Seaside town named Spain’s happiest in new ranking thanks to its ‘philosophy of life’

David Sackler May 4, 2025 Costa del Sol Leave a comment

THE small coastal town of Chipiona in the province of Cadiz has been crowned the ‘happiest town in Spain’ for 2025, according to a new national survey carried out by YouGov for sugar producer Azucarera.

Surpassing dozens of other charming towns across the country, Chipiona took the top spot thanks to its ‘people, climate and philosophy of life,’ the report said.

It marks a rise from third place last year, putting the unassuming town – best known for its vast sandy beaches and the tallest traditional lighthouse in Spain – firmly on the national radar.

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The study is titled Los pueblos mas felices de EspañaIn two phases, surveyed over 2,000 Spanish adults to find out which towns they associated with happiness, quality of living, and wellbeing.

The first phase asked people to name towns they considered ‘happy,’ while the second asked respondents to rate them.

(credit: @turismodechipiona) A view of Chipiona’s coastline, with the lighthouse as the backdrop. (credit: @turismodechipiona)

Chipiona, which won the race, beats out other well-known destinations such as Ronda in Malaga and Nerja.

Both were praised because of their natural environment and for the welcoming residents.

Andalucia, with its seven featured towns, was the most popular region, confirming that the sunny and social reputation of the region is well-founded.

Other top scorers include Zahara de los Atunes and Tarifa – both also in Cadiz – alongside Benalmadena and Mojacar.

The Valencian town of Peñiscola, meanwhile, was the only non-Andalucian destination in the top five.

Aerial view of Ronda which won the silver medal. (credit: Ayuntamiento)

All three of Spain’s top-three are located in Andalucia. Nerja is pictured as the third place. (credit: Ayuntamiento)

According to the study, in Spain, the factors that most influence happiness are natural surroundings (ranked among the top three reasons by 27 towns), beauty and climate (21 places).

There was also a clear geographical divide. Southern beach towns such as Chipiona scored high for the sunshine while northern locations scored highly for food and nature.

Azucarera’s report celebrates the culture, community, and charm of smaller towns.

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