While some of us plan holidays to destinations where we can let loose and party, sometimes you just want to log off and decompress – and finding a place known for its relaxing qualities can be exactly what you need.
Handily, BookRetreats.com has just published its Holiday Relaxation Report, which analysed 76 destinations based on nine factors – the percentage of protected areas, forest coverage, crowd density, noise and light pollution, peacefulness and wellness experiences – and they were all scored out of 100 for each.
Claiming the top spot overall, and the crown for the world’s most relaxing destination, it was (drum roll, please) Australia! With all that space, it’s not surprising that the lack of crowds really helped its case (density sits at just 3.4 people per km squared – for context, in Italy that’s around 198 people per km squared).
Canada claims second place, and Iceland claims third, which is one of the seven spots claimed by European countries in the top 10 (and one of five in northern Europe). Read on for the full top 20 roundup.
These are the 20 most relaxing places in the world
- Australia
- Canada
- Iceland
- Finland
- New Zealand
- Austria
- Sweden
- Estonia
- Norway
- Portugal
- Botswana
- Croatia
- Germany
- Montenegro
- Japan
- Spain
- Bulgaria
- Lithuania
- Czechia
- Malaysia
Do you really, really need a break? Why not have a look at our roundup of Europe’s most relaxing spas, or our top picks for the best hiking routes in the world?
Did you see that UNESCO has added 66 new traditions to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list?
Plus: These are officially the world’s most powerful passports right now.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.