Athens has been named Europe's Leading City Break Destination for 2026 at the World Travel Awards, beating out London, B...

Athens has been named Europe's Leading City Break Destination for 2026 at the World Travel Awards, beating out London, Berlin, Madrid, Lisbon, and Rome to take the title. The ceremony took place on October 17 at a gala in Kotor, Montenegro. It marks back-to-back recognition for the Greek capital, which won the same award at the global level just last December. The city also picked up a second award on the night. The This is Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau, the official tourism arm of the Athens Municipality, won Europe's Leading City Tourist Board for the second consecutive year. Mayor Haris Doukas responded to the wins with a note of caution as much as celebration. He said Athens continues to earn the trust of the international tourism community, but stressed that the city belongs first and foremost to its residents, and that growing international recognition must translate into real benefits for neighborhoods and local businesses, not just visitor numbers. Athens has now collected four major World Travel Awards titles in under a year. In December 2025, the city was named both World's Leading Cultural Destination and World's Leading City Break Destination at the global ceremony. The 2026 European wins reinforce a streak of recognition that has placed Athens consistently above much larger and better-funded European capitals on the international tourism stage. The World Travel Awards, running since 1993 and often called the Oscars of the travel industry, determine winners through a voting system that includes both the general public and verified travel industry professionals, with industry votes carrying double weight. #Athens #Greece #Travel