Going on vacation is often for many of us an opportunity to unplug and get away from the daily grind. Many prominent locations are overrun with visitors as a result of the post-pandemic tourism boom, which isn’t the best situation for a peaceful, relaxing vacation.
In order to see portions of the continent we weren’t aware existed, avoiding overtourism may be the motivating factor. We’re referring to Europe’s tens of thousands of undiscovered islands in this instance. The typical favorites—peace, culture, and cuisine—are all within earshot.
A few of Europe’s most remarkable hidden islands are listed below:
Lastovo, Croatia
Lastovo is located halfway between the southernmost point of Croatia’s renowned island chain, the Dalmatian Coast, and the northernmost point of Puglia.
Views from above of this vacation destination give the impression that it is peacefully affixed to the Bahamas’ coastline. It nearly looks too pristine to be anywhere except the Caribbean.
Despite being the biggest of the coast’s 47 islands and islets, the Triton hotel, which has sea views and a well-regarded seaside restaurant, is the only one to be found there.
Even more captivating for those hoping to see the starriest sky in Europe and enjoy some actual sunshine.
Oronsay Island, Scotland
Second, only to the tens of thousands of Nordic and Scandi clusters spread over the continent in terms of the number of islands, Scotland is home to around 790.
Small inhospitable slivers of land to enormous swaths like Skye’s Celtic paradise are all included in this. Oronsay Island, a fabledly lovely, unexplored natural sanctuary, is located not far from Skye.
Avoid confusing it with Oronsay, a different island that is located close to Jura to the west. It only adds to the mystery because, if you can time it just so, the tides let you cross a causeway from Skye to Oronsay Island.
If you aren’t planning on wild camping, be careful to schedule your vacation properly to avoid becoming trapped.
With cliffs and caverns of up to 200 feet that curve into an ice-blue seashore, the dramatic landscapes provide fantastic sightseeing possibilities. It might be a good idea to include the island in your upcoming Highland vacation just for the scenery.
Gozo, Malta
Gozo, an island inside an island, is regarded by the Maltese as the more rural and culturally diverse sibling location of the main island. From Malta’s main northern port, a boat takes about 25 minutes to get there.
You will be surrounded by Baroque architecture as you walk along the fabled alleyways of Gozo, leading to shops that provide tastings of regional bread, wines, and oils.
Divers who like exploring its numerous caverns consider Gozo to be a great find as well. A highlight is The Blue Hole, a special geological formation that connects divers to the sea through an underwater arch.
Porquerolles, France
Life on this seven-kilometer-long island off the Riviera was first made habitable by a handful of locals, but it wasn’t until the late 19th century that it reached its full potential.
Sandy shores which draw a lot of tourists during the summer months are surrounded by hilly mountains. With highs of 30 degrees and cyan-colored water, who could blame them?
Since it covers the majority of the island’s mainland and has been meticulously protected by the government, Port-Cros National Park is the main attraction for peaceful nature lovers.
Formentera, Balearics
Tourists seeking a soother away from the sucker punch of neighboring Ibiza’s nightlife are becoming more and more familiar with the smallest of Spain’s Balearic Islands. It is the ideal location to get away from the chaos of the party island because of its white sandy beaches and golden sunsets.
Most notably, Illetes, its major beach, is shaped like a long strip of sand stretching into the ocean, inviting tourists to explore its amazing, varied marine life.
The island’s variety of local restaurants offers visitors some of the tastiest Mediterranean cuisines they will ever consume. The meal selection spans a range of pricing ranges, from seafood caught right there in the restaurant to tapas dishes that carry a punch.
It’s simple to interact with Formentera outside of the beaches since it’s so simple to get about on a bike. The complete range of its assets, from historic lighthouses to its internationally significant Posidonia seagrass plains, are available to visitors all year long.
