The top 20 European destinations for Americans for the 2025–26 holiday season have been revealed following an analysis of over 165,000 travel itineraries booked between 26 November 2025 and 6 January 2026. For the second year running, London takes the top spot.
The ranking, compiled by Allianz Partners, a global leader in travel insurance and assistance services, confirms the enduring appeal of the British capital. From festive markets to West End shows and the enduring charm of neighbourhoods such as Notting Hill, London continues to resonate strongly with American travellers.
The top five cities remain unchanged from last year, with only one minor reshuffle: Rome and Madrid have swapped places compared with last year’s ranking. Paris, France, remains in second place, with Rome, Italy, in third. Madrid, Spain, comes fourth, while Dublin, Ireland, completes the top five. Together, these popular destinations highlight a clear preference for major cities drawn by reliable transport links, renowned for shopping, a broad range of cultural attractions, and large-scale seasonal events.
“With holiday travel heating up, Americans are embracing Europe’s winter magic and protecting those plans with travel insurance,” said Emily Hartman, general manager at Allianz Partners. “From Christmas markets to New Year’s celebrations, travellers are seeking memorable, stress-free experiences, backed by coverage for delays, cancellations, medical emergencies abroad, and other unexpected disruptions.”
Positions six to twelve also mirror last year’s list: In order, they are Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Frankfurt in Germany, Barcelona in Spain, Munich in Germany, and Lisbon in Portugal. The latter appeals particularly to travellers seeking milder winter weather. Zurich, Switzerland, and Milan, Italy occupy eleventh and twelfth place, respectively.
Further down the ranking, the list features a variety of historic capitals and lifestyle cities. Athens, Greece, and Edinburgh, Scotland appear in thirteenth and fourteenth position respectively, having swapped places since last year. Vienna, Austria, renowned for its imperial architecture and Christmas markets, comes in 15th place, followed by Copenhagen, Denmark, which joins the top 20 for the first time this year.
Manchester, England, is in seventeenth place, having slipped two positions since last year. Geneva, Switzerland, with its snow-covered slopes visible from the city centre, follows in eighteenth place, while Venice, Italy, drops to nineteenth. Lastly, the prospect of waffles and hot chocolate appears less tempting to Americans this year as Brussels, Belgium, falls four places to take twentieth place.
“All together, these destinations underscore Americans’ growing appetite for variety in their European travels, from snow-covered markets to temperate escapes, as the continent continues to offer something for every type of winter traveller,” Allianz Partners said in a statement.
While the most popular destinations are not necessarily those perceived as the safest, Europe as a whole continues to rank highly in terms of safety for American travellers. The Netherlands tops the safety list, followed by Austria, Iceland, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal, France, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. Iceland is the only country in this group that does not appear in the top 20 destinations ranking.
