While it varies by survey, Munich, Germany, frequently tops recent expat surveys as the least friendly city in Europe, struggling with locals making friends with foreigners, while older polls often pointed to Paris, France, due to tourist fatigue and cultural differences like needing to say "bonjour". Other cities like Berlin, Hamburg, and Vienna also appear low on friendliness indexes, though Vienna has recently improved.
The Unfriendliest City in the World is in Germany
For Munich in particular, the last place in the 2024 index is “a new low,” as Internations writes. More than two out of five expats find it difficult to adapt to the local culture. They feel neither welcome nor at home.
The Most Hipster Cities in Europe
France is purportedly the least welcoming country for American tourists, with 15% of French respondents claiming that their country was the least welcoming to U.S. tourists. This response lines up with the American respondents' prediction, with 47% speculating that France took the dimmest view of U.S. travelers.
Vienna was named Europe's Friendliest City and #2 in the world by Condé Nast Traveller's Readers' Choice Awards Condé Nast Traveller UK 🌍✨ Not bad for a place that is known for its legendary Wiener Grant (grumpy yet charming attitude) 🙃 Even the portraits in our museums can't help but grin.
1. London. The storied metropolis claims the throne atop Europe's Best Cities ranking in 2025 for a third consecutive year.
Still, there are areas of Europe that are more dangerous than others. Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus are obvious no-go areas right now, but political instability and the ever-present risk of crime are genuine causes for concern elsewhere.
Ukraine has the lowest happiness score in Europe (4.7 out of 10) for 2025, driven by war, economic hardship, displacement, and insecurity.
🤔 The latest Expat Insider 2025 ranking reveals the world's least friendly countries for foreigners, with Kuwait once again taking the top spot.
Switzerland ranks as the Best Country in the world as determined by Europeans and a global audience, and the other European league leaders are consistently strong among regional observers, largely for the same reasons.
Also the shortest day of the year, This infographic marks winter solstice by looking at the gloomiest places in Europe. In terms of hours of sunlight, Glasgow is the most overcast city under consideration. Hamburg, home to the Statista headquarters, also makes it into the 'top' ten.
In a non-European Union context, the term E3 is commonly used to describe the three largest western European economies: France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
There's no single "most beautiful" place in Europe as beauty is subjective, but top contenders often include Italy (Cinque Terre, Dolomites, Amalfi Coast), Greece (islands like Naxos, Zakynthos), Croatia (Plitvice Lakes, Dubrovnik), Slovenia (Lake Bled), and Norway (fjords, islands), with locations like Cappadocia (Turkey) and the Azores (Portugal) also frequently cited for unique landscapes and vibrant culture. Italy is often named the most beautiful country due to its diverse scenery and rich art.
The 10 PM rule in Germany refers to Nachtruhe, a legally enforced quiet time (usually 10 PM to 6 or 7 AM) where loud activities like music, vacuuming, or DIY are prohibited to ensure neighbors' rest, complementing midday quiet hours (Mittagsruhe) and strict quiet on Sundays, rooted in German law and culture valuing peace in dense housing.
It described attempts to create "national liberated zones" (national befreite Zonen) in Germany: "'no-go-areas', which are areas dominated by neo-Nazis," attributing their appeal in the former DDR to "the unmet promises of modernisation and the poor socio-cultural conditions that offer no perspectives to young people".
Berlin, the German capital of the homeless, needs more winter shelters! – Gemeinschaft Brot des Lebens – betterplace.org.
Which is the least friendly city in the world?
FCDO advises against all travel
According to Condé Nast Traveller's 2025 Readers' Choice Awards, one often-overlooked country has officially been crowned Europe's friendliest. Readers across the world shared their travel intel, and the surprise winner? Estonia.
Despite having the highest GDP growth rate in Europe, Moldova is among its poorest states, and also has Europe's smallest GDP per capita.
Among the EU countries, Portugal (12.2%) had the highest share of the population reporting chronic depression in 2019, followed Sweden (11.7%), Germany and Croatia (both 11.6%). In contrast, the share of people reporting chronic depression was lowest in Romania (1.0%), Bulgaria (2.7%) and Malta (3.5%).
The 3-1-1 Rule Explained
3: You can carry liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes in containers of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less. 1: All containers must fit into a 1 quart-sized, clear, resealable plastic bag. 1: Each passenger is allowed one such bag.
$2,000 for two weeks in Europe is possible but very tight, requiring a strict budget focused on hostels, cooking meals, cheap transport, and less expensive regions like Eastern Europe; it's generally not enough for Western Europe or if flights/major activities are included, as many travelers find $100-$200+ per day (excluding flights) more realistic for comfort in popular areas, notes Quora and Savings.com.au.
Topping the list is Caracas, Venezuela, due to its extremely high crime rates, followed by Karachi, Pakistan; Yangon, Myanmar; and Lagos, Nigeria, all of which present similar safety risks for travelers. Manila, Philippines; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Bogotá, Colombia are also included among these high-risk destinations.