The best Mediterranean island to visit

Crete is the only Mediterranean island that scores 9 or more for both beaches (9) and things to do (9.5). Elafonisi, Balos and Falassarna are among the best beaches in the region, and Knossos, the Heraklion museum, Chania's Venetian harbor and Spinalonga fill more than a week. Value lifts it too: $59 for a 4-star room in Chania on January 13, 2027 and $112 for a 3-star on July 14. Despite 6.5 million accommodation arrivals in 2025, it is big enough to score 6.4 for room to breathe. The catches: no US nonstop, and Samaria Gorge is closed until further notice.

Sicily scores a perfect 10 for things to do: Agrigento's temples, Palermo and Monreale, Ortigia in Siracusa, the Val di Noto and Mount Etna. It is also the easiest of the ten to reach, with Delta flying New York JFK to Catania daily except from early January to the end of February, and United adding Newark from May 28, 2027. Its size spreads the visitors out, so it scores a high 8.6 for room to breathe. The beaches hold it back (7): the best sand is spread out and many town beaches are pebble. Summer is hot at Catania, with highs of 91°F (33°C) in July and August, and Etna's ash can close the airport.

Mallorca is the best all-rounder in the western Mediterranean: Palma's cathedral and old town, the Sóller train into the Tramuntana mountains, $44.90 (€40) round trip, and long shallow sand at Alcúdia bay and Playa de Muro. Beaches score 8 and things to do 9. United flies Newark to Palma in season, from March 28, 2027 and daily from May 26. Rooms in the Palma area were $68 in January and $135 in July. It loses ground on crowds (3.8): 13.6 million tourists came in 2025, and the famous coves are full by mid-morning in July. Add the Balearic tourist tax of up to $4.49 (€4) per person per night.

Naxos has the best beaches in the Cyclades by our score (8.5): Agios Georgios in town, then Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna, Plaka and Mikri Vigla, long, sandy and mostly shallow, a bus ride apart. Behind them are marble villages like Apeiranthos and Halki and Mount Zas, the highest peak in the island group. Rooms in Naxos Town were $91 in January and $122 in July. Things to do score 7.5, and access is weak (3.6): you connect in Athens, then fly or take a ferry of 3 hours 25 minutes to 5 hours 20 minutes from Piraeus. Nightlife is a few waterfront bars.

Rhodes ties Sardinia on 7.3 and has the best value score of the ten (9.6): $36 for a 3-star room near the Old Town on January 13, 2027 and $96 on July 14. Its walled medieval city is a UNESCO site, Lindos has an acropolis above the bay, and boats run to Symi, so things to do score 8.5. Beaches score 7: Tsambika and the east coast bays are sandy and sheltered, but the west coast is pebbly and windy. Getting there is slow, with a ferry from Piraeus of at least 10 hours 40 minutes, so most people fly from Athens. Summer brings wildfire risk, as in July 2023.

Sardinia has the best room to breathe of the ten (8.7) and beaches that score 9: La Pelosa, the Gulf of Orosei coves, Cala Brandinchi and Chia. On the numbers alone it would rank third. Its island page verdict is conditional, though, worth it from June to September but not in winter when the beach towns close, and that costs it 0.4 points. The famous beaches now cap numbers and charge: La Pelosa is $3.93 (€3.50) per person with a booking, 1,500 people a day. Cagliari rooms were $73 in January and $112 in July. United starts Newark to Olbia on May 27, 2027.

Paros is the value base of the Cyclades: $60 for a 4-star room in Parikia on January 13, 2027 and $89 for a 3-star on July 14, which gives it a value score of 9.2. It is also the ferry hub, with Naxos about 50 minutes away from $6 (€5.50) on Blue Star. Beaches score 7.5: Kolymbithres, Santa Maria and Golden Beach give sand on every coast, but the summer meltemi wind hits Paros hard. Things to do score 7, from the Byzantine path at Lefkes to Naoussa's harbor at night. Pick Santorini instead only if the caldera view is the point.

Corfu scores well for things to do (8.5): a UNESCO-listed old town, two fortresses, the Achilleion palace and day trips to Paxos or to Butrint in Albania. Its weather score of 7.2 is the lowest of the ten, because it is the greenest and wettest of the group outside summer; from June to September it scores 9 or better. Beaches score 7, with sand at Glyfada and Agios Gordios on the west coast and pebbles on much of the east. Rooms were $90 in January and $130 in July near Corfu Town. Winter visitors note: the airport runway closes from January 20 to January 28, 2027.

Ibiza scores 8 for beaches, from Cala Comte and Cala Bassa to Ses Salines, with Formentera's Ses Illetes a ferry away. Price and crowds pull it down. The cheapest 3-star-plus room in Ibiza Town was $315 on July 14, 2027, giving it a value score of 5.2, and it scores 2.9 for room to breathe. Its island page verdict is conditional, worth it from June to September, skip it from November to April, which costs 0.4 points. Access will improve: United starts the first US nonstop, Newark to Ibiza, on May 31, 2027. Until then you connect in Madrid, Barcelona or Palma.

Milos has some of the most striking beaches in Greece: the white rock at Sarakiniko, the colored cliffs at Firiplaka and the sea caves of Kleftiko, reachable only by boat. Beaches score 8. It ranks tenth because it is the most expensive island here on average: the cheapest 3-star-plus room in Adamas was $220 in January and $291 in July, a value score of 4.3. Things to do score 6.5, and its verdict is conditional, since almost no rated hotels open in winter. The meltemi can cancel the Kleftiko boats in July and August. Go in June or September with a rental car.