From beautiful beaches to stunning buildings to delicious cuisine, Spain has everything a tourist could possibly want. Teide National Park and Costa del Sol are two destinations you don’t want to miss while you’re there!
Be prepared to get a healthy dose of ancient castles when touring Germany! They’re everywhere, and they are definitely worth your while if you’re an architecture fan. For everyone else, it doesn’t matter if you love the peace and quiet of the countryside or the hustle and bustle of major urban areas—Germany has them both and much more!
Japan has a completely different culture, so maybe that’s why people love to visit. Unfortunately, there’s a misconception that the country is rude, but this is false! As with any country, there are invisible rules you have to learn to fit into the culture. Showing respect for Japanese culture by learning these rules goes a long way with the locals. You’ll find it’s one of the most welcoming countries in the world, and there are ramen vending machines to boot!
London is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and you can taste food from every corner of the globe without leaving one city! If you're a lover of accents, the UK has numerous distinct regional accents. So you can feel like you're visiting many different countries all on one trip without ever leaving the UK.
Tourism is big business even within the United States of America, traveling from one state to another. But there are also cities that are particularly international in scope. New York and Miami are particularly welcoming to international travelers, for cultural and leisure reasons, respectively. But when it comes to cities welcoming to travelers, one name stands above all the rest: Orlando.
What isn’t the love about Australia? (Other than the deadly beasts and bugs). Sometimes the people can be considered abrasive, but hospitality is their bread and butter. Sydney and Melbourne are fantastic starting places for visitors. There’s so much to do and beaches that will take your breath away.
Italy is packed to the brim with destinations that have artistic or historical importance. Heck, you could probably create a vacation touring Rome alone! But don’t forget to hit some of the other great locations that Italy has to offer, like Florence and Venice.
Even though Switzerland maintains a tradition of being politically neutral in foreign affairs, that doesn't mean that it's standoffish to visitors. On the contrary, the countries natural Alpine beauty makes it a favorite destination of snow-lovers. Plus, for better or worse depending on your viewpoint, the country's banking industry is also very welcoming to foreign investment.
Like it's neighbor, Austria's picturesque setting among the Alps simply begs tourists to visit—in either summer or winter. And with a strong coffee culture, there are plenty of cafes in which to warm up and strike up a conversation.
Singapore is one of Asia's recent success stories. In an incredibly short amount of time, the city-state has gone from a low-income to very high-income country, and it has the world-class city infrastructure to show for it. It's now a leading tourist destination not only in Asia but in the whole world. And its cameo in Crazy Rich Asians surely helped.
Portugal is already one of the most-visited destinations by British tourists, particularly the city of Faro. For new visitors, you wouldn't exactly be mistaken for thinking all that the Portuguese do is party. This is a country of festivals; the more people the merrier!
New Zealand is just diet Australia, right? Wrong; this is a whole other beast unto itself. Maybe life isn't as stressful here as it is in "the bush" just across the Tasman Sea, but Kiwis seem much more laid back. In fact, New Zealand checks all the "friendly" boxes: family-friendly, LGBT-friendly, eco-friendly, Lord of the Rings nerd-friendly.
Like the other Nordic countries, nearly everyone speaks perfect English. That lingua franca helps foreign tourists to get around easily. Plus, Norway has both compact, easily-navigable urban centers full of cultural curiosities and beautiful natural rural areas that will take your breath away. It's the best of both worlds.
If you're an architectural lover, Belgium is the place to go, and the locals are happy to show off the goods! The city of Bruges, in particular, seems like it was plucked from a fairytale. Belgium also has the best foods: waffles, fries, and beer. This is not up for debate; it's just fact.
The Irish are so known for being friendly that it's almost a cliché. Besides its overall high welcoming rating, Ireland also gets superior marks on lists for single female travelers. Visit a pub, order a beer, and prepare to engage in some warm conversation.
The capital Reykjavík (rake-yuh-vik) is the economic and tourist heart of Iceland, with 60% of the country's population living in the metro area. An outdoorsman's paradise, the country features volcanos, glaciers, and hot springs. The locals also know how to have a good time indoors, as well. The capital city is famous for its nightlife, with patrons starting to head out to bars at midnight or later.
While not many people have Croatia near the top of their lists of places to visit, this underappreciated gem is known for its hospitality and openness to tourists. Be sure to visit the Walls of Dubrovnik and the beautiful coastal city of Rovinj while you’re there!
Costa Rica is a major tourist spot, and they’re also one of the friendliest places for foreigners to visit. It helps that English is widely spoken, although a little bit of Spanish will get you even further in the country. It can be a little expensive in some places, but if you look hard enough, you can find reasonable prices.
When you think of beautiful beaches along the coastline, you might not first think of Bulgaria. But that's what makes it such a fabulous place to visit. Most other people haven't discovered the beautiful beaches either, so you'll have them all to yourself. Plus, the cities have a vibrant nightlife, and they aren't as pricey as other European capitals like Paris or London.
Cyprus is an island, and, like many other islands around the world, the country welcomes visitors to experience "island life." With its location in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, the climate is nearly always perfect. Grab a chair, an umbrella, and get ready to enjoy the beautiful blue water everywhere you look.
Estonia is an easy visit because of its relatively small size, and that small size makes the country feel like one big friendly neighborhood with locals happy to show you around to best spots. Not only are there not many visitors overall, the high prices that usually follow lots of tourists haven't made their way to Estonia either.
If you don't have pictures of pristinely white Greek island villages pinned to your travel bucket list on Pinterest, who even are you? The country has numerous cruise opportunities that let you hop from island to island, experiencing as many as possible in one trip. We think that sounds truly welcoming!
Another island; another welcoming country. Jamaica's Caribbean destination means that it is bathed in sunny weather nearly every day. The Jamaican people are also some of the friendliest on earth. We all hope that they recover quickly from recent hurricane damage.
Why visit Luxembourg? Castles! It probably has the most castles per capita, but we don't really know if that's a real stat or not. Regardless, there are beautiful architectural and geographic sites to behold in villages and in the surrounding countryside. And its compact nature makes it easy to get around.
If there's a common theme to this list, it's that islands score very well. Malta, like its nearby neighbor, is an island republic in the Mediterranean Sea south of Italy. Beautiful beaches, sunny weather, and pristine water mean that tourism is a big business here. And the country is open for business!
This island nation is just east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. With a perfect climate and beautiful natural resources, Mauritius wants everyone to experience its beauty! If you like to relax, choose between 16 different islands. If you like to be active, you can jet ski, scuba dive, or go parasailing to your heart's content.
Panama seems primed for American tourists. What's the main currency in the country? The American dollar. What's the time zone in Panama? The same as U.S. Central Time. No jet lag! Panama City, the capital, has world-class amenities and beaches nearby. Why haven't you visited yet?
Visitors to Central Europe often head to Czechia (Prague). But right next door, Slovenia has amazing food and a beautiful countryside! You can explore that countryside by river rafting, ziplining, or cave spelunking. And if you opt for something a little more relaxing, there are plenty of wineries around.
Paris is the undisputed heart of France’s tourism industry, but the entire country is a fantastic destination for tourists. The French countryside is absolutely the place to go if you love quaint, rustic villages and breathtaking views of the sea.
