These Are the Sunniest Places in Europe

A new study by Montenegro Car Rentals ranked the sunniest countries in Europe—naming Malta, Cyprus, and Spain as the top three, each with over 300 sunny days in 2024—making them ideal destinations for sunshine-seeking travelers and digital nomads.

The lovely summer weather is already giving way to hotter, longer, sunnier days, which could (and should) have you planning your next getaway. And if you’re looking to soak up as much of those sunny days as possible, then a new study has the exact locations for you. 

In May, Montenegro Car Rentals conducted a study to uncover the sunniest places in all of Europe. To find this very critical piece of travel information, it sourced data from World Weather Online and TimeandDate.com to measure the average number of sunny days in countries around Europe experienced over the entirety of 2024. 

“We know that travelers look for holiday destinations with good weather, but this information can be difficult to find online, as most weather sources report on destinations individually,” Jovan Tomasevic, the manager of Montenegro Car Rentals, shared with Travel + Leisure. “Our study brings together data from multiple countries in one place, making it easier for travelers to compare and choose the best locations for their vacations.” The company also noted that the amount of sunny weather also has “significant implications for tourism, renewable energy potential, and even mental health trends,” making it key to figure out who’s got the sun-filled goods. 

After doing all that data analysis, it named a three-way tie between Malta, Cyprus, and Spain as the spots to boost our moods with a little kiss from the sun.

The three nations, the company noted, “are the sunniest countries in Europe, each basking in over 300 sunny days per year, making them prime destinations for holidays and digital nomads alike.” It added, “With climate-conscious travel on the rise, southern Europe’s consistently sunny climate may play a key role in shaping travel patterns and remote work destinations.” 

Following closely behind these destinations is Portugal, which the company said experiences 290 days of sun on average. Next up is Italy and Greece, which they found both experience 280 days of sun, on average, further “highlighting Southern Europe’s dominance in sunshine.” 

In contrast, the company found that Northern European countries may lack that vitamin D you’re after, including the U.K. and Ireland, which received just 150 days of sun on average, and Iceland, with just 120 days on average. But luckily for them, they still have plenty of other fantastic attributes that are well worth seeing, even if it’s cloudy.