The first things that might spring to mind when thinking of a holiday are the sun, sand and the glistening blue sea, but when seasons change from summer to autumn, there’s the opportunity for a completely different kind of escape: a cosy break.
Picture trading a sun lounger for a seat in a coffee shop, reading a new book and sipping a cup of hot chocolate while watching the daylight disappear on a city you’ve never visited before.
Sound good? There’s a whole host of cities that offer idyllic cosy breaks during the colder months, but we wanted to discover where gets it right when it comes to offering the ultimate autumnal experience. Where is the capital of cosy? Grab your gloves, coat and Travel Insurance, because we’re going to find out!
The Cosiest City in the World
To be able to rank where in the world can lay claim to being the cosiest city of all, we needed to firstly define what cosy actually is.
Defined by the dictionary as ‘giving a feeling of comfort, warmth and relaxation’ an obvious place to start is by finding cities that offer an abundance of comfort and warmth, because there’s nothing less cosy than standing outside shivering in the rain. This led us to looking at the number of cafes, bookstores, cinemas, theatres and museums per square mile in each location, with all of these offering up comfort and relaxation away from the elements. In addition to this, historical architecture arguably creates a much cosier atmosphere than modern buildings, so we also looked at the number of UNESCO world heritage sites within each city too.
Finally, to help us reach a ‘cosy score’ for each city in our study, we looked at the number of #cosy posts for each city on Instagram, and the annual precipitation – because there’s simply nothing cosier than sitting indoors with a great view, while it’s raining outside!
All this research resulted in a comprehensive index of cosiness, so take a look below to find out which city comes out on top, offering a particularly comforting break this autumn/winter season.
The 25 Cosiest Cities In The World
SWIPE TABLE
| Rank | City | Country | Cosy Score (out of 100) |
| 1 | Brussels | Belgium | 76.33 |
| 2 | Paris | France | 69.77 |
| 3 | Geneva | Switzerland | 63.74 |
| 4 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 59.63 |
| 5 | Lisbon | Portugal | 58.77 |
| 6 | Barcelona | Spain | 57.40 |
| 7 | Athens | Greece | 56.90 |
| 8 | Victoria | Canada | 55.27 |
| 9 | Bath | United Kingdom | 52.11 |
| 10 | Dublin | Ireland | 50.96 |
| 11 | Vancouver | Canada | 50.18 |
| 12 | San Francisco | United States of America | 48.43 |
| 13 | Boston | United States of America | 48.20 |
| 14 | Florence | Italy | 48.17 |
| 15 | Zurich | Switzerland | 47.63 |
| 16 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 45.83 |
| 17 | Chicago | United States of America | 45.59 |
| 18 | Salzburg | Austria | 45.03 |
| 19 | Seoul | South Korea | 44.90 |
| 20 | New York City | United States of America | 44.53 |
1. Brussels, Belgium – cosiness score: 76.3/100
At the top of our rankings is Brussels, the capital of Belgium, a place which plays host to beautiful architecture and great food. Better experienced in the colder seasons than the summer months, its medieval buildings paired with its comforting food (chocolate and Belgian waffles anyone?) make this a great choice for a cosy break.
2. Paris, France – cosiness score: 69.7/100
One of the world’s most visited cities the whole year round, Paris has a unique charm in the autumn and winter months. Arguably more romantic than in any other season, its abundance of cafes, places to explore indoors and vast history make the French capital a cosy-seekers dream! Plus, visiting during the festive season to see the Champs-Élysées lined with lights and the high-end fashion storefronts dressed up for Christmas is a sight that should be on anyone’s bucket list.
3. Geneva, Switzerland – cosiness score: 63.7/100
Known largely as a hub of finance and business, Geneva’s notoriety as a hidden gem of a travel destination is slowly growing. Flanked by the Alps, Geneva has multiple sights to explore, as well as a strong reputation for great food. As you would expect from a Swiss city too, it comes alive in the autumn and winter months.
4. Copenhagen, Denmark – cosiness score: 59.6/100
Yet another capital city making the list, there should be no surprise that Copenhagen ranks in the top five. Denmark regularly features as one of the happiest nations on Earth, and this city brings the best of the culture together. The home of hygge, a way of life that literally means comfort and the contented mood that comes with being cosy, you’ll definitely feel relaxed here.
