Ranking 2024's Top Sustainable European Destinations

In the top spot, we have Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, which ranks with a total of 89 points out of a total possible score of 100. This is a beautiful and historic city. Stroll through the streets and take in castles, palaces, and cathedrals. In Holyrood Park, you can climb up Arthur's Seat, what's left of an extinct volcano, to look down across the city.

For extra sustainability points, why not take the train to Edinburgh rather than fly? Taking the sleeper train is a popular luxurious option - you can even book a double bed, with breakfast included! Then on arrival, pick up a rental car and enjoy some day trips to places like Loch Ness.

• Closest airport: Edinburgh Airport
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 288
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 7
• Number of restaurants with vegan options: 645
• Number of nature spots: 42
• Pollution level: Low

Second on the list, Zurich has 88 points, only just behind Edinburgh. This Swiss city is the largest in the country, and is full of culture with great restaurants, theaters and museums and galleries. In the city center, Zurich's Altstadt or Old Town is wonderful to explore on foot or by river cruise, on an electric boat.

However, you're not far from Switzerland's beautiful countryside - and if you're visiting in winter, you can reach a number of ski slopes in less than an hour by car. Mount Rigi, known as 'the Queen of the Mountains', is only 40 minutes drive from Zurich. Visitors can also toboggan, hike, or snowboard.

• Closest airport: Zurich Airport
  
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 414
  
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 19
  
• Number of restaurants with vegan options: 391
  
• Number of nature spots: 33
  
• Pollution level: Low
  

The beautiful capital of France is next. Paris ranks with a total of 86 points - this world famous city is well known for its beautiful architecture, its food scene, and its dedication to arts and culture. However, Paris is also very committed to being an eco-friendly and sustainable city - in 2021, 70,000 parking spaces were removed, replaced with trees, places to lock your bike, and electric car charging points.

Many visitors to the French capital will feel that their holiday is not complete without seeing iconic Parisian monuments and buildings like the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur. There are also large and beautiful parks in the city like Bois de Boulogne, which combines woodland, lakes and ornamental gardens.

• Closest airport: Paris Orly
  
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 220
  
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 16
  
• Number of restaurants with vegan options: 1656
  
• Number of nature spots: 309
  
• Pollution level: Low
  

Spain's capital Barcelona ranked in fourth place. The city scored 85 points. While it is certainly a very popular destination, you'll find that it's quieter if you visit in spring or autumn. The weather is still deliciously warm, but you'll avoid the crowds, as well as play your part in reducing the summertime overtourism that puts the city's resources under strain.

Where in Barcelona do you want to go? The city's Gothic Quarter has both centuries-old architecture and a buzzing nightlife - or take in the amazing work of architect and designer Gaudí, whose modernist buildings can be found all over the city.

• Closest airport: Barcelona Airport
  
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 594
  
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 23
  
• Number of restaurants with vegan options: 1557
  
• Number of nature spots: 163
  
• Pollution level: Low
  

The port city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands scored 84 points - it's the second largest city in the country. Its high rise skyline is iconic, and one of the most popular tourist attractions is to go up the Euromast Tower and look out across the city. You can grab a meal in the tower's restaurant while you're there too!

The Kralingse Bos is a lovely, peaceful city park where locals and tourists alike enjoy picnics, sports and walking. Rotterdam has lots of eco-friendly initiatives such as DakAkker, a rooftop farm where fresh organic vegetables are grown, and Worm Hotels produce compost that visitors can take away for their own gardens.

• Closest airport: Rotterdam Airport
  
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 198
  
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 13
  
• Number of restaurants with vegan options: 183
  
• Number of nature spots: 27
  
• Pollution level: Low
  

Next up in our sustainable destinations round up, we have Hamburg in Germany. It scored 81. This waterfront city is built on three rivers and you can travel by canal - it has been often compared to Venice, and not without reason. You can even enjoy a tour by gondola.

In 2011 Hamburg was crowned the European Green Capital - the city is home to plenty of parks and green spaces. Hamburg is second only in size to Berlin, and has a whole range of different districts for travelers seeking different experiences. From artsy neighborhoods to the medieval center, there's lots to love.

• Closest airport: Hamburg Airport
  
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 436
  
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 39
  
• Number of restaurants with vegan options: 428
  
• Number of nature spots: 53
  
• Pollution level: Low
  

Ghent in Belgium is our next pick, with a score of 80. It's another port city, which combines beautiful centuries-old architecture with a lively nightlife culture. Less frequently visited by tourists than Bruges, a city to which it is often compared, a trip to Ghent offers a very authentic Belgian experience.

Ghent is a very eco-friendly city, which since 2017 has been home to the largest low-traffic pedestrian zone in Europe. And as another city on the water, of course there are plenty of options for boat tours! There is even a replica eighteenth-century barge that regularly plays host to special events, which groups can pay to use for a day.

• Closest airport: Antwerp Airport
  
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 200
  
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 8
  
• Number of restaurants with vegan options 151
  
• Number of nature spots: 23
  
• Pollution level: Low
  

Our next sustainable city is the capital of Denmark, which scored 77 - both the country and its capital are well known for their commitment to the environment. All around Denmark you can find 'reverse vending machines' where you can put your bottles and cans to be recycled, and either take a small payment or donate it to charity. Copenhagen's harbor is safe to swim in all year round, with 10 designated swimming spots.

This cool and cultural city has plenty to do, with museums, galleries, restaurants, charming streets to wander down, and lots of green space in the form of parks and gardens.

• Closest airport: Copenhagen Airport
  
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 536
  
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 10
  
• Number of restaurants with vegan options: 306
  
• Number of nature spots: 56
  
• Pollution level: Low
  

With 76 points, it's Turin in Italy. A gorgeous place surrounded by dramatic mountains, this city is one of the quieter destinations in Italy. Less crowded than Rome by far, you can enjoy a peaceful stroll through the city, taking in Baroque architecture, the palace gardens, and open-air markets.

Turin is home to a sustainable shopping mall called Green Pea, which is built from recyclable materials and runs on a majority of green energy. The building is painted with an innovative paint that reduces air pollution, and only hosts shops that meet high eco-friendly standards.

• Closest airport: Turin Airport
  
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 582
  
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 13
  
• Number of restaurants with vegan options: 506
  
• Number of nature spots: 41
  
• Pollution level: Low
  

To round off our top 10, the Irish city of Limerick ranked with 75 points. Built on the river Shannon, there are lots of scenic walking and cycling routes around this lovely city. In 2018, Limerick began a rewilding project, reintroducing wildflowers into urban green spaces to encourage biodiversity. Close to the city, you can also find the Coonagh Nature Reserve.

Every weekend, the city is host to the Limerick Milk Market where you can buy local organic produce and delicious street food to snack on while you explore.

• Closest airport: Shannon Airport
• Climate impact (round-trip flight) kg CO2: 373
• Hotels With EV Charging Points: 3
• Number of restaurants with vegan options: 67
• Number of nature spots: 15
• Pollution level: Low

Of the 20 locations we examined, the bottom 10 were:

11. Tulum (Mexico)
12. La Fortuna de San Carlos (Costa Rica)
13. Playa Del Carmen (Mexico)
14. Zanzibar Island (Tanzania)
15. Paraty (Brazil)
16. Arusha (Tanzania)
17. North Male Atoll (Maldives)
18. Cairo (Egypt)
19. Natal (Brazil)
20. Luxor (Egypt)

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Sources:
https://www.atmosfair.de
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