Greece swooped the No. 1 spot while India ranked at No. 17 in the best countries around the world survey released by Conde Nast Traveller. (photo credit: wikimedia commons)Condé Nast Traveller recently released the list for The Best Countries in the World 2026, as part of its Readers’ Choice Awards, which marked its 29th edition in 2026.Thousands of respondents around the world submitted ratings on a secure voting website between April 1 and June 30, 2026. The survey’s questionnaire contained candidates across various categories, including hotels, resorts, airlines, cities, islands, cruise lines, etc.The candidates needed a minimum number of responses to be considered. They were judged using a standard five-point scale (excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor), which was then converted into a percentage. The final score was determined by averaging these ratings.Also Read | Skyscanner travel trends 2027: Top destinations and what Indians wantGreece earned the title of the best country in the world for 2026 with a score of 98.14. Condé Nast Traveller said some of the country’s top-rated spots are attracting record-breaking tourist numbers. These include Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Paros, Hydra, Ios, and Tinos.Athens has emerged from being just a historic marvel and now boasts booming creative energy, including avant-garde galleries and amazing hotels. It ranks among Europe’s unexpectedly coolest capitals.Japan, Italy, and Turkey ranked second, third, and fourth, respectively, followed by Portugal, Costa Rica, and Croatia in fifth, sixth, and seventh places. Indonesia and Kenya ranked eighth and ninth, while Thailand rounded out the top 10.Also Read | Top 10 countries for retirement report and index 2026: How Uruguay beat Spain and Portugal to top spotCosta Rica and Kenya made the top 10 list for the first time. India ranked 17th with a score of 92.11, placing it in the top 20 best countries in the world.Story continues below this ad10 best countries in the world 2026RankCountryScore1.Greece98.142.Japan97.013.Italy96.484.Turkey94.905.Portugal94.646.Costa Rica94.297.Croatia94.018.Indonesia93.759.Kenya93.5710.Thailand93.26Source: Condé Nast Traveller