The quietest island in Europe is at your fingertips. Choose it over Santorini
This island is considered the quietest in Europe. It’s easy to get to and will be as stunning as Santorini.
Where to look for places away from the crowds? BookRetreats.com has created a ranking of the most peaceful islands in the world. Each was assessed according to six criteria: richness of nature, few roads, little air traffic, amount of free space, dark night sky and natural sections of the coast. Stewart Island in New Zealand was considered the quietest in the world.
Beautiful islands are even closer. The Greek island of Anafi has been classified as the quietest in Europe. There is no airport there, but you can get there by ferry from Santorini in about 1.5 hours.
Anafi Island. Destination for a trip from Santorini
Anafi is located in the Cyclades archipelago and has an area of 40 square kilometers. Less than 300 people live there, which is almost 30 times less per kilometer than in its bustling neighbor. The island is small enough to be traversed on foot during the day. The views will be as stunning as on the famous island with white houses. Although accommodation is available, the mass tourism model has not reached here. A walk through the streets of the village of Chora will be an alternative to the crowded viewpoints of Santorini.
At the south-eastern tip of the island, the land rises towards the huge rock of Kalamos. The limestone hill is 460 meters high and, according to most estimates, it is the highest in the Mediterranean after Gibraltar. Tourists who decide to climb will see up close the Monastery of Panagia Kalamontissa, a whitewashed brick building.
19 quiet beaches
There are 19 quiet beaches on the island. Roukounas, Klisidi and Katsouni attract the most people, which still does not mean crowds on Anafi. From Roukounas, located in the south of the island, you can swim with a view east to the Kalamos monolith. There are showers and toilets there.
Tourists are increasingly willing to look for substitutes for the most crowded cities and places. Research shows that the number of searches for “quiet places” increased by 1,268 percent year on year.
