Barcelona Tops the European Travel Chart as Spanish Cities Dominate 2026 Bookings

eDreams ODIGEO's 'Year in Travel 2026' report, based on booking and search data from travellers across Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the UK and the USA, reveals Barcelona as the single most-booked destination on Earth in 2026, with Madrid in second, Paris third, Palma de Mallorca fourth and London fifth. Spanish cities dominate so completely that domestic Spanish travellers placed seven of their top ten destinations within Spain alone — Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Málaga, Sevilla and Gran Canaria — a testament to the country's pull on its own residents and visitors alike. French travellers favoured Marrakech, Barcelona and Lisbon; German travellers chose Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona and Istanbul; Italian travellers picked Barcelona, Tirana and Paris; and Portuguese travellers selected Paris, Barcelona and Madrid. In terms of hotel bookings specifically, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Rome and Amsterdam led globally, with emerging alternatives Cagliari, Dublin and Tirana each recording hotel-booking growth of 74–78 %. The most dramatic rises came from the Southern Hemisphere: Durban surged 80 %, Melbourne 57 %, Cape Town 55 %, Johannesburg 50 % and Sydney 48 %, reflecting what the report describes as an appetite for "vibrant cities, access to stunning beaches and outdoor activities".