Neither Mykonos nor Santorini: This Is the Best Island in Europe

The Greek island of Hydra has won the coveted title of “Best Island in Europe 2026” in the Readers’ Choice Awards of the prestigious travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler. Hydra scored 98.12 points, ahead of Sardinia, Italy, which came in second with 98.01 points.

The ranking, based on votes from the magazine's readers, places Greece in a particularly prominent position. At least six Greek islands made the list of the 20 best islands in Europe.

After Hydra in first place, Naxos is in third place with 97.14 points, Paros is in ninth place with 94.01, Santorini is in 16th place with 90 points and Mykonos is in 18th place with 88.57. Crete, in 20th place, closes the list with 87.81 points.

Hydra is known for its unique character, narrow streets, historic buildings and relatively quiet atmosphere. The magazine also notes the island's cultural connection to Leonard Cohen, and the warm welcome the locals give to visitors.

Full ranking:

20. Crete, Greece. Score 87.81
19. Canary Islands, Spain. Score 88.16
18. Mykonos, Greece. Score 88.57
17. Îles d'Hyères, France. Score 89.04
16. Santorini, Greece. Score 90.00
15. Malta. Score 90.29
14. Madeira, Portugal. Score 91.26
13. Hvar, Croatia. Score 91.43
12. Ischia, Croatia. Score 92.29
11. Faroe Islands. Score 92.71
10. Mallorca, Spain. Score 93.71
9. Paros, Greece. Score 94.01
8. Ibiza, Spain. Score 94.29
7. Menorca, Spain. Score 95.00
6. Sifnos, Greece. Score 95.71
5. Sicily, Italy. Score 96.19
4. Corsica, France. Score 96.43
3. Naxos, Greece. Score 97.14
2. Sardinia, Italy. Score 98.01
1. Hydra, Greece. Score 98.12

Santorini. Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK

But Hydra is just one of the winners in the global ranking. Palawan in the Philippines leads Asia with 98.99 points, while Mauritius ranked best in Africa and the Indian Ocean with 97.14 points.

In Australasia and the Pacific, Fiji won, and in the Caribbean and Atlantic, Barbados took first place. In Central and South America, the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador took first place, and in North America, Vancouver Island in Canada won.