Revealed: The World’s Driest and Wettest Cities

With January cold and bleak, many of us are dreaming of jetting off to somewhere more exciting, to escape the winter blues. With that in mind, we’ve analysed a range of factors including winter rainfall, hours of sunshine, and average temperatures, to show you the wettest and driest cities across Europe and the world.

So, read on for some major holiday inspiration, or browse our range of cruise destinations and see where you could be exploring!

The Driest City Breaks in the World

If you prefer dry heat over humidity, then these are the cities you’ll want to explore.

1. Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

Nestled in between the Red Sea and Sinai Peninsula desert, it perhaps comes as no surprise that Sharm El-Sheikh is officially the driest city break in the world. Not only does it have the joint least rainfall, at 2 mm per month in the winter, but it also has the second least number of rainy days, at 0.33, and the joint third lowest humidity levels, at 40.33%.

Visit Sharm El-Sheikh, and once (or if!) you’ve tired of lounging on the beach, go diving at the Ras Mohammed Marine Park, climb Mount Sinai, which is 209 km inland, or take a day trip to Dahab to discover its cute open-air cafes and souvenir shops.

2. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Located right in the centre of the Al-Nafud desert, Saudi Arabia’s capital comes in second place if you’re looking for hot, dry heat. With a humidity score of 38.33%, it has the lowest humidity of any other place on our list, and just 1.33 days of rain on average during the colder months.

Some key tourist attractions to see in Riyadh include the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, where you’ll get to learn about the history of the country, the Skybridge at Kingdom Tower for the best views of the city, and the historic district of Diriyah.

3. Mumbai, India

Rounding off our top three driest city breaks in the world is Mumbai, with typically no rainy days in winter, as well as the joint least monthly rainfall, and the second highest number of winter sun hours, at around 9.93 per day.

India’s financial hub and largest city, make sure you head to the waterfront to discover the Gateway of India arch, before discovering iconic buildings such as the Mumbai Taj; before heading to the jungle paradise that’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park, where you might just spot a leopard!

If it’s heat you’re after, then head to Phuket and Siem Reap, with average winter temperatures hitting 26.77 and 26.7 degrees Celsius respectively; but if you’re in need of vitamin D, then Buenos Aires is your best bet, with the most number of hours of winter sun on average, at 10.97.

The Middle East, Africa, and Asia pretty much dominate the top 15 driest cities, with the exception of Las Vegas in 13th place, and Mexico City in 15th. Many of the places featured on our list are included in our Middle East cruises, if it’s somewhere you’ve been dreaming of going!

India makes an appearance five times on our list, with Jaipur, Kolkata, Agra, and Delhi all ranking as some of the driest destinations for city breaks.

The Wettest City Breaks in the World

So, now we know the driest places in the world, it’s time to see which places are the most rainy and humid.

1. Tyssedal (Trolltunga), Norway

Perhaps the most spectacular scenery in the world, Trolltunga is known as the iconic place for a hiking Instagram shot – although during the winter, it’s advised not to venture out, as it’s dangerous when icy.

Sadly, for hiking enthusiasts, the nearby village of Tyssedal is the wettest place in the world, with the second most amount of rain in winter, at 275.67 mm on average, as well as just 1.77 hours per day of sun. Alongside that, with average temperatures of -6.9 degrees Celsius, this is one place you’ll only want to visit in the summer!

2. Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver lives up to its name as the rainy city, with 273.67 mm on average each month over winter. Still, there’s lots you can do in the city to amuse yourself.

Café and bar hop around the hipster area of Gastown, wander the circular Seawall walk of Stanley Park and enjoy impressive harbour views; or catch a ferry over to the scenic cities of Nanaimo or Victoria, and spend the day exploring.

3. Tromsø, Norway

Norway makes it into the top three for a second time, with Tromsø’s arctic circle positioning. In the summer, you can enjoy midnight sun, but in the winter, you’ll be faced with constant darkness. Pair that with average temperatures of -9.93 degrees in the winter, and you’ll need to make sure you wrap up warm!

That being said, Tromsø is still well worth a visit, if you don’t mind a little cold and rain. If you’re lucky enough, you might be able to catch a concert at the Arctic Cathedral, which just so happens to be the city’s most iconic building. You can also take advantage of the snow with a husky ride, or take the cable car up to the top of Storsteinen for amazing views.

If we look at the coldest temperatures, then Sweden’s Kiruna dips the lowest, at a bracing -12.27 degrees Celsius; whereas when it comes to rain, Jakarta experiences the most, with an average monthly rainfall of 290 mm in the winter. If you love the cold, then make sure you check out our Norwegian cruises, where you’ll get to see spectacular snowy scenery and fjords!

The Driest City Breaks in the EU

Moving over to the EU specifically, these are the city breaks that have the driest weather, and are ideal if you don’t want to have to deal with rain while you’re exploring a new city. Want to explore several destinations at once? Have a look at our European cruises, which cover key destinations across the continent.

1. Valencia, Spain

Valencia tops the board as the driest city in the EU, with the least number of rainy days per month in winter, at 3.67 on average, as well as the lowest levels of rainfall and humidity. It also gets the most winter sun, at around 7.63 hours a day, making it a great place to explore.

