Europe’s Best Islands for Holidays in 2026, Ranked by Weather, Food and Greenery
Looking for your next island escape? A new study has ranked 80 European island destinations to find the very best all-round holiday islands for 2026 – and Spain and Croatia utterly dominate the results. Compiled by Saga Holidays, the ranking scores each island on weather, greenery and food & drink to reveal where you will get the best mix of sunshine, nature and a good meal. Here is the full Top 10, plus the category winners for weather, food and greenery.
How the ranking was calculated
The study weighted three factors to produce a final score out of 100:
- Green space – 45% of the score, rewarding islands with abundant nature and greenery.
- Weather – 35%, based on sunshine hours, rainfall, wind and overall temperature comfort.
- Food and drink – 20%, based on the number of restaurants, cafés and bars, adjusted for the island’s size.
For archipelagos, the score is the average of all the constituent islands. As the study put it: “These factors were weighted to create the final ranking, with green space accounting for 45%, weather 35% and food and drink availability 20%.”
Europe’s Top 10 islands for 2026
| # | Island | Country / Region | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Lošinj | Kvarner Islands, Croatia | 88/100 |
| 8 | Brač | Dalmatian Islands, Croatia | 87/100 |
| 9 | Gran Canaria | Canary Islands, Spain | 86/100 |
| 10 | La Gomera | Canary Islands, Spain | 85/100 |
The result is striking: nine of the Top 10 destinations are either Spanish or Croatian, and the Canary Islands emerge as Europe’s single best-performing archipelago overall.
Best islands by weather
- Tenerife, Spain – 88/100
- La Gomera, Spain – 86/100
- Gran Canaria, Spain – 85/100
Unsurprisingly, the Canary Islands’ famous year-round “eternal spring” climate sweeps the weather podium.
Best islands for food and drink
- Capri, Italy – 75/100
- Sardinia, Italy – 66/100
- Santorini, Greece – 65/100
Capri takes the culinary crown, home to Italian classics like Caprese salad and ravioli caprese – both invented on the island.
Best islands for greenery
- Mljet, Croatia – 86/100
- Madeira, Portugal – 85/100
- Korčula, Croatia – 83/100
Mljet has earned the nickname the “Green Island” in Croatia, largely thanks to its national park and dense pine forests – and it shows in the score.
Why Spain and Croatia dominate
The pattern across all three categories tells a clear story: the Canary Islands combine near-perfect weather with volcanic, green landscapes, while Croatia’s Dalmatian and Kvarner islands pair lush Mediterranean nature with a laid-back food and drink scene. Meanwhile, Madeira proves that dramatic greenery and a mild climate can rival any beach-first destination, and Italy and Greece hold their own purely on food, with Capri and Santorini both cracking the food Top 3.
Frequently asked questions
What is Europe’s best island for 2026?
Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, with a score of 95/100, driven by outstanding weather and greenery.
How was the ranking calculated?
Saga Holidays scored 80 European islands using three weighted factors: green space (45%), weather (35%) and food and drink availability (20%).
Which country dominates the Top 10?
Spain and Croatia together take nine of the ten spots, with only Madeira (Portugal) breaking up the pattern at number three.
Which island has the best food?
Capri, Italy, tops the food and drink category with a score of 75/100.
Which island is the greenest?
Mljet in Croatia, known locally as the “Green Island,” scores highest for greenery at 86/100.
Source: based on reporting from Euronews Travel, citing a study by Saga Holidays.