifth. Rounding out the top 10 are New Zealand, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Australia, so you have plenty of global options when it comes to finding a pleasant vacation destination. And really, anywhere is better than waiting out the next blizzard, right?

See the full report at usnews.com.

This European Nation Has the Most Pleasant Climate in the World — and It Receives 300 Days of Sunshine a Year (2024)

FAQs

This European Nation Has the Most Pleasant Climate in the World — and It Receives 300 Days of Sunshine a Year? ›

This European Nation Has the Most Pleasant Climate in the World — and It Receives 300 Days of Sunshine a Year. Greece is truly perfect all year long.

Which European country has the most pleasant weather? ›

Europe's perfect climate gems: Cities with ideal year-round...
  • Nice, France. ...
  • Palma de Mallorca, Spain. ...
  • Athens, Greece. ...
  • Rome, Italy. ...
  • Malaga, Spain. ...
  • Dubrovnik, Croatia. ...
  • Faro, Portugal. Faro, Portugal, is blessed with a Mediterranean climate, boasting mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. ...
  • Barcelona, Spain.
Feb 20, 2024

Which country in Europe has the warmest climate? ›

The hottest place in Europe is Valletta in Malta, with an average daily temperature over the whole year of 22.3ºC. A holiday in Malta is a pretty safe bet almost any time. Athens is second with an annual average of 22ºC. At 21.4ºC, Rome is in third place.

Where is the most pleasant climate in the world? ›

  • Greece. #1 in Pleasant climate. #27 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Portugal. #2 in Pleasant climate. #25 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Spain. #3 in Pleasant climate. ...
  • Brazil. #4 in Pleasant climate. ...
  • Italy. #5 in Pleasant climate. ...
  • New Zealand. #6 in Pleasant climate. ...
  • Mexico. #7 in Pleasant climate. ...
  • Costa Rica. #8 in Pleasant climate.

What are the 3 largest climate zones in Europe? ›

In this area, there are three main climates: humid continental, which is the climate that dominates most of Eastern Europe, as far north as Sweden and Finland; semiarid climate in Eastern Ukraine; and Mediterranean climate in Southern Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.

Which country in Europe has the most sunshine? ›

Alicante, Spain: For a daily dose of vitamin C

Located on Spain's southeast coast, Alicante has the highest number of sunny hours in Europe. With an average of 349 hours of sunshine per month (an average month has 730 hours in total, including nighttimes), it's a dream destination for sun lovers.

Which country has the most comfortable climate in the world? ›

Countries with the most pleasant climate
  • Costa Rica. ...
  • Spain. ...
  • Australia. ...
  • Greece. ...
  • Italy. ...
  • Malta. ...
  • Mexico. Mexico features diverse climates, but many coastal areas enjoy warm weather year-round. ...
  • South Africa. Coastal areas like Cape Town and Durban enjoy mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine throughout the year.
Mar 16, 2024

Is Europe warmer than USA? ›

France's city Marseille has average winter temperatures around 45°F (7°C) and summer temperatures at about 75°F (24°C). A typical winter day in France is around 25°F (14°C) warmer than the same day in Maine! In fact, this dynamic occurs at all latitudes when comparing North America and Europe.

Which European country has highest temperature? ›

The highest temperature recorded in Europe was 48.8°C (119.8°F) in Sicily in 2021. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom's highest recorded temperature was 40.2°C (104.4°F) in 2022.

Which country in Europe is best to live and work in? ›

Norway is known as one of the best countries for work not just in Europe but all around the world. Norway is considered the 2nd happiest workforce in the world, while the interesting point here is that the work lifestyle is kind of passive and flexible, that is you work only about 7.5 hours a day.

Where is the most comfortable weather? ›

Best U.S. Cities for Year-Round Weather
  • Boise, ID.
  • Charleston, SC.
  • Henderson, NV.
  • Honolulu, HI.
  • Orlando, FL.
  • San Diego, CA.
  • Santa Barbara, CA.
  • Santa Fe, NM.
Jun 3, 2024

Where is the warmest part of the world? ›

The hottest place on Earth is Furnace Creek in Death Valley, California (USA), where a temperature of 56.7°C (134°F) was recorded on 10 July 1913. In summer months, Death Valley has an average daily high of 45°C (113°F). This is only the air temperature, with surface heat much higher.

Is the Mediterranean climate the best? ›

In some ways, the Mediterranean climate is the optimal climate; it's not as hot as the desert in summer but not as cold as the temperate regions in winter, and it's not as dry as a desert but also not as wet as a temperate climate.

Where in Europe has the best climate? ›

After crunching the numbers, the report ranked Greece as the nation with the most pleasant climate on earth. It's well-known that the summers in Greece are pure perfection, with the sun shining almost every day and temperatures hovering in the 80s and 90s in the capital city of Athens and the 80s across the islands.

Where in Europe is best for climate change? ›

1. Iceland. According to GreenMatch's study, Iceland turned out to be the European country that has been affected by climate change the least. Iceland saw an average change in surface temperatures, with a 0.275 °C increase per decade.

In what climate zone is most of Europe? ›

Most of Western Europe has an oceanic climate, in the Köppen climate classification, featuring cool to warm summers and cool winters with frequent overcast skies. Southern Europe has a distinctively Mediterranean climate, which features warm to hot, dry summers and cool to mild winters and frequent sunny skies.

Which European country has the best living conditions? ›

With a mean country score of 8.0, Switzerland had the highest self-reported overall life satisfaction in 2022 (out of countries with available data), followed by Austria and Finland (both at 7.9).

Which European country has the best summer weather? ›

Travel Tip: Croatia, Greece and Italy have the warmest weather in Europe year-round. Summer in Southern Europe means lots of locals and tourists on holiday. They all make their way here to enjoy the incredible climate. If you don't enjoy big crowds or long queues, rather take the road less travelled.

Where is the healthiest climate in Europe? ›

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised Costa Blanca as the healthiest region to live in. The average annual temperature here is 18°C. In addition, we can enjoy the pleasantly warming sun for more than 300 days a year. Moreover, the summer temperatures are not extremely high and winters are very mild.

What is the most reliable weather in Europe? ›

As of 2021, the ECMWF's weather model is generally considered to be the most accurate weather forecasting model.

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