Sardinia — Travelrags

National GeographicJul 14, 2026

5 alternative European islands to explore this summer

Europe's islands have long lured travellers, from Homer's Odyssey across Mediterranean isles to the remote Scottish outcrop said to have inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's 19th-century classicTreasure ...

20 things in this story

PantelleriaSightVolcanic island nicknamed 'Black Pearl of the Mediterranean'.
Donnafugata wineryRestaurantScenic winery in Khamma with vines on volcanic terraces.
BarraSightGaelic-speaking isle in the Outer Hebrides.
Outer Hebrides Birds of Prey TrailTrailTrail with golden and white-tailed eagles.
Hebridean Sea ToursPlaceOperator for sea safaris around southern shores.
SerifosSightWestern Cycladic island with sand-pebble beaches.
GaidarosRestaurantRooftop bar in Chora with Aegean views.
El HierroSightSecond smallest Canary Island with wild shores.
El LajialSightLunar-like lava field terrain.
Mar de las Calmas Marine ReserveSightSubmerged world with underwater mountains.
Buceo el BajónPlaceLicensed outfitter for diving in the marine reserve.
Åland archipelagoSightGranite islands with conifer forests and villages.
Ekströms StugorHotelResort with a traditional Finnish smoke sauna.
SaunaxPlaceRents sauna rafts in Mariehamn.
PaddelbodenPlaceKayak rentals in Mariehamn.
Degersand BeachSightSweep of soft sand on Eckerö island.
La Llanía pathwayTrailPathway through laurel forests.
SviskärHotelElectricity-free log cabin with wood-fired sauna.
El SabinarSight
EriskaySight

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