Camilla Jessen
These under-the-radar destinations offer charm, culture, and calm—minus the mass tourism.
Mallorca, Crete, and the Canary Islands might still top the charts when it comes to summer getaways. But their popularity comes at a price.
Once quiet shores are now overflowing with tourists, making a peaceful vacation feel more like a crowded festival.
A Different Kind of Island Escape
If you’re craving sun, sea, and serenity without the beach towels packed shoulder to shoulder, there’s good news.
Global car rental brand Avis analyzed online search data and Instagram hashtags to find Europe’s most popular island hotspots and the underrated alternatives still flying under the radar.
Their list includes islands that remain authentic, peaceful, and beautiful—minus the mass tourism.
1. Lesbos, Greece
With a population of just 86,000 and a far cry from the Instagram-flooded beaches of Santorini, Lesbos remains under the radar for many travelers.
Known for its UNESCO-listed petrified forest, more than 200 hot springs, and the medieval town of Molyvos, Lesbos offers a full range of outdoor activities, from hiking the volcanic landscapes of Mount Lepetymnos to birdwatching in the wetlands near Skala Kallonis.
It’s also the birthplace of ouzo. The island produces over 50% of Greece’s total ouzo output.
2. Porto Santo, Portugal
A 2.5-hour ferry ride from the more popular Madeira, Porto Santo is a low-key Atlantic island with nine kilometers of golden sandy beach that stretches nearly the island’s full length.
Unlike Madeira’s rocky coastline, Porto Santo is famous for its therapeutic sands, historically used to treat rheumatism.
Activities include hiking to Pico do Castelo, and visiting the Christopher Columbus House Museum, where the explorer once lived.
3. Symi, Greece
Just an hour by ferry from Rhodes, Symi features neoclassical harbor houses that climb the hills above the sea, many dating back to the 19th century.
You can explore the Panormitis Monastery, visit quiet beaches only accessible by boat, and hike old mule paths that crisscross the island.
Despite its charm, Symi receives only a fraction of the visitors seen on neighboring islands.
4. Skopelos, Greece
Famous as the filming location for Mamma Mia!, Skopelos remains quieter than Skiathos despite its cinematic fame.
Roughly 80% of the island is covered in pine forest, and you’ll find over 360 churches and monasteries, including the iconic Agios Ioannis chapel perched on a cliff.
Skopelos has no airport, which helps keep it off the main tourist circuit. You can only reach it by ferry.
5. Cres, Croatia
Cres is one of the largest Adriatic islands but sees far fewer tourists than nearby Krk or Hvar.
Its remote Lake Vrana supplies drinking water to the entire island and is one of Europe’s few freshwater lakes found on an island.
The medieval town of Cres features Venetian architecture, and the island is home to the endangered Eurasian griffon vulture, which nests on its cliffs.
Activities include hiking to Lubenice, a 4,000-year-old hilltop village.
6. Andros, Greece
Just a two-hour ferry from Athens, Andros is known for its network of more than 180 km of marked hiking trails, called the Andros Routes.
Unlike the barren landscapes of many Cycladic islands, Andros has natural springs, waterfalls, and forests.
Its mild development and local agriculture keep the island’s pace slow and authentic.
7. Karpathos, Greece
Halfway between Crete and Rhodes, Karpathos has preserved many traditions lost elsewhere.
In the mountain village of Olympos, women still wear traditional handmade dresses daily, and local dialects reflect ancient Dorian Greek.
The island features more than 100 beaches, many only reachable by foot or boat. Karpathos is also popular with windsurfers, thanks to the steady Meltemi wind in summer.
8. Brac, Croatia
Best known for Zlatni Rat (“Golden Horn”) beach, Brac also offers quieter villages like Pucisca, famous for its white limestone quarries, which supplied stone for the White House in Washington, D.C.
Inland, you can hike to Vidova Gora, the highest point on any Adriatic island. Brac is easily accessible by ferry from Split but remains less overrun than nearby Hvar.
9. La Maddalena, Italy
Part of a national park off the coast of northern Sardinia, La Maddalena is the only inhabited island in its archipelago.
Visitors can drive the 20-kilometer scenic loop road, snorkel in the protected marine reserve, or ferry-hop to the nearby island of Caprera, where Giuseppe Garibaldi’s house is now a museum.
Despite its crystal waters, development is tightly controlled, keeping tourism sustainable.
10. Thassos, Greece
Located just off Greece’s northern coast, Thassos is lush with pine forests, olive groves, and marble quarries.
Ancient ruins, like the Agora of Thassos, sit alongside sleepy fishing villages. A car ferry from Kavala gets you there in under an hour.
The island’s Giola Lagoon, a natural rock pool, is a favorite for adventurous swimmers, and beaches like Paradise and Golden Beach offer scenic alternatives to more crowded Aegean hotspots.
Escape the Crowds—Without Compromising the Experience
You don’t have to give up turquoise waters, historical towns, or great food to avoid mass tourism. These islands offer the best of both worlds.
This article is inspired by Esquire.
