Condé Nast Traveller’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards ranked Estonia as the seventh friendliest country in Europe, marking its second consecutive year in the top 10. The publication’s readers praised Estonia for its historic cities, wild nature, and islands, as well as the politeness and respectful attitude of its people. Nearly 300,000 readers participated in the 29th annual survey, with Ireland, Portugal, and Italy taking the top three spots. Greece, Spain, and Turkey preceded Estonia, while Slovenia, Croatia, and Austria followed.
Agnia Nast, head of the tourism department at Enterprise Estonia, said visitors often return because of the genuine hospitality they experience. “Estonian hospitality may not be the loudest or most effusive, but it is genuine,” Nast said. “Once an Estonian starts talking to you, you can quickly get to real stories, good recommendations, or even an invitation to go to grandma’s for pancakes.”
The awards also recognized Porto as Europe’s friendliest city and Costa Rica as the world’s friendliest country. Condé Nast Traveller operates in eight markets, including the U.S. and U.K., with nearly 10 million monthly digital users and over 17 million social media followers.
