Looking for a city break without the noise? Europe is definitely the place to go.
According to research by Avanti Travel Insurance, European destinations dominate a new ranking of the world’s quietest cities to visit in 2027, claiming all spots in the top 10.
Venice in Italy, Lisbon in Portugal and Amsterdam in the Netherlands completed the top three. Alongside Venice, two other Italian destinations – Milan and Florence – also feature in the top 10 ranking.
Avanti surveyed Euromonitor International’s Top 100 City Destinations Index of 2025, excluding cities not open to all visitors and entries covering regions rather than single cities.
Each city was measured within a two-kilometre radius of its official centre point in OpenStreetMap, or its town hall where no point existed. The research then ranked the cities by the length of motorways and main roads as well as pedestrianised streets. Fewer kilometres of major roads and more pedestrianised streets were a positive sign and were averaged.
The ranking’s top 10 were also examined for “peacekeeping rules” – whether or not there are legally set quiet hours, nighttime curfews or caps on flights at the city’s busiest airport, as well as Sunday trading restrictions.
While Europe swept the top 10 , travel expert Sarah Rodrigues also picked out her favourite quiet cities from each continent for those looking to venture further afield. This included Hoi An in Vietnam, Lamu Island in Kenya, New Mexico in the US, Paratay in Brazil and Nelson in New Zealand.
The top 10 quietest cities in the world
- 1. Venice, Italy
- 2. Lisbon, Portugal
- 3. Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 4. Barcelona, Spain
- 5. Brussels, Belgium
- 6. Athens, Greece
- 7. Zürich, Switzerland
- 8. Milan, Italy
- 9. Florence, Italy
- 10. Stockholm, Sweden
Quietest cities: The top three
Venice, Italy
Topping the list is Venice, with Avanti finding barely two kilometres of busy roads within two kilometres of its centre. With more than 170 kilometres of car-free streets, the city’s peaceful canals, historic squares and winding lanes offer a “different way” to explore Venetian architecture and culture – sans the “hum of traffic”.
According to Rodrigues, the city is ideal for those seeking “a break from traffic noise, as so much of the city is car-free”, adding that getting up early to explore gives another way to experience its quieter side. It’s a side that “tourists rarely see”, she said.
Lisbon, Portugal
Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, has one of the lowest densities of busy roads in the study, Avanti said, adding that the city has a cap on night flights at its airport.
On offer is tiled architecture, historic trams and sweeping views across the Tagus River, alongside green spaces that make it easy to incorporate calm into a culture getaway, the report added.
Rodrigues recommends that travellers add Gulbenkian gardens to their itineraries: “It’s a great spot to recharge the batteries, and you can even fit in a bit of art or culture while you’re there.”
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Rounding out the top three is the Dutch capital, which features more than 30 kilometres of car-free streets and canal-side routes to explore the city at a gentler pace. Aside from the famous waterways and museums, Avanti said that Amsterdam’s varied neighbourhoods feature independent shops, cafés and local culture in a “more relaxed” setting.
“I’d recommend having a look at what the different neighbourhoods have to offer before deciding where to stay,” Rodrigues said. “You might find somewhere that suits you much better than staying right in the centre and gives you a quieter base to come back to after a day exploring.”
