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Are you planning an island escape in Europe, but not sure where because of the sheer number there are to choose from?
With hundreds of thousands of islands across the continent – and that’s a conservative estimate – it’s no surprise that deciding on which one to go to can often be the toughest task when planning a European island holiday.
Thankfully, a new study published by Saga Holidays could just help make that decision a little bit easier.
Comparing 80 island destinations across Europe, the research by the over-50s holiday provider was based on three main factors:
- Weather: including sunshine, rainfall, wind and temperature comfort
- Food and drink availability: based on the number of restaurants, cafés and bars, adjusted for island size
- Green space: based on the amount and share of the island covered by green areas
“These factors were weighted to create the final ranking, with green space accounting for 45%, weather 35% and food and drink availability 20%,” said Saga Holidays. “Archipelago scores were calculated using the average score of the islands within each group.”
The study picked out Europe’s top 10 best islands, as well as breaking the data down into the highlighted categories.
Here, we take a look at the findings…
Top 10 European islands for a holiday in 2026
In terms of the overall rankings, islands in Spain and Croatia dominate, with nine of the top 10, according to the research.
The largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, Tenerife ranks first as Europe’s best island destination with a score of 95/100. It took the top spot thanks to a mixture of “beautiful natural scenery, fresh food, and – its highest scoring metric – incredible sunshine”, Saga Holidays said.
Also in the Canary Islands, La Palma ranked second with a score of 94/100. Nicknamed “La Isla Bonita”, the beautiful island, La Palma is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This reflects the island’s “rich natural environment” and “focus on sustainable development”.
In third place, with a score of 93/100, was Madeira in Portugal. This archipelago is home to the millenary Laurissilva Forest, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
Two islands in Croatia complete the top five. Located off the Dalmatian coast, the medieval island of Korčula was fourth (92/100), followed by Mljet (90/100), an unspoiled Adriatic island that’s a “haven for the active traveller”.
The top 10:
- 1. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain: 95/100
- 2. La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain: 94/100
- 3. Madeira, Portugal: 93/100
- 4. Korčula, Dalmatian Islands, Croatia: 92/100
- 5. Mljet, Dalmatian Islands, Croatia: 90/100
- 6. Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain: 89/100
- 7. Losinji, Kvarner Islands, Croatia: 88/100
- 8. Brac, Dalmatian Islands, Croatia: 87/100
- 9. Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain: 86/100
- 10. La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain: 85/100
Europe’s top three islands for sunny weather
With fantastic year-round weather, it’s no surprise that the Canary Islands dominate this category. Home to some of Europe’s sunniest beaches, Tenerife again tops the ranking with a score of 88/100.
La Gomera, the second smallest of the Canary Islands, ranked second thanks to its “rugged coastline with black-sand beaches”, while Gran Canaria was third.
- 1. Tenerife, Spain: 88/100
- 2. La Gomera, Spain: 86/100
- 3. Gran Canaria, Spain: 85/100
As well as the great weather, the Canary Islands were also crowned Europe’s top archipelago. Reporting increased popularity for the Canaries, Saga’s data found this island group to be the best “all-rounder”.
Europe’s top three islands for food
When it comes to food, Italy emerges as a “clear winner” with two of the top three islands – Capri and Sardinia. The Greek island of Santorini is the only non-Italian destination in the list.
- 1. Capri, Italy: 75/100
- 2. Sardinia, Italy: 66/100
- 3. Santorini, Greece: 65/100
At No.1, Capri’s culinary highlights include the Caprese Salad and Ravioli Caprese. This fresh pasta dish is “typically made with caciotta, parmesan, and marjoram, and topped with a light tomato sauce”, said Saga.
Europe’s top three islands for greenery and nature
The ranking for islands with the most greenery features Croatia predominantly, with Mljet in first and Korčula in third, while Madeira in Portugal was second.
- 1. Mljet, Croatia: 86/100
- 2. Madeira, Portugal: 85/100
- 3. Korčula, Croatia: 83/100
Known as the “Green Island” in Croatia, Mljet is “relatively under the radar” compared to Dubrovnik and Split, Saga said, making it a “great addition to your Croatian holiday”.
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