Coffee lovers unite - ‘coffee tourism,’ travelling abroad in search of drinking great coffee and learning more about the international cities that are shaping it, is a great way for tourists to discover new places.
Ubuy, a global ecommerce platform, has carried out research to find which of Europe’s capital cities offer great opportunities to explore the international coffee culture. This list of the top 20 European capitals for coffee lovers is based on the number of coffee shops in each city, and per capita, the number of hours of summer sunshine to enjoy coffee outside versus the amount of rainfall and the cost of a single cup.
Speaking on the findings, Faizan Khan, spokesperson for Ubuy, comments: “Seeing global cafés and coffee shops allows you to discover more about the culture of Europe’s wonderful cities, and it’s great for doing so off the traditional tourist track. As well as this, wanting to learn more about European coffee culture could take you to capital cities you may not have ever considered going to before. We hope this research changes that!
“We enjoyed compiling this research as it shows how a passion for coffee has shaped Europe’s reputation internationally. We think this also shows how reliable Europe is the getaway of a lifetime for a coffee lover, made all the more special with outstanding weather.
“Whether a waterside latté in Monaco or a mountainside espresso in Nicosia, we’re glad to see that cities big and small are making their mark on the landscape of Europe’s coffee culture.”
In first place was Athens, Greece with 181 points. This high positioning can be attributed to a total of 1080 hours of sunshine from June to August, plus the abundant choice of 404 local coffee shops.
In second place was Portugal’s capital city Lisbon, which scored 174 according to Ubuy’s metric. Lisbon boasts the second lowest rainfall out of the top 10 ranked countries and a cup of coffee costs a low average of $2.04 a cup.
In succession, Rome, Italy follows with 172 points. Rome has the highest number of coffee shops compared to any other city in our top 10, with 405. An average cup of coffee also costs only $1.89, which can be enjoyed under 915 hours of summer sunshine.
In fourth place, scoring 163 points, is Madrid, Spain. With only 43mm of rain in the summer months, Madrid has proven itself a go-to for enjoying beautiful weather. And, for coffee lovers, too. There are 350 coffee shops and cafés to find your next caffeinated favourite.
In fifth place, with 158 points, is Nicosia, Cyprus. Although Nicosia is one of the smaller cities in this top 10, it has a bustling café and coffee culture. This can be found in their 30 cafés and coffee shops per capita, offering strong, sharp Mediterranean coffees for around $3.27 a cup. And, it has the lowest rainfall compared to any other ranked city - perfect for enjoying a cup in the Cypriot sun!
As for the rest of the top 10, the rankings revealed:
- Budapest, Hungary
- Andorra la Vella, Andorra
- Tirana, Albania
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Monaco, Monaco
Collectively, these cities offer a rich and diverse cultural landscape that is strengthened by their love for coffee. Individually however, each capital city has its own charm, where centuries of tradition marries today’s local communities that are united by their love and respect of coffee. Any of the cities in Ubuy’s top 20 would be a perfect choice for a getaway for any coffee lover.
