A new survey has revealed the world’s friendliest cities, and a European favourite took the top spot. Europe is full of go-to tourist destinations for Brits, from much-loved city breaks to charming old towns and popular seaside resorts. Many of these places are home to friendly locals who make tourists feel welcome. This is something that many people actively seek out nowadays, as anti-tourism protests  have made travellers rethink where they would like to go.

Protests against overtourism have occurred over the last couple of summers in places loved by British holidaymakers, such as Tenerife, Mallorca and the city of Barcelona . However, some European locations are home to some of the friendliest people on earth, and many of them aren’t too far from the UK. One is a city in Portugal that boasts lovely architecture, fascinating history, and a plethora of great restaurants and stunning beaches. 

Esteemed travel publication Time Out conducted a worldwide survey to find out which city locals think is the friendliest. The city that came out on top is Porto in Portugal, which is a mere two-hour-and-twenty-minute flight from the UK. 

Porto has long been a favourite for some British tourists, who are attracted to its seaside charm, nightlife and array of tourist attractions. Time Out polled 18,500 residents of cities across the globe and asked them a series of questions about their hometowns.

As part of the survey, they were asked how likely they were to describe their hometowns as welcoming and friendly – and Porto was the clear winner.

The publication says of the Portuguese city: “A whopping 85% of locals in Porto told us that their neighbours were nice, making it the official friendliest city on the planet. Porto also came fourth for beauty, twelfth for happiness, and eighth in the overall ranking, so clearly its residents rate it pretty highly all around.”

Porto has plenty of attractions to offer tourists. Popular visitor destinations in the city include the Dom Luis Bridge, exploring the Ribeira district and climbing the Clérigos Tower for city views. 

Porto is a great choice for people who are looking to go somewhere in summer where the heat doesn’t get too much. Unlike areas such as the South of Spain, where temperatures regularly shoot past 30C in summer, Porto reaches the low to mid 20s in June, July and August. 

In winter, temperatures remain moderately warm, with November getting highs of around 17C. In summer, it is a great place to go for beaches and seaside fun, and in winter, it is a great spot for history, culture and food. 

While Porto was named the friendliest city in the world, the survey found that many other spots across the world were also exceptionally welcoming. 

The top 20 friendliest cities in the world, according to Time Out’s survey, are:

1. Porto, Portugal
2. Bilbao, Spain
3. Medellin, Colombia
4. Cape Town, South Africa
5. Lagos, Nigeria
6. Brighton, UK
7. Madrid, Spain
8. Lisbon, Portugal
9. Chicago, USA
10. Belfast, UK
11. Hanoi, Vietnam
12. New Orleans, USA
13. Valencia, Spain
14. Glasgow, UK
15. Abu Dhabi, UAE
16. Chiang Mai, Thailand
17. Montreal, Canada
18. Seville, Spain
19. Brisbane, Australia
20. Dubai, UAE