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Portugal Leads European Travel in 2026 as Overtourism Issues Shift Tourists

Portugal Leads European Travel in 2026 as Overtourism Issues Shift Tourists
Image: Baroque streets of Lisbon by Terry Kearney via flickr, cc0

In 2026, Portugal has emerged as one of the foremost travel destinations in Europe, surpassing several traditionally popular countries, including Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Malta, Cyprus, and Montenegro.

The growing prominence of Portugal as a travel hotspot coincides with a notable shift in European travel patterns. Protests against overtourism, increases in tourist taxes, and overwhelming crowds in other European countries have contributed to this change. Travelers appear to be favoring Portugal for its relative affordability and rapid growth in popularity within the continent.