Europe's top island destinations have been highlighted in a new guide, offering sunny escapes from Italy to Germany with flights starting from just £15 one-way.
Sardinia regularly tops best island lists due to its Caribbean-style beaches, white sands, turquoise seas, and gastronomy. A key highlight is the La Maddalena Archipelago, a national park made up of seven main islands featuring granite coastlines and towns.
For beachgoers, Capo Testa offers views and rocky terrain, dubbed "one of the most fascinating beaches in Sardinia" by one tourist. History enthusiasts can visit Su Nuraxi di Barumini, a UNESCO-listed site considered one of Europe's finest examples of Bronze Age defensive structures.
Sardinian food differs from mainland Italy. Local specialties include porceddu, which is slow-roasted suckling pig, culurgiones, which are potato pasta parcels, and fresh seafood. The island has three main airports. Travelers heading to La Maddalena Archipelago can use Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport, with Ryanair flights from London Stansted starting from £19 one-way.
Corsica and the Azores
Corsica, known locally as La Corse and dubbed L'Île de Beauté, is growing in popularity with international visitors after long being a favourite for French family holidays. The island combines cliffside architecture in medieval towns such as Bonifacio with wild hiking treks and towering peaks.
Plage de Saleccia is highlighted as one of Corsica's finest beaches. Reaching its ivory sands, clear seas, and backdrop of dense forestry requires a 4x4, a taxi boat, or a hike. Flights from London Luton to Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport start from £47 each way.
São Miguel is the largest island in Portugal's Azores and a favourite among locals that attracts far less tourist attention than the Algarve. Nicknamed The Green Island, it features volcano crater lakes like Lagoa das Sete Cidades, hot springs, and emerald landscapes. Visitors can try geothermal cooking, whale watching, and challenging hikes.
For thermal wellness, Octant Furnas offers stays in the Furnas Valley, one of the most geothermally active areas of São Miguel. The 55-room hotel features indoor and outdoor geothermal pools, with double rooms from £154 per night. UK flights to Ponta Delgada Airport start from £160 each way, or £257 direct with British Airways.
Lofoten Islands and Isle of Skye
Norway's Lofoten Islands form a spectacular archipelago in the north known for dramatic peaks and crystal-clear fjords. The area features the Midnight Sun during summer and Northern Lights displays from September to April.
Kvalvika Beach is a remote Arctic bay on Lofoten where golden sands meet turquoise waters under mountain peaks. Accessible only by a challenging hike, the secluded beach attracts adventurous travellers and wild campers. Visitors fly to Bodo via Oslo, with London Stansted to Oslo flights starting at £25 each way, before taking a ferry to Moskenes via torghatten.no.
The Isle of Skye in Scotland is defined by rugged landscapes and natural landmarks. The Fairy Glen features green hills shaped by an ancient landslip dating back more than 100,000 years, smoothed over time into a mystical landscape.
Skye is also home to the Old Man of Storr, a mountain peak and hiking path where folklore claims the rock pillar is the buried thumb of a giant. The island is best explored by car, with Edinburgh and Glasgow serving as the nearest major airports.
Elba and Syros
Elba is an Italian island often overlooked in favour of Sicily and Sardinia. Historically famous as the site where French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled in 1814, visitors can explore his former residences, including Villa dei Mulini.
Porto Azzurro serves as a popular fishing resort on Elba, offering beaches, town walks, and diving spots. Reaching the island requires a ferry from Piombino, accessible by train or car after flying into Pisa or Florence.
Syros offers a Greek island alternative with rich culture, food, and smaller crowds than Santorini or Mykonos. Located in the centre of the Aegean Sea, 70 miles from the port of Piraeus, its main towns include Ermoupolis and the medieval hilltop village of Ano Syros.
Cat lovers can take advantage of free accommodation offered in exchange for looking after rescued cats, with the island home to around 3,000 stray felines. Visitors can reach Syros via ferry from Mykonos or Santorini, or fly to Athens with Jet2 from Birmingham from £69 one-way before catching a domestic flight.
Mljet and Menorca
Mljet is known as Croatia's greenest island and sits one hour from Dubrovnik. It provides a quieter alternative to busier islands like Hvar, with greenery, peaceful beaches, and Mljet National Park, which borders two saltwater lakes.
In Saplunara village, travellers can stay at PineTree Boutique Apartments on a quiet sandy bay. The hotel terrace serves peka, a traditional Croatian slow-cooked dish prepared with lamb, octopus, or veal. Manchester flights to Dubrovnik start from £18, followed by a ferry via tp-line.hr/en/.
Menorca draws large tourist crowds to its coastal stretches. Cala Galdana features a cove-like white-sand beach holding Blue Flag status for its water quality and peak-season lifeguard services. Son Bou is the island's longest beach at 2.5 kilometres, framed by blue waters and imposing cliffs.
Menorca has been ranked as the fourth-cheapest European family holiday destination. Jet2 operates flights from Newcastle to Menorca with fares starting from £37 each way.
Porto Santo, Corfu and Heligoland
Porto Santo, located in the Madeira archipelago, provides a relaxed alternative to busier mainland beach destinations. The island features a 9-kilometre golden sand stretch at Praia do Porto Santo alongside hiking routes including the Vereda do Pico Branco, Pico do Castelo, and Zimbralinho Beach Trail.
Vila Baleira, the island's single town, houses the Christopher Columbus House Museum. Oceanfront accommodation at Pestana Porto Santo Beach Resort & Spa starts from £258 per night. Direct flights from Lisbon and Porto operate via TAP Air Portugal and easyJet from £26 each way.
Corfu has experienced a surge in interest following Christopher Nolan's film The Odyssey. Popular with families and couples, the island features a UNESCO-listed old town defined by Venetian architecture, narrow streets, and local food options.
Porto Timoni offers a rugged peninsula flanked by two beaches, accessible only by hiking or by boat. Seven-night package holidays at the beachfront Domes Miramare hotel start from £988 per person, while Ryanair flights from London Stansted start from £16 each way.
Heligoland completes the selection as a red sandstone island located in the North Sea. The car-free island boasts fresh air and holds Germany's smallest nature reserve, Lummenfelsen. Visitors can observe natural landmarks including the Lange Anna sea stack and neighbouring Dune Island.
Historically owned by Britain, Heligoland was ceded to Germany in 1890 in exchange for Zanzibar. Travellers can reach the island by flying to Hamburg Airport, with London Stansted flights starting at £15, traveling by train to Cuxhaven or Büsum, and boarding a connecting ferry.
