As several of Europe’s once-peaceful destinations, including France, Spain, Italy, and Turkey, struggle with overtourism, visitors are seeking peace and quiet away from the crowds.

New research released this week reveals the top countries where you can find that tranquillity.

While Australia took the number one spot, many northern European countries pipped warmer Mediterranean destinations to the post, thanks to their historical wellness culture and safer, quieter spaces.

How do you judge how relaxing a destination is?

Over 76 destinations were analysed and then ranked by The Global Relaxation Index based on five key ‘relaxation’ factors: safety, solitude, serenity, nature, and wellness.

These were judged on the amount of protected area and forest coverage, crowd density, noise pollution, and the availability of wellness experiences. Each destination was then given a score between 1 and 100.

Iceland scored nearly perfect marks for its safety and serenity, coming in third place and as the most highly-rated European country. This should come as no surprise, given that the sparsely populated island nation is brimming with volcanoes, natural springs, and the enchantment of the Northern Lights.

Finland wasn’t far behind either, taking the fourth spot. It shares a crowd density below 20 people per km2 with Iceland.

This is in drastic contrast to the heavy crowds in Italy, which had 198.3 people per km2, and Mauritius, which was deemed the most crowded destination in the report based on its incredible 626 people per km.

Europe’s other leading relaxing destinations were Austria, ranked at number 6, Sweden at number 7, Estonia at number 8, Norway at number 9, and Portugal at number 10.

These countries were flagged to be leading the way in relaxation due to not having acres of space but because of their smart green cities, slower-paced lifestyles, and wealth of wellness traditions.

Despite its summer crowds, Spain still managed to find a place in the top 20 at the 16th spot, yet France was at 33.

Africa was also put on the map with Botswana and Namibia, which outranked other popular European destinations, such as Greece and France, which were ranked at 32 and 33, respectively.

The experts behind the index compared Australia, the top relaxing destination, with Italy, which ranked at 30, highlighting that Australia has an area 25 times larger but 50 million fewer annual visitors than the European country.

“The Global Relaxation Index confirms what many travellers already sense,” says Sean Kelly, co-founder of BookRetreats.com.

“The places we once visited for peace and quiet have become victims of their own popularity… The most peaceful escapes now lie in vast wilderness destinations like Australia and Canada, or in Northern European nations that combine safe environments with naturally calm city life.”

Canada – North America’s only destination in the top 25 – claimed second place. This was because the country offers over 4,700 wellness experiences, 34.8 per cent forest coverage, and incredible natural wonders like the Northern Lights.

Relaxation travel is expected to continue to be popular in 2025 as more travellers seek out untouched wilderness and mindful urban living experiences.

Schiphol Airport has advised passengers to prepare for delays and cancellations, due to ongoing weather conditions and severe winds caused by storm Darragh.

So far, 135 flights have been cancelled today (Friday) after severe winds grounded planes, and a further 275 flights have been delayed, according to FlightAware.

More flight cancellations could be expected during the afternoon and evening, depending on how the weather develops.

Schiphol Airport advises to expect delays

Dutch airline KLM, which operates more planes from the Schiphol airport than anywhere else, has already cancelled more than 90 flights.

Other major airlines have also had to cancel flights including, Vueling Airlines, British Airways, Air France, Finnair, Lufthansa, and Delta, which makes up about 15 per cent of today’s flights from the Amsterdam airport.

The airport’s website currently shows most upcoming departures and arrivals as either cancelled or delayed by at least one hour and the airport says to “take delays and cancellations into account”.

Passengers were already bracing for delays yesterday evening, and the airport says that terminals are currently not busy.

Even if your flight is scheduled to depart or land, you may have difficulties reaching the airport as the storm is affecting roads and rail networks too.

The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute warns of debris blown around and fallen trees, caused by strong wind gusts of 75-90 km/h.

To reach the airport, you can also expect detours due to a junction on the A10 south motorway being closed until Monday morning. Drivers are advised to plan extra time.

Storm Darragh expected to cause further travel havoc in the UK

Storm Darragh is also expected to hit Britain later today: the UK’s MET Office has just upgraded from an amber to a rare red ‘risk to life’ warning with expected strong winds to hit the southwest of England and Wales between 15:00 GMT on Friday until early on Sunday.

The last time a red warning was issued was in January with Storm Isha, which wreaked havoc across the northern half of the UK and left tens of thousands without power.

The Met Office says to expect roads, bridges and railway lines to be closed in this region, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights. There’s also a good chance some communities will be cut off by flooded roads.

Other areas of the UK continue to be on yellow and amber warnings as snow, torrential rain and heavy winds are expected throughout the weekend. People are especially advised to avoid exposed coastal areas.

