Ljubljana, the green miracle, is the winner of the 13th competition of the »European Best Destinations« project and has been declared the best destination in Europe in 2022.

This was decided by travellers from around the world with a vote held between 20 January and 10 February. As many as 92% of all votes for Ljubljana came from other countries, which proves the exceptional international appeal of our city. And so, Ljubljana set a unique record in the entire history of the competition, as since 2009, no country has won with such a large share of votes beyond its borders. But Ljubljana is not only an attractive destination for travellers. As pointed out by European Best Destinations, in order to understand this green miracle, it is also visited by entire delegations of mayors, environmental advisers and urban planners.

Where would you like to go on holiday in 2022?

European Best Destinations, which plays an essential role in promoting culture and tourism in Europe for both travellers as well as the tourism industry and the media, posed a question to its followers on its online platform and social media on 20 January: Where in Europe would you like to go on holiday in 2022? It put 20 destinations to the vote, which were selected by a special jury based on previous successes, culture and tourism, quality of life and sustainable development. In 21 days, they recorded 528,069 votes from 182 countries. 56% of the votes came from Europe, 44% from other countries. The latter represents the highest share of votes outside Europe since the competition was launched, reflecting the great desire of travellers to return to the Old Continent. Ljubljana received 75,642 votes, mainly from America, Italy, Germany, Austria and Croatia.

European Best Destinations, which held the 13th competition for the best destination in Europe together with EDEN, the largest network of sustainable tourism destinations, spotlighted Ljubljana as the trendiest travel destination in 2022 on the most visited website dedicated to tourism in Europe, reaching over 6 million travellers. Among other things, they wrote that »the city is a treasure trove of exciting secrets and natural joys. The proud green capital of Slovenia invites all vagabonds who are hungry for culture, art, entertainment and large green areas, which provide a relaxed atmosphere. It's not just travellers from all over the world who visit it. Entire delegations of mayors, environmental advisers and urban planners visit Ljubljana to understand the green wonder of this unique capital in Europe. Ahead of other European capitals, Ljubljana decided to close the old city centre to motor traffic.«

Various articles will be published in collaboration with high-profile media such as Condé Nast, Forbes USA, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Business Insider and others. The annual selection of the best destination in Europe also arouses a lot of interest in diverse media, especially in Europe and also beyond.

»We are proud that global travellers have chosen Ljubljana and that they have placed it at the very top of their travel lists. Of particular importance is the fact that 92% of all votes come from other countries, which is a kind of tribute to our city and our efforts to develop it towards sustainability, soft mobility, high quality of life, diverse offer based on local characteristics and raw materials, and inclusion of the local population,« emphasizes Petra Stušek, MA, Director of Ljubljana Tourism.

Ljubljana is a tolerant, multicultural and open destination

»More than previously, quite a few prestigious destinations competed for the first place this year, but in the end, it was decided by travellers from around the world: Ljubljana is the best European destination in 2022. Thanks to your work in the past 15 years, Ljubljana is a tolerant, multicultural, open, optimistic, sports-oriented and family-friendly destination,« says Maximilien Lejeune, Director of European Best Destinations. »It is a safe city with one of the highest quality of life ratings in Europe. It is a proud holder of the title of the best green capital in Europe and the largest green area per capita in Europe. A city of good practices that inspire destinations around the world. Above all, Ljubljana is a city created for and with its citizens, where it is good to live, work, invest, settle down with your family, launch your project, your start-up.«

European Best Destinations is a travel website developed to promote culture and tourism in Europe. In collaboration with tourism organizations and EDEN, the largest network of sustainable tourism destinations set up by the European Commission, it promotes a better understanding of the richness, diversity and quality of European destinations. Its competitions for best European destinations of the year, Christmas fairs, beaches, ski resorts and most romantic destinations have become the most important tourist competitions in Europe. They bring together millions of travellers who support and discover the most beautiful destinations in Europe.

In 2020, European Best Destinations ranked Ljubljana among the safest Christmas destinations in Europe and, in 2021, declared it the best green capital in Europe.

The European Best Destinations competition plays a vital role in promoting Europe as the number one destination in the world. It has become a junction of tourist organizations and world travellers as well as the main gateway to discovering Europe.