London has been named one of Europe’s best destinations for 2024

France might have the rolling vineyards of Champagne and Iceland might have the azure lagoon of Reykjavik, but in the UK we’ve got the eclectic, ever-changing streets of London. And that’s why England’s capital has been voted as one of the 20 best European destinations for 2024, ranking higher than Champagne, Reykjavik, Siena and more.

European Best Destinations’ annual ranking of over 500 locations in Europe is here, with London coming smack bang in the middle of the top 20. Over one million travellers from 172 countries voted for their favourite European destinations. The Big Smoke came in a very respectable 9th place, beating Thassos in Greece, Piran in Slovenia, Lège-Cap-Ferret in France and many more places. 

London was praised for having ‘a multitude of different atmospheres and neighbourhoods, like Carnaby for shopping, Notting Hill for a romantic stroll, Portobello for the flea market, Camden for the punk and libertarian spirit, the West End Theatre District and its legendary musicals and the gay and sparkling district of Soho’. The awards also mentioned the capital’s many landmarks including Big Ben, Kew Gardens and Tower Bridge. 

Taking the top spot was Marbella in Spain, and London wasn’t quite good enough to give Monaco, Malta and Geneva a run for their money either, with those destinations coming second, third and fourth place respectively. The only other UK destination to make it into the top 20 was Newquay in Cornwall, which came 19th. 

Going up against some real heavyweights of European holiday spots, we’re pretty chuffed with London’s ranking. Maybe Old Blighty isn’t so bad after all?

Here’s the full ranking of the 20 best destinations in Europe for 2024:

1. Marbella, Spain

2. Monaco

3. Malta

4. Geneva, Switzerland

5. Batumi, Georgia

6. Riga, Latvia

7. Madeira, Portugal

8. Florence, Italy

9. London, UK

10. Reykjavik, Iceland

11. Lège-Cap-Ferret, France

12. Siena, Italy

13. Ponza Island, Italy

14. Porto-Vecchio, Corsica, France

15. Champagne Wine Region, France

16. Faroe Islands

17. Sirmione, Lombardy, Italy

18. Piran, Slovenia

19. Newquay, Cornwall

20. Thassos, Greece

You can read more about European Best Destinations’ full list on Time Out here.

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