You’ve probably seen those glossy tourism brochures. They promise "300 days of sun" like it’s a legal guarantee. But here’s the thing: the way we measure days of sunshine per city is actually a bit of a mess.
What does a "sunny day" even mean? To a meteorologist, it’s about sky cover. To you, it’s whether or not you need an umbrella at 2:00 PM. If you’re looking for the absolute brightest spots on the map, you have to look past the marketing. Honestly, some of the sunniest places on Earth are actually pretty miserable to live in.
The Absolute Heavyweights of Solar Power
When we talk about raw numbers, Yuma, Arizona, usually takes the crown. It’s basically the sun capital of the world. According to the World Meteorological Organization, Yuma sees over 4,000 hours of sunshine a year. That’s roughly 90% of all possible daylight hours.
But there’s a catch.
Yuma is a furnace. It hits 100°F (about 38°C) for a huge chunk of the year. If you’re moving there just for the light, you’ll spend most of your time hiding in air conditioning. It’s a similar story for Phoenix. People call it the "Valley of the Sun" for a reason. You get about 211 clear days a year there, which sounds great until June hits and the pavement starts melting your shoes.
Outside the US, Egypt dominates. Places like Aswan and Marsa Alam are essentially cloud-free zones. Aswan gets nearly 3,863 hours of sun annually. It’s stunning, historic, and incredibly dry.
👉 See also: Bondage and Being Tied Up: A Realistic Look at Safety, Psychology, and Why People Do It
Why the "Days of Sun" Metric is Kinda Tricky
Most people think a "sunny day" means a cloudless sky from dawn till dusk. It doesn't.
Meteorologists often count a day as "sunny" if the cloud cover is less than 30% on average. This leads to some weird stats. Take Florida. It’s the "Sunshine State," right? Well, if you look at the 2026 data, many Florida cities actually have fewer "clear" days than places like Denver, Colorado.
Denver gets that crisp, high-altitude light. Florida gets massive afternoon thunderstorms. You might have a "sunny day" in Orlando that includes a two-hour monsoon at 3:00 PM.
- Yuma, AZ: 4,015 hours (The undisputed king)
- Aswan, Egypt: 3,863 hours (Africa's brightest)
- Phoenix, AZ: 3,872 hours (Huge population, huge heat)
- Perth, Australia: 3,200 hours (The sunniest spot in Oz)
- Calgary, Canada: 2,405 hours (Canada’s surprise winner)
Europe’s Sunnier Side
If you’re in Europe, you’re basically chasing the Mediterranean. The 2025-2026 Holidu studies show a massive sweep for Spain.
Cartagena is currently sitting at the top of the European rankings. It averages about 283 sun hours per month. It’s a hidden gem compared to the crowded beaches of Barcelona or the high-rise hotels of Benidorm. Just down the coast, Alicante and Malaga aren't far behind. They both hover around the 279-hour mark.
✨ Don't miss: Blue Tabby Maine Coon: What Most People Get Wrong About This Striking Coat
Italy has some heavy hitters too. Catania, in Sicily, is a solar powerhouse with 273 hours. The further north you go, the gloomier it gets. London? You’re lucky to get 1,500 hours in a whole year. It’s a different world.
The Winter Sun Loophole
If you want days of sunshine per city during the winter, you have to go to the Canary Islands. Tenerife is the big winner here. While the rest of Europe is shivering in gray slush, Tenerife pulls in over 800 hours of sunshine across the winter months.
It stays around 20°C (68°F) in February. That’s why it’s a magnet for "sun seekers" who can’t deal with the gloom of a northern winter.
What Most People Get Wrong About Cloud Cover
There’s a difference between "sunny" and "clear."
A city like San Diego is famous for sunshine, but it suffers from the "May Gray" and "June Gloom." This is a marine layer that sits over the coast every morning. You wake up, it’s gray. You think the day is ruined. Then, at 1:00 PM, the sun "burns through" and it’s gorgeous.
🔗 Read more: Blue Bathroom Wall Tiles: What Most People Get Wrong About Color and Mood
Does that count as a sunny day? Usually, yes. But it feels very different from the relentless, piercing sun of Las Vegas or El Paso.
Then you have the "Hidden Gems."
Oklahoma City actually gets more annual sunshine hours (around 3,089) than San Diego (3,055). Nobody thinks of Oklahoma as a sun destination because the weather is so volatile, but when the storms aren't rolling through, the sky is wide open.
The Darkest Places on the Map
To appreciate the sun, you have to look at the shadows.
Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands is famously gloomy. It sees about 37 days of sunshine a year. That’s it. The rest is mist, rain, and clouds.
- Tórshavn, Faroe Islands: 840 hours/year
- Chongqing, China: 954 hours/year (The fog here is legendary)
- Reykjavik, Iceland: 1,326 hours/year (Long winters, short bursts of light)
- Lima, Peru: 1,230 hours/year (Famous for the 'Garúa'—a thick sea mist)
Lima is a weird one. It’s near the equator, so you’d expect tropical sun. Instead, the Humboldt Current creates a persistent gray ceiling for half the year. It rarely rains, but you never see the sun. It’s just... beige.
Actionable Insights for Sun Seekers
If you are planning a move or a long-term trip based on days of sunshine per city, don't just look at the annual average.
- Check the Seasonal Spread: Some cities get 90% of their sun in the summer and are pitch black in the winter (looking at you, Seattle).
- Altitude Matters: High-altitude cities like Denver or Santa Fe feel "sunnier" because the atmosphere is thinner. The light is more intense. Use high-SPF sunscreen even if it’s cold.
- Humidity is the Mood Killer: 90 degrees in Phoenix (dry) feels better than 85 degrees in Miami (humid). If you want the sun but hate the sweat, stick to the rain shadows of mountain ranges.
- Morning vs. Afternoon: Coastal cities often have gray mornings. If you're an early bird who wants coffee in the sun, look for inland desert cities rather than coastal ones.
The real data suggests that if you want the most reliable light without living in a literal desert, the Mediterranean coast of Spain or the Southwestern United States remain your best bets for 2026 and beyond.