This Is the Happiest City in the World Right Now—and No, It's Not in Finland
Copenhagen, Denmark, was named the happiest city in the world.
Zurich ranked second, while Singapore placed third; last year's winner, Aarhus, also in Denmark, is in fourth.
The highest-ranking U.S. cities on the list are New York, which came in 17th, and Minneapolis, which took the 30th spot.If you're looking for a little more happiness in your life, consider moving to Denmark, home to the happiest city on the planet.Each year, the Institute for Quality of Life releases its Happy City index, ranking cities "committed to cultivating and growing happiness" based on factors such as education, inclusive policies, the economy, environmental protection, and access to green areas. Overall, the organization looks at 82 different indicators of joy, including individual interviews with residents in cities across the globe.
And this year's list is topped by Copenhagen. According to the findings, the Danish capital ranks high thanks to its "commitment to education and innovation," as well as its transparency in governance, sustainability, and access to health care.
"Health and well-being are cornerstones of life in Copenhagen," the report noted. "The city boasts universal health care coverage, with every resident insured and access to 4.4 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants. Life expectancy stands at 79.9 years, supported by a well-balanced lifestyle that includes an average workweek of 37 hours."
Travel Guide | How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Copenhagen | Learn More
Zurich, Switzerland, was second, followed by Singapore. Another Danish city, Aarhus, which topped the ranking in 2024, is fourth, and Antwerp, Belgium, is fifth. Denmark, which was named the second-happiest country in the world earlier this year after Finland, has seven cities in the top 50 alone.
The highest-ranking U.S. cities on this year's list are New York, which came in at No. 17, and Minneapolis, which is 30th.
However, the Institute for Quality of Life notes, "If there's one takeaway from our extensive research, it's this: no single city can be labelled as the absolute best at ensuring the happiness of its citizens over the long haul [...] At best, we might highlight cities for specific achievements or improvements in a given year. But that's not our main goal. We're all about uncovering and celebrating positive trends that boost happiness around the world."
See the full rankings and details of each city at happy-city-index.com.
Related | This Is the Happiest Country in the World, According to New Data | Learn More
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Travel + Leisure
21 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
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I've been writing for nearly 12 years. In the span of my decade-plus career, I've flexed my reporting skills while interviewing Hollywood stars, street fashion designers, clinical psychologists, and even governmental officials on a wide range of topics and interests, ranging from global health crises to astrological compatibility. One of my favorite areas to cover, though (outside of travel, of course) is beauty—whether it's breaking down which waterproof, smudge-free mascara is worth the buy or investigating the potential benefits of red light therapy. Luckily, as a frequent flier who loves makeup and has a dedicated skincare routine, travel and beauty do intersect at times. With summer around the corner and plenty of beach visits on my horizon, I decided to get the inside scoop on what summer beauty mistakes I should avoid this travel season. In order to do just that, I tapped board-certified dermatologist and associate professor of dermatology at Weill-Cornell Medical College, Dr. Elaine F. Kung, MD, along with Dr. Ainah U. Tan, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist at Duly Health and Care. Curious to see what beauty mistakes they see most during the summer? Then, see the products they recommend using to avoid them, including SPF-infused lip balms and glow-boosting serums starting at just $5. Credit: Amazon Credit: Amazon Credit: Supergoop! Credit: Amazon The No. 1 summer beauty mistake Dr. Kung and Dr. Tan see? Not wearing enough sunscreen, and forgetting to reapply it throughout the day. Reapply SPF every two to three hours if you're outside, and if your summer travel plans involve lounging poolside or at the beach, bump it up to every 90 minutes, she adds. 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Credit: La Roche Posay Credit: Amazon Abrasive face scrubs and chemical peels can help slough off dead skin, but if used too frequently, especially on sensitive skin, they can harm the skin's barrier, leaving your skin raw, irritated, and more prone to sunburns and hyperpigmentation, says Dr. Kung. Dr. Tan recommends a high-quality vitamin C serum as a milder alternative to treating dullness and discoloration. The antioxidant is less harsh than other chemical exfoliants, and it can even help protect cells from damage caused by UV-induced free radicals. Just be sure to layer plenty of SPF on top. Dr. Tan specifically loves the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum. The powerful treatment contains 15 percent vitamin C, skin lipid-replenishing vitamin E, and ferulic acid, a plant-based antioxidant that further neutralizes free radicals. 'It's effective in fading sun spots and leaves the skin feeling really smooth.' 