5. Lisbon, Portugal – cosiness score: 58.7/100
One of a few surprises in our top 10, Lisbon and Portugal as a whole, is a destination largely associated with the summer, however that shouldn’t put you off visiting in the cooler, quieter months. A warm pastel de nata in one of its many cafes is a perfect autumn treat, before setting off to explore its winding streets. We recommend the Alfama district, where you’ll see the most traditional side of Lisbon – perfect for exploring in both summer and winter.
6. Barcelona, Spain – cosiness score: 57.4/100
Another surprise entrant, Barcelona usually evokes the feeling of sunshine and thoughts of sipping a sangria on the beach, but it’s another city that offers a surprisingly cosy break too. With more than enough places to explore indoors, such as its sprawling food market and the unmissable Sagrada Família, as well as a chance to see the likes of Park Güell in a whole new light, if you’ve been in the summer, we recommend returning in autumn or winter!
7. Athens, Greece – cosiness score: 56.9/100
If you want to visit Athens but would rather beat the crowds and avoid extreme temperatures, then visiting in autumn or winter is a great choice. Not only do you get more freedom to explore its 3,000 years of history in a cooler climate, but it also makes for a more serene and relaxing trip overall. You’ll likely spend hours walking its streets but can then escape to one of its many cafes or restaurants for some much-needed comfort.
8. Victoria, Canada – cosiness score: 55.2/100
With Europe dominating the top 10, Canada definitely deserves its spot in our top 10. Home to snow-capped mountains, lush forest and some of the cosiest places in North America, our research places Victoria at the top. Capital of British Colombia, it’s got a fantastic food scene that is partnered with multiple parks and gardens, which are ideal for exploring during the deep colours of autumn.
9. Bath, United Kingdom – cosiness score: 52.1/100
Sneaking into the top 10, Bath places as the cosiest place in the United Kingdom, and one of the cosiest places on Earth. If you’ve ever been, it’s easy to see why, with the Somerset city offering so much more than its Roman baths. Historic streets, multiple cafes (including the famous Sally Lunn’s), and neighbouring countryside complete with traditional UK pubs, this is without a doubt the capital of cosy in the UK.
10. Dublin, Ireland – cosiness score: 50.9/100
Dublin is a city where you definitely don’t need good weather to see it at its best. Whether your idea of cosy is finding a quiet café for an Irish coffee or sipping a pint in the famous old Temple Bar, then Dublin has got it all, and is a perfect choice for a quick trip if you’re looking for a break to tide you over until summer starts again.
The Cosiest Cities in the United Kingdom
Despite Bath being the only UK city that made the top 10 globally, there are still countless places across the United Kingdom that offer a cosy break closer to home. Both filming locations for the Harry Potter films, which have now become an unofficial Christmas boxset pick, it’s no surprise that both Edinburgh and Oxford make the top five.
Meanwhile, both the capitals of England and Northern Ireland make the list. On the face of it, London may feel like a modern metropolis, however it’s wealth of quieter areas, historic buildings and places to escape from the cold for a warming drink make it a great choice. Belfast offers similar, with cosy coffee shops and pubs dotting the map of the city.
| Rank | City | Country | Cosy Score (out of 100) |
| 1 | Bath | England | 52.11 |
| 2 | London | England | 39.87 |
| 3 | Edinburgh | Scotland | 38.88 |
| 4 | Oxford | England | 36.58 |
| 5 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | 34.48 |
If our research has inspired you to book a break where cosy comfort is top of the agenda, don’t forget to buy comprehensive Travel Insurance so you can relax completely during your trip!
Methodology:
To rank to cosiest cities on Earth, we started by selecting cities that are regularly mentioned on social media and in news articles internationally as being cosy, and popular winter city break destinations. Them, with each of these locations, we looked at the following parameters:
• The number of UNESCO World Heritage sites per square mile
• The number of book stores per square mile
• The number of cafes per square mile
• The number of cinemas, theatres and museums per square mile
• The annual precipitation of each city
• The number of Instagram posts for each city, using ‘#cozy[city]’
Each of these data points were then given a weighted score out of 100 and combined, to provide our final rankings.
Data correct as of September 2024.
