Which will Europe's best destination be in 2022?

People can vote for their top pick from a mix of 20 uniquely European spots, from across the continent

The online vote for the ‘European Best Destination for 2022’ has launched on 20 January. The voting window will last until 10 February and people will have the option to vote multiple times. This year, European Best Destinations have selected 20 tourist gems, such as Clonakilty in Ireland to Crete in the eastern Mediterranean. The destinations offer a mix of the metropolitan, romantic, sustainable, beach and sunshine or family escapes we desperately need to think about during the peak of winter.

David and Goliath - tourism heavyweights face off against small authentic towns

The destinations include some staples like Athens and Rome but they also feature some lesser-known places. Lahti in Finland, for instance, has been making waves in recent months with its plethora of sustainable policies. Another pick is Nijmegen - the oldest city in the Netherlands.

It celebrated 2,000 years of existence in 2005. Another pick off the beaten path is Oradea in Romania, famous for its prominent examples of Art Noveau architecture.

In the last couple of years, with Covid-travel restrictions and waves upon waves of infections, travel has not been what it used to be. However, despite the fact that many people are skipping out on vacationing abroad these days, voting for a favourite tourist spot offers a breath of fresh air and possible plans for the near future.

Last year’s winner

Last year, Braga, also known as the Portuguese ‘Rome’ took the top spot in the vote, beating out the city of Rome by 31,000 votes. The win came after a concerted effort on the part of the city to enter the pantheon of famous, quaint and very European cities, favoured by tourists.

Apparently, the promotional campaign worked, as more than 70% of the votes for Braga came from abroad and beating a tourism heavyweight like Rome was impressive, indeed.