Less known than Santorini. This is the favorite island of travelers in Europe

European islands attract travelers for a reason – many of them cannot be reached by plane, time seems to pass slower there, they have beautiful beaches and offer good cuisine in port restaurants. Many tourists want to spend at least a day there to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

Naxos. The best island in Europe according to travelers

In this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards ranking of the Condé Nast Traveler travel magazine, respondents rated, among others: European islands. This year she received the best grade Greek Naxos located in the Aegean Sea. It is the largest island in the Cyclades archipelago. Although it cannot be reached directly, its landscapes – from high peaks to villages famous for the marble mined there – helped it defeat seven Greek rivals and take first place in Europe. Naxian marble is a popular building material that has been used for millennia. It can be found in many places, including: on the streets and in hotels.

Due to the size and topography of the area, tourist traffic is distributed in different parts of the island. Some choose to climb Mount Zas (1004 m above sea level), while others choose to relax on the beaches in its western part. Naxos is also popular among windsurfers and kitesurfers.

How to get to this island? There are ferries to it from Piraeus, about 8 km southwest of Athens. Travel time will take approximately 4 to 5 hours. The TOP10 of the Condé Nast ranking included six other Greek islands: Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Skiathos, Mykonos, famous for its “horror receipts”, and Santorini.

The best islands in Spain and Italy

Second place in the ranking went to Ibiza, famous for the best parties in the world, and Capri finished on the podium. In the ranking of the British magazine, travelers also chose the most friendly country and city for them and the best city in the world from the perspective of travelers.