UK website: Tallinn rated one of the world’s most relaxing city breaks

MoneySuperMarket, a UK-based price comparison website, has published a Serene Cities Index which ranks the Estonian capital, Tallinn, as the second most relaxing city break destination after Reykjavik, Iceland.

The Serene Cities Index ranks 75 cities around the world based on a range of factors including air, light and noise pollution, traffic congestion, average sunshine hours and the happiness and friendliness of residents.

Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, ranked first with a score of 85.5 out of 100, followed closely by Tallinn with a score of 82.3.

“Something of a hidden gem, Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, intertwines its UNESCO-listed Old Town’s mediaeval charm with Estonia’s modern, tech-driven society, giving visitors the best of both worlds overlooking the Baltic Sea,” the index says. 

Stunning views and easy access to nature

“Placing second on our list, Tallinn is a clean, quiet city which offers a vibrant cultural scene, efficient infrastructure, and thriving nightlife. Compared to Reykjavik, Tallinn is a more budget-friendly destination which provides stunning views and easy access to nature for those looking to relax and unwind on a city break.”

The Serenity Index ranked Bergen, Norway, third, followed by Vienna, Austria, and Stockholm, Sweden. Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, was eighth and Riga, the capital of Latvia, was 18th. Helsinki, the capital of Finland, was ranked 21st.

The least relaxing city break destination out of the 75 cities ranked was New York, followed by Istanbul, Turkey, Los Angeles, CA and Marseille, France.

The website said it compared each city on nine factors: average air quality, levels of artificial light pollution, noise pollution, traffic congestion, sunshine hours, overall tidiness, country happiness, green space and friendliness of locals, before assigning each city an overall Serenity Index score.