What relaxes you on holiday? Is it a day beside the swimming pool at a sleek spa, swaddled in a robe awaiting an indulgent treatment? Being among nature, from walks through nature reserves to swims in crystal-clear lakes? Perhaps it’s simply sitting in the sun, novel in hand, watching the world go by as your phone sits out of arm’s length.

Whatever does it for us, we can agree that the intention of a holiday is to unwind for a short while and escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. But where in the world is the best place to do so?

Amsterdam claims 10th place on the list

Thankfully, the number-crunchers at Travel eSIM group Holafly have done the calculations for us, revealing the most relaxing cities in the world for 2026. The study took into account: population density; the number of nature areas and parks; the number of spa and wellness centres; air quality; sunlight hours; traffic index; and happiness score.

It’ll come as no surprise to fans of all things Scandi that Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, jumps into first place this year. The city seems to put its people first through design and city breakers return year after year thanks to residents’ hospitable nature – plus the historical highlights and world-class dining on offer.

Other high-ranking cities include the vibrant Spanish city of Barcelona in second place and the chic Austrian capital, Vienna in third place – check out the full list below.

Some of Vienna's gorgeous gardens – the city came third in this year's rankings

Some cities featured in Holafly’s guide to the most relaxing cities in the world for 2025 have had quite the fall from grace. These include San Diego, which came in first place in 2025 with a score of 67.7, and Singapore, which falls to eighth place in 2026 after being named the second most relaxing city last year.

10. Amsterdam, Netherlands: 61.5
9. Rome, Italy: 61.9
8. Singapore: 63.2
7. Munich, Germany: 63.3
6. Miami, United States: 63.3
5. Oslo, Norway: 64.2
4. Vancouver, Canada: 66.6
3. Vienna, Austria: 66.8
2. Barcelona, Spain: 69.6
1. Copenhagen, Denmark: 70