The British low-cost airline Jet2.com also warns that, “There may be some disruption should the weather deteriorate” over the next four days and advises that all customers allow extra time to travel to the airport and check in as scheduled.

Will you get a refund if you decide not to take your flight?

Travel insurance is designed to cover unforeseen events, such as emergency medical expenses, lost or stolen belongings and last-minute cancellations.

In some cases, you can be reimbursed if your trip is cancelled due to extreme weather – but certain conditions usually apply.

Check your policy for a list of covered reasons for trip cancellation, as these vary by provider. Some may provide add-ons for weather-related circumstances.

Simon McCulloch from Staysure travel insurance says: “The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel guidance, advising travellers to stay informed of local conditions and to follow the advice of local authorities.

However, at this stage, there is no advice against travel to Amsterdam, so if you decide to cancel your trip, it’s unlikely you’ll receive a refund from your holiday provider or from your insurer. We therefore recommend contacting your holiday provider to explore the available options.”

If your trip is cancelled by your airline or travel provider due to weather related events, you will likely be offered compensation and a replacement trip or refund.

Moving to a new country can be daunting, but Mercer’s annual Quality of Living Report helps ease the decision-making process.

Those with itchy feet can discover the top cities that offer expats the best lifestyle – and the easiest integration into the local community.

This year’s report has seen a change in the top 10. While Vienna topped the list in 2023, this year’s winning city is Zurich, Switzerland.

What’s so great about Zurich for expats?

Choosing Zurichfor the number one spot was ‘fueled by its outstanding public services, low crime rates, and a lively cultural scene, all backed by efficient infrastructure and a dedication to sustainability,’ the Mercer report said.

It also added that the city has enhanced its airport connections with more flights to and from other continents added in summer 2024. Zurich now boasts routes to Seoul, Shanghai, Washington, and Toronto with SWISS and a restored connection to Tunis and Djerba with Tunisair, among others.

“In 2024, Zurich gained flights to Atlanta, Cluj-Napoca, Djerba, Košice, and Tunis, making it easier than ever for expats to get home and away.” Dr James Pearson, an airline routes analyst, told Euronews Travel.

Over 400,000 people with a non-Swiss background live in Zurich, making it the biggest expat community in Switzerland. However, it’s also an expensive city to live in, particularly for renters, according to Rigby AG, a staffing and project services company based in Zurich.

The cost of living in Zurich is 71.8 percent higher than in Vienna, the second-place city on the list, reveals the cost of living database Numbeo.

Rent prices are 127.6 per cent higher in Zurich than in Vienna, and groceries cost around 65 per cent more. Nevertheless, wages are higher too, so once expats start earning, the lifestyle becomes more comfortable.

Zurich is regularly applauded for its quality of life. The Institute for Quality of Life ranked it second in its 2024 list of the happiest cities in the world, behind Aarhus, Denmark. In the global IMD Smart City Index, Zurich secured the top spot in 2024 for the 5th year in a row, while the European Commission ranked it the most livable city in Europe.

Which other European cities are great for expats?

Eight of the top 10 cities in Mercer’s quality of living index are European, with only Auckland and Vancouver sneaking into the list.

Other highly ranked cities include Vienna, down one place from the top spot in 2023, and Geneva, also in Switzerland, which climbed two places to take bronze position this year.

Copenhagen retained its fourth place spot, while Amsterdam climbed an impressive eight places to make it to fifth position. Rounding out the top 10, Frankfurt dropped a place to tie with Vancouver in seventh, while two other Swiss cities, Bern and Basel, took ninth and tenth place, respectively.

Other big gains were made by Stockholm in Sweden, which rose eight places to 18th in the list, and Lisbon which jumped 12 positions to take 27th.

The biggest drop in the list was from Stuttgart, Germany, which fell 20 places in the ranking to 46th. Although Mercer didn’t specify why, the city has been struggling with a highly controversial infrastructure project – Stuttgart 21 – which has been causing disruption to daily life for residents.

What are the worst places in the world for expats to live?

241 cities from five continents were included in the Mercer ranking, so of course, there are some losers as well as winners. Many cities at the bottom of the list are in Africa and the Middle East, with Khartoum in Sudan taking the wooden spoon for last place.

Also languishing in the lower ranks are Baghdad in Iraq, Banhui in the Central African Republic, Sanaa in Yemen, and Port-Au-Prince in Haiti.

Interestingly, some US cities have clawed their way up the ranks this year, with Los Angeles in California making the biggest gains by moving up 26 places to 44th. Other climbers included Atlanta, Dallas, and Boston.

Mercer evaluates quality of life through ongoing research on the practicalities of daily life for international employees and their families, adding, “The most successful destinations today are those that blend flexible governance around mobile talent with a high quality of life and an affordable cost of living.”