Europe

Early summer top island destinations in Europe

Why not start your summer with a stylish early-season getaway?

After a few years of avoiding travel, this year is all about hopping on a plane as soon as the sun starts shining on Europe.

Unless you’ve already been in April, here’s a list of the greatest European island getaways that are currently popular.

So, what do you have to lose? Take a book and your speedos and head out the door.

La Gomera, Spain

Sleepy La Gomera is the Canaries’ best-kept secret, far less commercialized than Tenerife and Gran Canaria.

Other nearby islands have gone for mega-resort constructions, but here it’s all about hiking in the beautiful Garajonay National Park or eating simple suppers on the square in San Sebastian’s main town.

Playa Santiago, with its sheltered sand and pebble strand and peaceful Atlantic vistas, is an excellent place to stay.

la gomera spain

Sicily, Italy

Sicily is the Mediterranean Sea’s largest island and might nearly be considered a country in its own right. It features beautiful beaches, distinctive cuisine, busy towns and villages, and plenty of stores selling painted ceramics and Godfather T-shirts, in addition to its ruins and Roman mosaics.

All of this is set against the backdrop of Mount Etna, one of Europe’s most active volcanoes, which can best be seen from the hilltop town of Taormina.

Taormina is magnificent, but it’s not inexpensive, with its Greek-era theater, pedestrianized streets, and lovely terraces for taking in the views while sipping a cappuccino or martini.

Instead, get a room at the neighbouring Hotel Antares, which is just feet from the beach.

sicily italy

Corfu, Greece

If you’re used to the rocky landscapes of Santorini, the lush flora of Corfu will be a delightful surprise.

Corfu Town, one of Greece’s greenest cities, offers the ideal mix of beaches, coves, countryside, and a refined urban scene with World Heritage Site designation.

In the summer, the island’s most popular beaches fill up, so travel to Nissaki, situated beneath Mount Pantokrator. The Saints are six pastel-painted homes that overlook a white-pebbled bay.

corfu

Hvar, Croatia

The Dalmatian Coast’s neighboring islands, such as Korčula, Brac, and Vis, are sleepy, but Hvar is a different story. Hvar’s charming harbour, dubbed Croatia’s St Tropez, is bustling with cafés and restaurants.

Hula Hula Beach Bar, the premier site for sunset cocktails in the area, gets even livelier along the shore.

The lovely Hvar House, a green-shuttered, stone-built home a few minutes’ walk from the center plaza, is located in the old town. When shared with a full complement of eight, the property includes four bedrooms and is surprisingly reasonable.

hvar croatia

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