The world’s 20 most peaceful cities

It seems that the many effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that we’re all living with on a daily basis may be affecting us even more than we’re aware of. Earlier this year, the American Psychological Association released some survey results, which revealed just how profound the impacts of living amid a prolonged pandemic have been.

According to its research, substantial portions of the adult population feel that their mental health has worsened since the onset of COVID-19, with Gen Z being most likely to say so (46 percent). Gen Xers were second-most-likely with 33 percent reporting the same sentiment, followed by 31 percent of Millennials, 28 percent of Boomers and nine percent of older adults.

With World Mental Health Day coming up on October 10, Iceland’s flagship airline decided to conduct its own investigation using the American Psychological Association’s findings as a jumping-off point. Realizing that our surroundings have a massive influence on our stress levels and overall mental wellbeing, Icelandair did a study to discover those places on the planet that offer the highest levels of tranquility.

Analyzing places based upon such criteria as happiness levels, traffic congestion, crowding, and light and noise pollution, the airline rated various spots around the globe and wound up producing a list of the top 20 most relaxing cities in the world.

First place went to Bergen, Norway, which soared in the ranking due to low levels of traffic congestion (13 percent), minor amounts of light and noise pollution, and a long average life expectancy of 83 years, according to Travel + Leisure reported.

Perth, the capital of Western Australia, took second place. An urban oasis situated on the coast, it’s home to Kings Park and Botanic Garden—one of the world’s largest inner-city parks—vineyards, white-sand beaches, bays where you can swim with dolphins, and islands where you can snap photos of penguins, sea lions and quokkas (possibly the cutest creatures on Earth)

Reykjavik, Iceland, the world’s northernmost capital city, came in third. It ranked highly, in part, because of its stunning location and awe-inspiring natural surroundings. While it’s a frigid climate, the area is filled with geothermal hot springs thanks to Reykjavik’s volcanic activity, so that there are warm natural pools to be enjoyed year-round.

When looking at the top 20 list, there are a few countries that stand out with multiple cities that made the list. Australia boasted a total of four serene cities: Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Neighboring New Zealand contributed three to the list, as did the United States.

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, United States
Houston, United States
Washington, D.C., United States