Whether you are searching for your next travel adventure, or you are moving abroad, it is always important to know something about the country you are going to. Besides local customs, food, and hotels, it is also useful to know what the friendliest countries in the world are. Hence, we divided them into categories and created lists of those that are most welcoming to strangers.
Where Are the Friendliest Countries in the World?
They are all over the world. On almost every continent, almost – because we do not consider freezing cold Antarctica much friendly. However, if we forget about the safety concerns for a minute, we would like to point out that every country can be friendly if you go there with a positive and friendly attitude and ready to make new friends in every city you visit.
What Is Considered the Friendliest Country in the World? The Answer Is – Portugal
Although this is a relative question and depends upon a lot of things, including your perceptions, the winner in this category is Portugal, according to multiple surveys and opinions. It is very easy to get to know local people and find friends, they do not have prejudices towards foreigners, and the vast percentage of the population speaks English.
Travel Tips and Things to Do in Portugal
Whether you are traveling or moving, friendly Portugal has a lot to offer. Take a ride on the yellow tram in Lisbon, try local dishes, visit Sintra and Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Continental Europe, and enjoy amazing views over the Atlantic ocean.
Best Towns for an Expat
As the capital city, Lisbon offers the most options for expats, since people of 87 different nationalities live there. Porto is a beautiful, medium-sized city, with stunning architecture and vast expat community. Just a short drive from Lisbon is Cascais, an international town with beautiful beaches. If you are looking for a smaller community, places like Tavira, Lagos, and Nazare.
Which European Countries Are the Friendliest
If you are looking for hospitality, kind and friendly people, Europe has plenty of options for you. Beautiful landscapes, rich cultural and historical heritage are only some of the reasons why you should not hesitate to visit these states that are welcoming expats with open hands.
Spain
First on our list is Spain, because this is one relaxed, charming country that offers plenty of opportunities for expats and travelers looking to meet new friends. Even if they do not speak your language, they will try in every possible way to help you.
Ireland
Irish people are very laid back. They will offer you a welcome drink and start teasing you like you are old friends. Their hospitality is genuine, and that is something anyone can feel.
Malta
It is hard not to be happy and friendly when you live on a beautiful sunny island like Malta. This country lives for tourism, so they are very used to foreigners, and pretty much everyone speaks at least English as a second language, so it will be easy to make new friends.
Friendly Nations That Have Slipped Under the Radar
There are so many places in the world with beautiful and warm people, but somehow they never make it to the lists of the friendliest places. So we decided to present to you a few of them, hoping that your next international move or a journey will be to one of these nations that are not crowded with tourists but can still make you feel at home.
Taiwan
When was the last time you heard someone went to Taiwan? Exactly, that is why you should be among the first ones to discover these amazing people and their culture before everybody else rushes to go there.
Oman
Oman has a lot of expats. The local community accepts them very well, and they are very friendly towards foreigners. Expats are also satisfied with their social life in this country, so it is a win-win situation.
Canada
If we forget about all the jokes and prejudices Americans tend to have about Canadians, Canada is actually a perfect place to visit or move to. It is one multicultural nation that respects every nationality, and they will try hard to make you fall for their jokes.
Bosnia & Herzegovina
One completely underestimated candidate on the list is Bosnia & Herzegovina. Welcoming local people will gladly approach you to help if they think you are lost or to offer you a drink and chat a bit about their country like you know each other from way back.
The Most Welcoming Countries for Taking Photos
Yes, this list exists. Photography has evolved, and it is no longer a documentary thing. It is now a business, and some people travel only to take a certain picture in particular places. Internet advertising ranked these places as the most generous when it comes to taking internet-breaking pictures.
- Thailand
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Morocco
- Switzerland
The Best Countries for Relocating in 2020
If you are planning to ship your belongings internationally by sea or even ship a car overseas, it is crucial to find a safe and welcoming country that will be your new home. For that purpose, we present to you the top five states for moving to in 2020:
- Switzerland
- Singapore
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Czech Republic
Countries With the Best Hotel Prices
Hotel prices are always a concern because everyone wants to get the best value for their money. Hence, we created a list of welcoming nations where hotels are budget-friendly and offer decent accommodation and service.
- Hungary
- Thailand
- Poland
What About Unfriendly Places?
Since this is not our primary topic, we are going to briefly mention some countries that have a notorious reputation and can be considered as unfriendly and unsafe due to current circumstances.
- North Korea
- Syria
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Afghanistan
Are you Ready to Become a Globe-Trotter?
There are 195 countries in the world, and you only have one life, so make it a good one. You do not have to visit them all, but you can start from the ones we mentioned since they are known for their welcoming attitude towards expats.
