These are Europe’s most beautiful islands for food, weather and scenery

If there’s one thing Europe does well, it’s islands.

So well, in fact, that it can be hard to choose from the sheer number of beautiful destinations.

But this year, worry not.

A new study of Europe’s best island escapes for 2026 has just dropped, with Spain and Croatia dominating the top 10.

Saga Holidays compared 80 islands across the continent against three key factors:

• Weather: including sunshine, rainfall, wind and temperature comfort
• Food and drink availability: based on the number of restaurants, cafés and bars, adjusted for island size
• Green space: based on the amount and share of the island covered by green areas

A spokesperson for Saga Holidays said the factors were weighted to create the final ranking, ‘with green space accounting for 45%, weather 35% and food and drink availability 20%’.

Archipelago scores were calculated using the average score of the islands within each group, they added.

What are Europe’s top 10 islands?

• 1. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain: 95/100
• 2. La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain: 94/100
• 3. Madeira, Portugal: 93/100
• 4. Korčula, Dalmatian Islands, Croatia: 92/100
• 5. Mljet, Dalmatian Islands, Croatia: 90/100
• 6. Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain: 89/100
• 7. Losinji, Kvarner Islands, Croatia: 88/100
• 8. Brac, Dalmatian Islands, Croatia: 87/100
• 9. Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain: 86/100
• 10. La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain: 85/100

Tenerife leads the list, thanks to its ‘beautiful natural scenery, fresh food, and – its highest scoring metric – incredible sunshine’.

The largest of the eight Canary Islands, Tenerife is home the volcano Tedie, over 3,000 meters above sea level. Tedie National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Due to its colossal size, Mount Teide is known to cast the largest sea shadow in the world.

In second place is La Palma, another Canary Island, which scored runner up for its ‘rich natural environment’ and ‘focus on sustainable development,’ says Saga Holidays.

La Palma, known as La Isla Bonita (The Beautiful Island), has been fully designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2002, encompassing the entire island and its surrounding marine strips.

It is home to the world’s largest telescope, the Gran Telescopio Canarias and to Spain’s first airport powered entirely by wind energy.

It should be noted that both of these destinations – but particularly Tenerife – struggle with overtourism.

The Canary Islands received over 7.8 million international visitors in the first half of 2025, leading to it being named on Fodor’s ‘No List’ this year.

The Canaries have seen massive protests from locals, who say that unregulated mass tourism and the spread of short-term holiday lets are making life unaffordable.

Further down the list in third position is Madeira in Portugal.

Madeira is only 250 miles north of the Canary Islands, and is the birthplace of one of the most famous footballers in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo. There’s even a museum dedicated to him.

Maderia is also home to the millenary Laurissilva forest, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.

Rounding out the top five are two Islands in Croatia: Korčula and Mljet.

The central Dalmatian island of Korčula is the sixth-largest island in the Adriactic sea with a population of less than 15,000.

It has been inhabited since the prehistoric times, and was later settled by the Greeks in 6th century BC, before later being conquered by the Romans in 1st century BC.

Mljet, a smaller, more remote island, has a population of some 1,000, and is characterised by charming little villages and unspoiled nature.

Known as ‘Croatia’s greenest island’, 70% of Mljet is pine and oak forests. In the middle of Veliko Jezero lake is a tiny islet, home to an ancient 12th-century Benedictine monastery.

Like Korčula, Mljet has ties to classical history. Legend has it that it was the island where the nymph Calypso lived and held Odysseus for seven years.

This has led to a local cave being nicknamed ‘Odysseus Cave,’ where boat companies offer trips.

Mljet is ‘relatively under the radar’ compared to Dubrovnik and Split, Saga said, making it a ‘great addition to your Croatian holiday.’

In sixth place, it’s back to Spain, but the Balearic Islands this time, to Majorca.

Like Tenerife, this island has a a museum dedicated to its greatest sporting hero, 22 time grand-slam winner, tennis icon Rafael Nadal.

But, that’s not all Majorca has to offer.

The largest Balearic island is a popular holiday destination thanks to its over 300 days of sunshine a year, and dazzling blue waters.

Only two hours by plane from the UK, it has over 200 beaches, historic towns and ruins dating back to the Roman settlements, and quaint markets offering fresh food, goods and flowers.

In seventh place is the island of Losinji, part of the Kvarner Islands in Croatia.

Kvarner is a European Region of Gastronomy for 2026, so Losinji is a great place to visit if your a foodie. The Museum of Apoxymenos is another draw, showcasing the islands’ ancient Greek history.

It also has a natural harbour and is popular for nearby dolphin watching and hiking trails.

Known as ‘The Island of Vitality’, Losinji is a popular wellness destination thanks to its rich biodiversity and being home to over 1,200 therapeutic herbs.

Next on the ranking is Brač in Croatia (you might be sensing a pattern here).

Brač is the largest of Croatia’s Dalmatian islands and known for its beautiful landscapes, towns and history.

It is also one of the sunniest Dalmatian Island with 2,700 hours of sun annually, and home to more than 100 churches despite only having a population of 13,900.

In the final two of the top 10 best European islands, it’s once again the Canary Islands in Spain: Gran Canaria, and La Gomera.

Gran Canaria, the third largest Canary Island, is a popular tourist destination, known for its large beaches and Africa and Latin American influenced food.

One of its most striking geological features is the Caldera de Bandama, a volcanic crater measuring 1,000 meters in diameter and 200 meters deep.

It is a popular golfing destination, and holds seven different courses, with its year round warm weather making it ideal for the outdoor sport.

Compared to the other Canary Islands, La Gomera is quiet and unspoilt. You would be hard pressed to find a British pub or bar strip.

Rather than huge resort hotels, hotels are more boutique and locally run. This lesser known Canary Island is a short ferry trip from Tenerife, as it does not have an airport. It is known for its scenic hiking trails, rain forests, and tiny villages.

La Gomera earned the nickname ‘la Isla Colombina’ because it was Christopher Columbus’s final port of call in Europe before setting out across the Atlantic in 1492.

What were the other categories?

Europe’s top three islands for sunny weather

• 1. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain: 88/100
• 2. La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain: 86/100
• 3. Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain: 85/100

Saga Holidays called the Canary Islands the best ‘all-rounder.’

Europe’s top three islands for food

• 1. Capri, Italy: 75/100
• 2. Sardinia, Italy: 66/100
• 3. Santorini, Greece: 65/100

Europe’s top three islands for greenery and nature

• 1. Mljet, Croatia: 86/100
• 2. Madeira, Portugal: 85/100
• 3. Korčula, Croatia: 83/100

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