New Travel Data Shows Europe’s Top 10 Destinations

A Eurostat report at the start of 2025 revealed a multitude of travel statistics about Europe and the European Union. It’s the most detailed report of its kind and is the only reliable dataset that demonstrates the top ten travel destinations on the continent. The report is scheduled to be updated in December 2025 with the latest data over the last twelve months, so it will be interesting to see if anything changes. 

For now, these are the top ten countries based on the percentage share of the total nights spent by EU residents in foreign destinations. 

10. Denmark

Denmark is the highest-ranked Scandinavian country on the list, earning a 2.5% share of foreign trips inside the EU. It sees a lot of tourism during the winter months, though cities like Copenhagen are popular throughout the year. Denmark also sees lots of travel interest through companies like Scandinavia Private Tours that often start big tours of the Scandi countries from the Danish capital. 

9. Netherlands

With a 4.0% share of foreign travel inside the European Union, it’s not that big of a surprise to see the Netherlands on this list. If anything, it’s perhaps more surprising that it’s not higher up. The Netherlands is always a big tourist destination thanks to very walkable and visitor-friendly cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The one criticism could be that it lacks the climate of some of the other countries higher on the list. 

8. Portugal

Portugal is another country with a shockingly low entry on this list, especially given the popularity of this destination during the summer. A warm and sunny climate, combined with exceptionally beautiful beaches, means many families, couples and solo travellers head to Portugal for a lovely trip. The only thing that may count against Portugal is its proximity to another particular country that seems to vacuum up most of the tourists. 

7. Croatia

Croatian tourism hit an all-time high in 2024, peaking at 20.2 million visitors, as per Statista. This earned it 7th place on Europe’s top travel destinations list with a 5.3% share of foreign trips. Croatia is also one of the fastest-growing countries in terms of tourism across Europe. It saw hardly any tourism in the early stages of the 2000s, claiming just 9.4 million visitors in 2006. The meteoric rise makes it one of the EU’s brightest hidden gems – though it won’t be hidden for much longer. 

6. Germany

We now reach one of two very surprising destinations that make the top ten list. Germany isn’t famed for any beaches or sunny weather, but perhaps its rich history helps it climb into 6th place. The central European location also makes it very easy for residents of neighbouring countries to visit – and flights to Germany are often ranked among the cheapest around. 

5. Austria

Austria is a landlocked country, which means it doesn’t see a massive amount of summer tourism. That being said, it’s somehow climbed all the way into Europe’s top five travel destinations. We believe this is mainly down to its beautiful mountains and very attractive cities – such as Vienna and Salzburg. There’s also a case for Formula 1 contributing to Austria’s lofty position. The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg houses a race there every year, and the previous attendance was a substantial 300,000 spectators over the weekend. F1’s massive appeal has led to a tourism boom in many countries and cities around the world, so it could be responsible here. 

4. Greece

It is no surprise to see Greece on this list, and it’s likely in the spot you’d expect to see it in. Holidays to the various Greek Islands are extremely popular, to the extent that many people across Europe are looking to buy property in Greece. The entirety of Greece boasts a beautiful climate and stunning surroundings – and the various islands are also massively popular with cruise lines. If the country were located further east and amongst the Mediterranean countries, it would likely be even higher on the list. 

3. France

France saw an 11.3% share of total tourism across the EU, and it’s fairly obvious as to why. France is a very easy country to get to with plenty of airports and train links. There’s also Paris, which draws so much attention from people all over Europe (and the world). This city – and its nearby areas – hold key tourist attractions like Disneyland, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and much more. Not forgetting the South of France is another sunny destination that draws many summer holidaymakers. 

2. Italy

Italy is comfortably in second place, though it could mount a challenge for the number one spot at some point. There are simply so many things for travel enthusiasts to do and see throughout this beautiful country. An amazing climate makes it hot and sunny in the summer, but then you also have cosy winter holidays in Northern Italy among the mountains. Stunning places like Lake Garda and Lake Como attract people looking for glamorous retreats, while you then have iconic cities like Rome, Naples, Milan and Venice. 

1. Spain

Spain currently boasts an 18.5% share in the total foreign trips within the EU. It’s the number one travel destination, and this shouldn’t surprise anyone. People have been visiting Spain for generations because it’s an affordable place for a summer holiday. The beaches around the country’s coastline are always populated with tourists – to the point that the locals are getting fed up with it. Like Italy, beautiful summer destinations are juxtaposed with iconic cities, bringing cultural travel activities to the table. Both Madrid and Barcelona draw millions of visitors alone each year. 

There’s a lot to draw from this data, and it conjures up a mixture of obvious outcomes and big surprises. Most people would predict that Spain, Italy, France and Greece would be in the top five European travel destinations, but seeing Austria in 5th place is a sizeable shock. It’s also perhaps surprising that a few more Scandinavian destinations didn’t make the top ten – for context, Sweden is 12th and Finland 19th. When this data updates in December with the latest information, we’ll be intrigued to see who the big movers and shakers will be.