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Europe has a wealth of tourist attractions on offer, from Italy’s Roman roots to France’s many cultural landmarks – but which hotspots also have the best weather? New data from holiday rental search engine Holidu has scoured the continent for the sunniest spots, with cities ranging from Alicante to Nice earning a place in the top 10. A staggering 30 destinations offer more than 300 hours of blazing sunshine per month – and this is your guide to visiting them.
Alicante, Spain
The Alicante province is home to the highest proportion of British expats across Spain and it’s easy to see why.
Offering an average of 349 hours of sun per month, this Spanish city is the best place to be for sun-seeking Brits in need of a holiday.
Renowned for its iconic coastline, the Costa Blanca offers an eclectic mix of beaches alongside the colourful old town.
For UK visitors looking to escape the rain, you can expect a dry visit with a maximum of just two days of rain expected per month between February and November.
This sun-soaked city offers inviting temperatures throughout the year, with highs of:
- 18C in February
- 20C in March
- 21C in April
- 24C in May
- 28C in June
- 30C in July
- 31C in August
Catania, Italy
Taking the second spot just behind Alicante is the Italian city of Catania.
You’ll find this sunny city in Eastern Sicily, soaking up an average of 347 hours of sunshine per month.
This unique Italian hot-spot is perfect for culture-seeking travellers as it is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the baroque ‘Old Town’.
If you are on the hunt for some sight-seeing in the sun, head to the Palazzo Biscari and the Piazza del Duomo to fully embrace the heritage of Catania.
You won’t be disappointed with the temperatures here either, with highs of:
- 16C in February
- 18C in March
- 21C in April
- 25C in May
- 29C in June
- 32C in July
- 32C in August
Murcia, Spain
Spain and Italy dominate the sunniest spots, with the capital city of Murcia ranking third in Holidu’s sunniest European cities.
The coastal part of the region is renowned for its microclimate which keeps the city warm throughout the year, soaking up an average of 345 hours of sunshine per month.
Murcia has some of the fastest climbing monthly temperatures across the top European cities, with highs of:
- 18C in February
- 21C in March
- 24C in April
- 27C in May
- 31C in June
- 34C in July
- 34C in August
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Messina, Italy
Returning to Italy for the fourth sunniest European city escape, Messina offers visitors 345 hours of sun per month.
Also located on the island of Sicily, Messina is known as the third largest city with the thriving harbour making it a popular cruise ship destination.
You can expect cooler monthly temperatures in this Sicilian spot,with highs of:
- 15C in February
- 17C in March
- 19C in April
- 23C in May
- 28C in June
- 31 in July
- 31C in August
Valencia, Spain
Known for growing juicy oranges, this super-sunny city soaks up around 343 hours of sun per month.
Taking the fifth spot of the ranking, this unique Spanish city is home to plenty of cultural attractions and is even the birthplace of the iconic dish, Paella.
If you decide to visit this year, expect highs of:
- 17C in February
- 19C in March
- 21C in April
- 24C in May
- 28C in June
- 31 in July
- 31C in August
Which other European cities made the top 30?
According to data gathered by Holidu, the sunniest European cities in order of average sunshine per month are as follows:
- Alicante
- Catania
- Murcia
- Messina
- Valencia
- Nice
- Las palmas
- Granada
- Palermo
- Seville
- Zaragoza
- Marseille
- Barcelona
- Palma de Mallorca
- Tirana
- Rome
- Athens
- Madrid
- Naples
- Bari
- Turin
- Valladolid
- Sofia
- Zurich
- Verona
- Lisbon
- Venice
- Milan
- Florence
- Ploiesti
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