There are several factors that go into choosing a new place to live. If affordability and an abundance of outdoor activities are top of mind, some small towns might do the trick, while others are willing to pay more for the perks of big city living. By
For those simply looking for peace of mind, Icelandair conducted a study analysing factors such as light pollution, congestion, happiness levels, and traffic congestion to determine which cities around the world are most tranquil and offer their residents the most relaxing environments.
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Hoping to bring awareness to World Mental Health Day on October 10, Iceland‘s flagship airline dove into this research after a survey by the American Psychological Association revealed the deep impacts of the pandemic. According to the survey results, 46% of Gen Z adults feel their mental health has worsened since the onset of the pandemic, while 33% of Xers, 31% of Millennials, 28% of Boomers, and 9% of older adults also report the same issue.
Since the environments we live in play a large role in mental health, Icelandair conducted this study to point people to cities that may offer them more tranquillity. Using a variety of resources to rate locations around the world, the airline came up with a list of the top 20 most relaxing cities.
Coming in first place is Bergen, Norway, ranked highly for its very low levels of traffic congestion (13%), low levels of light and noise pollution (25), and a high average life expectancy of 83 years.
Home to the largest inner-city park in the world, Perth, Australia came in second place, followed by Reykjavik, Iceland, which scored highly thanks in part to its location surrounded by natural beauty.

Looking at the list as a whole, Australia had a strong showing with Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney also making an appearance for a total of four cities in the top 20, while New Zealand also had three cities on the list. Three cities from the USA made the list with Dallas, Houston, and Washington DC ranking at 18, 19, and 20, respectively.
Here’s the full list of the top 20 most tranquil cities:
- Bergen, Norway
- Perth, Australia
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Helsinki, Finland
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Brisbane, Australia
- Melbourne, Australia
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Oslo, Norway
- Sydney, Australia
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Tel Aviv, Israel
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Toronto, Canada
- San Jose, Costa Rica
- Dallas, the USA
- Houston, the USA
- Washington DC, the USA
Related: These Are The Most Luxurious Cities Around The World