New data reveals that 40% of New Yorkers say warm weather and sunshine is the most important factor to them when choosing a holiday destination.
While hotspots like Santorini and Barcelona remain go-to choices for soaking up the sun, new research from Icelandair, Iceland’s flagship airline, reveals some of Europe’s best sunny destinations are actually its least discovered.
By analyzing European destinations based on average summer temperatures, sunshine hours, and global search demand, the study identifies a series of “dupe destinations” offering the same sunshine and scenery as Europe’s most popular hotspots, but with significantly fewer crowds.
Swap Europe’s busiest hotspots for these sunnier, crowd-free alternatives
Photo by https://www.greeka.com/ionian/
Instead of battling the crowds in Barcelona, travellers can head down to Murcia, one of Spain’s sunniest cities, offering temperatures of up to 37°C and 12 hours of sunshine a day, but with a fraction of the search demand.
Likewise, those dreaming of Santorini can swap it for Kythira, a quieter Greek island known for its crystal-clear waters, dramatic landscapes, and authentic charm, while still enjoying 26–31°C and 12 hours of daily sunshine.
Meanwhile in Malta, the capital Valletta, can be swapped for the nearby island of Gozo, which offers the same Mediterranean climate and long, 28–33°C, sunny days, but with a more laid-back, less crowded feel.
Photo by David Gil de la Canal on Unsplash
Elsewhere, travellers can trade:
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Seville for Extremadura (Cáceres) for the same intense summer heat and sunshine reaching 30–37°C
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Dubrovnik for the Zadar Region for Adriatic coastlines without the crowds up to 31°C
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Amalfi Coast for the Basilicata Coast for Italian seaside charm with far fewer tourists and 32°C
The full list of the top 10 sunny hotspots and popular alternatives can be found here:
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Methodology:
Icelandair survey was conducted through censuswide, 3,001 Consumers in the USA from 19/01/2026 – 22/01/2026.
Icelandair analysed a range of lesser-known sunny destinations across Europe to identify hidden sunny hotspots offering warm weather without the crowds.
An initial seed list of locations was compiled based on coastal areas, cities, islands, and regions that are typically less frequented by international tourists. Each destination was then evaluated using the following metrics:
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Average summer temperature (June–August)
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Average daily sunshine hours (June–August)
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Global Google search volume, to indicate relative popularity and demand
The data was then analyzed and ranked to identify three key categories:
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Unexpected sunny destinations – locations with moderate sunshine and milder climates that still offer appealing summer conditions
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Hidden under-the-radar gems – destinations with the lowest global search volume, indicating lower levels of tourism demand
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Sunniest hotspots – destinations with the highest average daily sunshine hours, alongside a comparable popular alternative