In the summer, you’ll want to spend time at the golden sands of La Malvarrosa; but a wander round the city is a must too, as you sample the many tapas bars and enjoy churros for dessert. Other sights that are also worth seeing include the City of Arts and Sciences, and the Central Market, where you can buy pretty much every type of food you can think of.

2. Ibiza, Spain

Spain dominates the list, with the sunny island of Ibiza in second place. Known for its pool parties and DJ sets, it’s a popular holiday destination year-round, with good weather practically a guarantee – it has just 4.67 rainy days a month on average in winter, as well as 7.33 hours a day of winter sun.

If you want to party with some of the best DJs in the world, then Ibiza is the place to be. But, if you want some rest and relaxation, there’s also plenty on offer. Beach hop around the more secluded spots, snorkel in the Ses Margalides islands, and discover iconic sights such as the white-walled Puig de Missa and Defence Towers.

3. Tenerife, Spain

In a very respectable third place, Tenerife boasts the highest winter temperatures, at 16.2 degrees Celsius on average, as well as the joint second least monthly rainfall, at 33.67 mm.

Once again, beaches are Tenerife’s thing, with Playa Jardin offering spectacular cliff views, and Playa de las Teresitas the softest, whitest sand you’ll see on the whole island. However, you should also take the time to hike Mount Teide – do it at night, and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful starry skies.

Spain dominates the list of driest destinations, taking eight out of the top 10 spots, including Seville, Mallorca, Barcelona, Malaga, and Grenada – several of which you can visit with our range of cruises around Spain. Malta’s capital, Valletta, makes it into fifth place, with average winter temperatures of 13.9 degrees Celsius; and the island of Corsica in 10th place.

Wettest City Breaks in the EU

At the other end of the spectrum, these destinations are the rainiest in the European Union.

1. Kiruna, Sweden

Situated in Swedish Lapland, 145 km north of the Arctic circle, if you love snow, then Kiruna is the perfect winter destination. From enjoying a dog sledding tour, to spending a night at the Ice Hotel, and even potentially seeing the Northern Lights, Kiruna has so much to offer.

However, it’s the coldest city to grace our list, with average monthly temperatures in the winter dipping to -12.27 degrees. Plus, if you go in the winter, be aware that there won’t be any sunlight.

2. Rovaniemi, Finland

Moving east to Finnish Lapland, Rovaniemi comes in second place, with an average temperature of -9.4 degrees, alongside the joint top humidity levels at 86.33%– the same as its capital, Helsinki.

Much like Kiruna, Rovaniemi is a Christmas lover’s dream. Take the kids to meet Santa Claus and his elves, and go wild at the Main Post Office, where you can pick up a special letter from Santa, as well as themed postcards and stamps. If you’re lucky, you might even get to see the Northern Lights here too!

3. Vilnius, Lithuania

Rounding off our top three wettest cities in the EU is Lithuania’s picturesque capital, Vilnius. While it might not be quite as cold, with average temperatures of -3.27, it does have the third highest humidity levels, at 85.67%.

Still, it’s a great city to explore – wander the narrow cobblestone streets and sample Lithuanian vodka at the many cosy bars, climb the hill to reach Gediminas Tower, visit the artistic district of Užupis; and pay a visit to the Museum of Occupation and Freedom Fights. Located in the former KGB building, it’s a really important place to visit to understand the country’s recent history.

When it comes to rainfall, it’s warmer places like Dubrovnik, Zakynthos, and Porto that experience the most, with Dubrovnik getting around 165mm of rain every month. And, if you look at the most number of rainy days, then Portugal’s Ponta Delgada comes top, at 10.67 a month, followed by Lisse and Salzburg, at 10.33.

So, if you’ve been considering jetting away somewhere over the next few months, hopefully we’ve inspired you! If you’re still not sure where to go, then take a look at our range of cruise deals – we’re constantly updating them, with lots of exclusive offers and promotions to enjoy.

Methodology

Sources:

• Factor: All
• Data Point
• Collection Method: Data Gathered Manually.
• Link: https://en.climate-data.org/

This dataset ranks 173 cities, based on how dry they are in winter months. To do this, 5 different factors were used. Once the data for the factors was collected, the factors were then normalised, to provide each factor with a score of between 0 and 1. If data was not available, a score of 0 was given. The normalised values were then summed, to give each location a total score out of 5. The locations were then ranked from highest to lowest, based on their total scores.

The factors used are as follows:

• Average Temperature - Calculated an average for each city using 1991-2021 December, January & February temperature figures.
• Average Monthly Rainfall - Calculated an average for each city using 1991-2021 December, January & February rainfall figures.
• Average Humidity - Calculated an average % for each city using 1991-2021 December, January & February humidity figures.
• Average Monthly Rainy Days - Calculated an average mm for each city using 1991-2021 December, January & February rainy day figures.
• Average Sun Hours - Calculated an average for each city using 1999-2019 December, January & February sun hour figures.

The factors were indexed as follows:

• Average Temperature - High values get a high score. Low values get a low score.
• Average Monthly Rainfall - Low values get a high score. High values get a low score.
• Average Humidity - Low values get a high score. High values get a low score.
• Average Monthly Rainy Days - Low values get a high score. High values get a low score.
• Average Sun Hours - High values get a high score. Low values get a low score.

All data is correct as of 03/01/24. The ranking data shown is a compilation of multiple data sources and may not be representative of real life. All data is accurate with regards to the sources provided.