Greece Voted the Most Hospitable Country in the World

The readers of TRAVELBOOK, Germany’s biggest online travel magazine, have spoken: Greece is the most hospitable country in the world. At the magazine’s fourth annual awards ceremony on September 23, Greece secured the top title, a victory driven by a massive online vote involving 150,000 community members.

Receiving the award, Nicole Lekanidi from the Greek National Tourism Organization in Germany defined Greek hospitality, or philoxenia, as “love and friendship towards the stranger” and “true concern,” underscoring that the Greek people are the heart of the visitor experience.

TRAVELBOOK editor Katharina Regenthal agreed, praising the innate kindness of the Greeks she’s observed since her childhood travels. “Even as a child, I noticed how warm the Greeks are, especially to younger visitors.”

In Greece, people are hospitable, “filoxenoi”

For Greeks, philoxenia is an unspoken cultural law that expresses generosity and courtesy to strangers.

Greeks are enormously generous when inviting others to their home or being invited themselves. In villages, it is not uncommon for villagers to show up at the door of a resident foreigner (or even a temporary visitor renting a room) with a sack full of fresh tomatoes, or even a bottle of local olive oil.

Philoxenia today can be as simple as a smile, helping a stranded motorist, buying a meal for a homeless person, or opening your home to friends and family.

TRAVELBOOK editor-in-chief Nuno Alves noted that this new public voting format directly reflects the “knowledge and desires of our readers,” helping to determine the most exciting travel destinations for the upcoming season.

Related: Philoxenia: The Ancient Roots of Greek Hospitality