{"id":19164,"date":"2026-05-08T09:28:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T09:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/19164\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T09:28:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T09:28:14","slug":"tui-announces-best-sunshine-holiday-destination-not-spain-portugal-or-greece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/19164\/","title":{"rendered":"TUI announces ‘best’ sunshine holiday destination – not Spain, Portugal or Greece"},"content":{"rendered":"

The major tour operator has ranked over 150 European destinations, naming one country as the most reliable for sun and warmth this summer\"Aerial<\/p>\n

It’s not Spain, Portugal or Greece(Image: Getty)<\/p>\n

TUI has revealed which country tops its list as the “best” destination for warmth and sunshine this summer, as part of its newly published ‘ideal weather<\/a> holiday guide’ research. The findings come as Britons enjoy a brief spell of warmer temperatures and clear skies, though forecasters have warned the good weather won’t stick around, with rain expected to return by the end of the weekend and into next week.<\/p>\n

With unpredictable conditions at home, holidaymakers are increasingly looking overseas for guaranteed sunshine. According to Google Trends data cited by TUI, searches for “best family holiday destinations abroad” have rocketed by 5,000% over the past month.<\/p>\n

TUI’s family travel experts have conducted fresh weather analysis across more than 150 European destinations, drawing on historical data to determine which country offers the most favourable conditions for a family break.<\/p>\n

Of all the countries assessed, Turkey emerged as the top pick, boasting what TUI describes as the most “ideal” weather historically during the summer holidays, with an average temperature of 27\u00b0C, low wind speeds, and minimal rainfall.<\/p>\n

For those keen to avoid rain altogether, TUI highlights Gibraltar as the driest option during the summer months, recording just 0.05mm of rainfall. It also sits just a 2.5-hour flight from the UK, making it the third closest destination on the list, reports the Mirror<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Lovely<\/p>\n

According to TUI’s research, Turkey has an “ideal” weather score of 8.7 out of 10(Image: Getty)<\/p>\n

When it comes to specific cities and towns, Dalaman in Turkey claimed the top spot for the best summer weather conditions, with highs of 28\u00b0C, light winds, and virtually no rainfall. TUI’s best historic weather conditions for 2026 family holidays<\/p>\n

TUI crowns Turkey as the top destination for weather conditions<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Destination<\/p>\n

Mean Rainfall (mm)<\/p>\n

Mean Wind Speed (m\/s)<\/p>\n

Mean Temperature (\u00b0C)<\/p>\n

Ideal Weather Score \/10<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

T\u00fcrkiye<\/p>\n

0.34<\/p>\n

2.49<\/p>\n

27.57<\/p>\n

8.70<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

Cyprus<\/p>\n

0.34<\/p>\n

2.67<\/p>\n

27.45<\/p>\n

8.57<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

Greece<\/p>\n

1.55<\/p>\n

2.88<\/p>\n

25.98<\/p>\n

7.60<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

Portugal<\/p>\n

0.77<\/p>\n

2.46<\/p>\n

23.15<\/p>\n

7.42<\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

Gibraltar<\/p>\n

0.05<\/p>\n

3.59<\/p>\n

24.02<\/p>\n

7.21<\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Bulgaria<\/p>\n

0.89<\/p>\n

2.62<\/p>\n

23.24<\/p>\n

6.87<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Italy<\/p>\n

2.06<\/p>\n

2.57<\/p>\n

24.33<\/p>\n

6.84<\/p>\n

8<\/p>\n

Croatia<\/p>\n

2.23<\/p>\n

2.21<\/p>\n

22.91<\/p>\n

6.30<\/p>\n

9<\/p>\n

Spain<\/p>\n

1.31<\/p>\n

4.37<\/p>\n

24.45<\/p>\n

6.26<\/p>\n

10<\/p>\n

Malta<\/p>\n

3.30<\/p>\n

3.81<\/p>\n

26.53<\/p>\n

6.09<\/p>\n

Turkey has emerged as the country offering the finest overall weather conditions for a 2026 family break, based on TUI’s most recent analysis, achieving an “ideal” weather score of 8.70 out of 10. Examining historical weather patterns during the summer holiday period, TUI reports that Turkey enjoys “pleasant” temperatures that average 27.57\u00b0C, minimal rainfall, and gentle breezes – ranking as the second calmest of all nations studied, positioning it as the “best” destination for those seeking to escape wet weather entirely.<\/p>\n

The travel operator further suggests that Turkey provides the “perfect conditions for exploring, all under the reliably warm, blue skies – making it an ideal location to take the family this summer”. Regarding particular Turkish resorts for sunshine and warmth, the country secured nine of the top 10 positions in TUI’s study.<\/p>\n

TUI revealed: “Leading the ranking are Dalaman and Gocek, both achieving an impressive Ideal Weather Score of 9.36 out of 10. With the top 10 Turkey destinations averaging between 28\u00b0C and 26\u00b0C, minimal rainfall across all destinations, and consistently light winds, these resorts offer the kind of settled, sunny conditions holidaymakers look for when planning a 2026 getaway.”<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

TUI says Turkey has the most “ideal” weather historically during the summer holidays<\/p>\n

TUI’s next best destinations feature Cyprus and Greece<\/p>\n

Coming in a strong second with a score of 8.57\/10 in TUI’s weather holiday guide, Cyprus “stands out for its pleasant and balanced climate”. Recording average temperatures of 27.45\u00b0C, gentle breezes, and “barely any rainfall”, TUI describes the island as offering “ideal” conditions for maximising time spent outdoors, “whether relaxing by the coast or heading out to explore”.<\/p>\n

In third place for optimal summer holiday weather is Greece, achieving 7.60\/10 for overall ideal conditions and recording an average temperature of 25.98\u00b0C. This Mediterranean destination delivers extended periods of sunshine and soft coastal winds alongside stunning scenery across the Aegean and Ionian seas. Families can relax on beaches suitable for all ages or explore picturesque historic villages.<\/p>\n

Natalie Johnson, Global Product Manager of TUI Holiday Villages, commented: “Turkey consistently stands out for its dependable sunshine, which makes it a strong option for families planning a summer holiday. For many parents, having everything close to hand in the heat makes life easier – whether that’s the beach, the pool, or activities that help keep the kids entertained.”<\/p>\n

She continued: “Cyprus, which ranks second, consistently offers long, sunny days and warm temperatures that are perfect for families wanting to spend as much time outdoors as possible, so families staying at Holiday Village Aliathon can enjoy not only one of the biggest pools in Cyprus, but hundreds of activities for the whole family too, with everything from archery to zorbing included.”<\/p>\n

Ms Johnson went on to say: “And rounding off the top three is Greece, which is known for its reliable sunshine and gentle sea breezes, creating ideal conditions for both relaxing and exploring. At Holiday Village Atlantica Rhodes, the onsite waterpark makes it easy to cool off, whilst our Aerial Adventure course well and truly ticks off the ‘exploring’ box for families.”<\/p>\n

She added: “Our huge range of facilities and activities is designed to make summer holidays simple and stress-free. For Brits keen to uncover what weather conditions will be when they travel, they can check our TUI weather guide, which gives insight into the average weather conditions each month.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The major tour operator has ranked over 150 European destinations, naming one country as the most reliable for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19165,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[6156,797,3965,17,3966,357,3713,2251,3829],"class_list":{"0":"post-19164","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-spain","8":"tag-bank-holiday","9":"tag-greece","10":"tag-school-holidays","11":"tag-spain","12":"tag-summer-holidays","13":"tag-travel","14":"tag-tui","15":"tag-turkey","16":"tag-weather"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19164"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19164\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}