A new study by Saga Holidays has ranked Europe's best island escapes for 2026, with Tenerife taking the top spot and Croatia dominating the top 10 with four islands. The study compared 80 islands across three factors: weather (sunshine, rainfall, wind, temperature), food and drink availability (number of restaurants, cafés, bars adjusted for island size), and green space (amount and share of green areas). A spokesperson for Saga Holidays said the factors were weighted, '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.
Top 10 European Islands for 2026
The top 10 islands are: 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: The Top-Rated Island
Tenerife, the largest of the eight Canary Islands, scored highest for its 'beautiful natural scenery, fresh food, and – its highest scoring metric – incredible sunshine'. The island is home to Mount Teide, a volcano over 3,000 meters above sea level, and Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mount Teide is known to cast the largest sea shadow in the world. However, Tenerife and the Canary Islands struggle with overtourism. The Canary Islands received over 7.8 million international visitors in the first half of 2025, leading to its inclusion on Fodor's 'No List' this year. Locals have protested against unregulated mass tourism and short-term holiday lets making life unaffordable.
La Palma and Madeira
La Palma, known as La Isla Bonita (The Beautiful Island), scored second for its 'rich natural environment' and 'focus on sustainable development'. It has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2002 and is home to the world's largest telescope, the Gran Telescopio Canarias, and Spain's first airport powered entirely by wind energy. Madeira, Portugal, in third place, is the birthplace of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and home to the millenary Laurissilva forest, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
Croatia's Dalmatian Islands
Korčula, the sixth-largest island in the Adriatic Sea with a population under 15,000, has been inhabited since prehistoric times. It was settled by Greeks in the 6th century BC and later conquered by Romans in the 1st century BC. Mljet, with a population of about 1,000, is known as 'Croatia's greenest island' – 70% of it is pine and oak forests. It features Veliko Jezero lake with a tiny islet housing a 12th-century Benedictine monastery. Legend says Mljet is where the nymph Calypso held Odysseus for seven years, and a local cave is nicknamed 'Odysseus Cave'. Saga noted Mljet is 'relatively under the radar' compared to Dubrovnik and Split.
Majorca and Losinji
Majorca, the largest Balearic island, boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year, 200 beaches, historic Roman ruins, and a museum dedicated to tennis icon Rafael Nadal. Losinji, part of Croatia's Kvarner Islands, is a European Region of Gastronomy for 2026. It is known as 'The Island of Vitality' for its rich biodiversity and over 1,200 therapeutic herbs, making it a popular wellness destination. It also offers dolphin watching and hiking trails.
Brač and the Canary Islands Finalists
Brač, the largest Dalmatian island, has 2,700 hours of sun annually and more than 100 churches despite a population of 13,900. It is less touristed than Hvar and Korčula, offering authentic island life. Gran Canaria, the third largest Canary Island, features the Caldera de Bandama volcanic crater (1,000 meters in diameter, 200 meters deep) and seven golf courses. La Gomera, quiet and unspoilt, is known for scenic hiking trails, rain forests, and tiny villages. It earned the nickname 'la Isla Colombina' as Christopher Columbus's final European port of call in 1492.
Category Winners
For sunny weather, the top three were Tenerife (88/100), La Gomera (86/100), and Gran Canaria (85/100). Saga called the Canary Islands the best 'all-rounder.' For food, Capri, Italy (75/100), Sardinia, Italy (66/100), and Santorini, Greece (65/100) led. For greenery and nature, Mljet, Croatia (86/100), Madeira, Portugal (85/100), and Korčula, Croatia (83/100) topped the list.