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Not exactly. 'I don't typically advise people to stop using them altogether,' Dr. Tan explained, 'but I do emphasize the importance of being diligent about sun protection when using retinoids.' Dr. Kung echoes this, adding that diligent SPF application is 'crucial' in order to prevent retinoid-related sun damage. Another way to protect your skin from retinol-induced sunburns while traveling is by only using retinol during your nightly regimen. Dr. Tan continued, 'If you're using anti-aging products like retinoids, those are best applied at nighttime." Credit: Dermstore Credit: Amazon Read my lips. Your pout needs sun protection, too. 'The lips are particularly vulnerable to sun damage and can easily burn,' says Dr. Kung, who noted that neglecting SPF on the lips is one of the more common summer beauty mistakes she sees. This season, treat lip sunscreen as a non-negotiable, because according to Dr. Kung, it is one. One option Dr. Kung loves is EltaMD's UV SPF 36 Lip Balm. It's paraben-free, non-comedogenic, and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes of wear, keeping lips hydrated and protected. For a budget-friendly alternative, she recommends the shea butter-infused Aquaphor SPF 30 lip ointment, which is formulated to help soothe dry, chapped lips. Credit: Amazon Credit: Amazon Unless you have extremely dry skin, eczema, or live in a particularly dry climate, save your rich face creams and body butters for the winter. Thicker formulas can clog pores when combined with hot or humid weather and sweat. 'While beneficial for dry skin in cooler months,' Dr. Kung began, 'they can feel heavy and greasy in the summer heat and humidity, potentially contributing to acne breakouts.' Instead, Dr. Kung recommends lighter, non-comedogenic formulas that won't clog your pores, 'like lotions, gels, or serums containing hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, and ceramides.' 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Miami Herald
a day ago
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Lilly's experimental obesity drug shows promise in early study
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Condé Nast Traveler
2 days ago
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Women Who Travel Podcast: Comedian Heather McMahan Can't Get Enough of Italy and Cruises
LA: And I resent everyone who reminds me about a ticking clock. But then I'm also like, shit, shit. HM: I know. I turned 38 this year and my mom had me at 40 and she's like, "You're going to be fine." I'm like, you had good eggs. You were smoking cigarettes and drinking wine every night when you were pregnant with me. And I'm over here taking my supplements and making sure I take melatonin to go to sleep and wearing an aura ring. And I'm like, how am I doing all the things that I think are healthy? And this is why I am telling you I will go to Europe and that's where I'll get pregnant. I will just relax. It's like once- LA: The shoulders drop. HM: The shoulders drop, I lose 10 pounds. Next thing you know I'm pregnant with twins. I think everyone's IVF, it's the same price so if you could spend the money to either do IVF or just go to Italy for two weeks and you'll probably get knocked up, because you'll finally relax. And that's what it is, we're so wound tight. We're trying to chase the goal and the dream and doing all these things that we never relax. I mean, obviously easier said than done, but that's why I take off. I am very specific and my team knows I will work to the bone from January to June, but damn it, you better give me three weeks in the summer just to turn my brain off and turn my phone off. And that is what I give myself. LA: When you are planning those three weeks, I mean clearly you're going to Europe. HM: Yes. LA: Italy. HM: Well, actually this year we're going to Portugal and Majorca. We're switching it up a little bit. I will get to Italy for Christmas. Don't worry, I will see my friends and family in Florence. But yes, I'm going to go to Portugal. LA: Have you been before? HM: I haven't been. LA: Oh, that's so exciting. HM: Well, and because everybody in my travel space was like, "Heather, you have to branch out." I've been all over the world and I've done a lot of Europe that they were like, there's places you need to see, so we're going to go to Portugal. I'm very excited about that. And then do a little bit of Majorca. LA: How do you go about planning and going into a trip when you haven't been to a place before? Do you have any hacks or approaches to how you do it? Do you just fly by the seat of your pants? Are you very organized? HM: When it comes to my vacations, here's the deal. I work so much and I look forward to this so much that I don't want a moment to be wasted, so I like to plan the hotels, the travel. I get such a joy off of following other travel content creators. And then I like to curate the whole trip. And when I find a good spot, I keep meticulous notes. And then if you DM me or you text me or call me, once I go to a place and I meet the people, I will go back and I love to have that familiarity. Or just like the family. There's a restaurant in Rome called Il Falchetto. I am obsessed with them. They are my family now. And I have a place called Il Parione in Florence. And these, I mean, I go back and visit these people once or twice a year. They're just my people. They feed me. If you feed me, I will come back and I will shout it from the rooftops that everybody needs to go there.
