1. Alicante, Spain: For a daily dose of vitamin C. Located on Spain's southeast coast, Alicante has the highest number of sunny hours in Europe. With an average of 349 hours of sunshine per month (an average month has 730 hours in total, including nighttimes), it's a dream destination for sun lovers.
Most of Spain and Portugal, Southern Italy, Sardinia, Southern Greece, the South of France and coastal Croatia are basking in between 2500 and 3000 hours of sunshine every year – an average of up to 8.2 hours a day, and even more in the summer!
#1 Portugal. Portugal has some of the mildest weather in all of Europe with wet, temperate winters and dry, warm to hot summers, depending on location. Bordered by over 1,100 miles of Atlantic coastline the country has a mild Mediterranean climate with some variations throughout.
Thanks to its 3,300 hours of sunshine per year, more sunny days than almost anywhere else in Europe, the Algarve has a longstanding reputation as a top summer destination among European sun-seekers and a top winter retreat for those looking to escape Northern Europe's coldest months.
Portugal has a more consistent climate throughout the year, with cold and pleasant sea breezes in the summer and humid winters. The Atlantic sea is obviously much colder than Spain's Mediterranean sea; however, Portugal gets 2500-3200 hours of sunlight on average every year.
The southern coast, which includes Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, has the best climate by far, with mild winters (June to August) between 41°F and 50°F (5°C and 10°C) and warm summers (December to February) between 77°F and 86°F (25°C and 30°C).
Costa Blanca - the healthiest region in Europe.
During summer, the Earth's orbit brings Australia closer to the sun (as compared to Europe during its summer), resulting in an additional 7% solar UV intensity. Coupled with our clearer atmospheric conditions, this means that Australians are exposed to up to 15% more UV than Europeans.
1. Yuma, Arizona. Officially the sunniest city in the world, Yuma, AZ, receives over 4,000 sunlight hours per year, along with extremely low humidity. During the summer months, it averages more than 13 hours of sunlight per day, mainly due to its location in the Sonoran Desert.
Yuma, Arizona, USA
With an average of 4,015 hours of sunshine per year, Yuma, Arizona, claims the title of the sunniest city in the world. Yuma is home to around 100,000 residents and is located near the Kofa Mountain Range and wildlife refuge, making it a great place for outdoor activities.
Yuma (USA)
According to the World Meteorological Organization, Yuma (Arizona) is the sunniest place on earth. It has a total of 11 hours of sunlight in winter and up to 13 in summer. This means Yuma experiences an average of 4,015 hours of sunshine per year. At first this sounds fantastic.
Perth is not only Australia's sunniest city but is also considered one of the sunniest cities in the world with 8 hours of average sunshine every day! On average, Perth only gets about 8 days of rainfall in a year meaning that the rest of the days are generally bright and sunny with warm weather and clear skies.
A UK study rated Tasmania one of the best places to survive a collapse in society. Scientists say Tasmania's climate, agricultural resources and electricity supply make it an ideal refuge should "things go pear-shaped"
Switzerland. It's impossible to have a list of the best countries in Europe to live in without Switzerland being on it. It may not be as accessible as the United Kingdom or have a low cost of living like Portugal. But where it lacks, it makes up for in other ways, especially for wealthier expats.
A paper published by the Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom has identified five countries in geographical locations with “favourable starting conditions” that may allow them to be less touched by the effects of climate change: New Zealand, Iceland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland.
Almeria, Spain
Well, Spain is the warmest country in Europe in winter and the southern city of Almeria is located in the driest area in Europe, with very little rain throughout the year. This makes it a great location for some winter sun! There are plenty of things to do in Almeria too.
The hottest places in Europe
The hottest place in Europe is Valletta in Malta, with an average daily temperature over the whole year of 22.3ºC. A holiday in Malta is a pretty safe bet almost any time. Athens is second with an annual average of 22ºC. At 21.4ºC, Rome is in third place.
Which European Country Is the Warmest in the Winter? Thanks to its inclusion of the Mediterranean coast, plenty of European countries experience warm winter weather. However, Spain tends to be Europe's hottest country in summer and winter due to its southern location.
Security. As mentioned before, one thing that contributes to the overall quality of life in any particular country is safety. While both countries are considered generally safe, Portugal is by far safer than Spain.