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Time Out
14 hours ago
- Time Out
The five quiet, beautiful European islands that have avoided overtourism
Plenty of Europe's islands, be them famous Spanish party spots or lovely Italian islets, tend to get pretty crowded during the high season – but there's a handful across the continent that have managed to avoid overcrowding. Holiday booking platform BookRetreats has analysed data from the European Commission on overnight stays in tourist accommodation per square kilometre, and produced a list of the least crowded islands in Europe. Included in that list is Svalbard in Norway, which has a tourism density of just 2.4 per kilometre squared, making it the quietest European island by far. We reported recently that the country has just implemented a brand-new tourist tax, and the report cites Norway's strict regulations as one reason why Svalbard is so untouched: two-thirds of the archipelago is protected by nature reserves and national parks. Despite being Greece 's fifth-largest island and around the same size as Lanzarote, Chios has a tourism density of just 353.81 per square kilometre, and around 21,000 fewer overnight stays than its Canary Island counterpart. Why? Well, its economy relies not on tourism like plenty of Greece's other islands, but on local industry like the unique mastic (a natural resin) trade, and when travellers do pay the island a visit, it's to stay in guesthouses and little villages as opposed to mega-resorts. The five European islands that have avoided overtourism Svalbard, Norway Åland, Finland Chios, Greece El Hierro, Spain Azores, Portugal Check out Time Out's list of five countries that could really use our tourism in 2025. Plus: .
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The gorgeous and underrated European island with hardly any tourists
A new study has revealed the least crowded islands in Europe where tourists won't be fighting for space. And Malta is officially the most crowded of Europe's islands with 38,700 overnight stays per km2. Spain 's islands are next on the list with Lanzarote the most crowded (21,673 overnight stays per km2) and Ibiza and Formentera next (17,183 overnight stays per km2). Tenerife and Gran Canaria also rank among the most crowded island destinations in Europe. But where can tourists escape the crowds? According to the research, from the team at Svalbard is Europe's least crowded island, with just 2.4 tourists to every km2. The archipelago, located between northern Norway and the North Pole, is pretty remote so its lack of crowds isn't a complete surprise. But next on the list is the gorgeous Aland archipelago, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. It has just 269 overnight stays to every km2. Aland is made up of around 6,500 islands off Finland's southwestern coast and just 60 of those are inhabited. Visit Finland recommends that tourists start their visit to Aland in Mariehamn, dubbed the 'world's smallest metropolis', by local residents. The tourist board explains: 'Mariehamn's wooden houses and green parks provide a great setting for a small-town holiday or a starting point for a tour of the Aland islands.' The archipelago's capital, Mariehamn has a Maritime Museum, an art gallery and independent cafes and restaurants. From Mariehamn, tourists can head out on a boat trip to go island hopping through the archipelago. Visit Finland reveals: 'When paddling in the waters between the islands, it's possible to spend an entire day without encountering anyone besides the occasional seal and - if you're lucky - a white-tailed eagle.' To reach the Aland archipelago from the UK, tourists can fly to Helsinki and then catch a ferry to Mariehamn. And while Aland might not be the warmest summer destination, temperatures can reach as high as 25C in July and August. If Finland doesn't appeal, the next quietest island in Europe is Gotland, a gorgeous spot off the coast of Sweden. Chios in Greece is next on the list, with just 353.81 tourists for every km2, far fewer than in popular Mykonos or Santorini. Evia is another quiet choice for those looking to escape the crowds in Greece this year, with 419 tourists for every km2. Meanwhile, Hydra, which is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, is another place that's j ust as beautiful as Santorini - but much less crowded.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
The ultimate U.S. travel bucket list: Top 20 tourist attractions ranked
Travel guides and lists are often filled with cliches promising to take you off-the-beaten path or deliver you to hidden gems. In the last year or so, this has been especially true with the rise of the dupe travel trend, which is the idea that, instead of vacationing in a popular spot, you can seek out an alternative destination that has a similar vibe or scenery. But the thing is, many tourist attractions are popular for a reason: They're great. And to help quantify the best of the best, BookRetreats, a leader in retreat bookings, used data sets to curate a list of the best U.S. tourist attractions. For the report, analysts evaluated 77 of America's most popular points of interest, evaluating popularity, overall experience from a dataset that included 7,500 visitor experiences, hotel price points and state-level safety rankings. Here's more on the findings and a list of the top 20 tourist attractions in the United States, that, yes, draw millions of tourists, but are also worth putting on your travel bucket list. The best tourist attraction in the U.S. is Central Park in New York, according to the ranking, with visitors agreeing the park is worth the hype. 'Surrounded by towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, this 843-acre green haven offers a refreshing escape from city life that visitors love,' the report says. Central Park draws 42 million visitors each year, according to the Central Park Conservancy. Even if you haven't had a chance to visit the park, yet, you've probably seen the park in movies. It's been featured in more than 240 films, including 'When Harry Met Sally,' 'Home Alone 2,' 'Elf,' 'Breakfast at Tiffanys,' and 'Ghostbusters.' Central Park is also famous because its design, led by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, inspired other urban parks across the country. In addition to well-known features in Central Park, like the carousel, skating rink, and a zoo, visitors can rent a boat to take out on the lake, go for a birding tour, or even take chess lessons. For those seeking a more immersive experience, Central Park offers seasonal events like Shakespeare in the Park and the Central Park Conservancy's guided tours, which delve into the park's rich history and ecological diversity. New York dominated this new list of best tourist attractions in the United States. Most attractions are in the Big Apple, including Central Park, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, the Brooklyn Bridge and the 85-acre park next to it. But Niagara Falls in western New York also cracked the list, landing at No. 7. The concentration of attractions in New York State underscores the city's global influence and cultural significance, attracting both first-time visitors and seasoned travelers alike. Several of the top 20 places to visit in the U.S., according to BookRetreats, are natural attractions. That's because, the analysts say, beautiful landscapes have a knack for meeting or exceeding tourist expectations. At 1,200 acres, Balboa Park in San Diego is larger than New York's Central Park. Visitors can purchase a Balboa Park Explorer Pass and visit a number of the park's fantastic museums, seeing folk art at the Mingei International Museum and the San Diego Natural History Museum, which will be opening a new fossil processing lab with a glass wall so visitors can watch scientists in action. Another nature-centric highlight on this list is Garden of the Gods, a park with towering red rock formations in Colorado. Stay at the Garden of the Gods Resort and Club for up-close views of one of the park's most popular rock formations, the Kissing Camels. Zion National Park in Utah was the only national park that cracked the top 20 list. Hiking The Narrows, a slot canyon, or the treacherous Angels Landing trail are high on adventure travelers bucket lists. Zion also offers family-friendly activities, including ranger-led programs, horseback riding tours, and scenic drives through the park's unique landscapes. Ahead, the top attractions for tourists, according to the BookRetreats analysis. No. 1: Central Park in New York, New York No. 2: National Mall in Washington, D.C. No. 3: Balboa Park in San Diego, California No. 4: Smithsonian National Museum of History in Washington, D.C. No. 5: Times Square in New York City, New York No. 6: Rockefeller Center in New York City, New York No. 7: Niagara Falls in Buffalo, New York No. 8: Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California No. 9: Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida No. 10: Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York, New York No. 11: Hoover Dam in Boulder City, Nevada No. 12: The Highline in New York, New York No. 13: Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada No. 14: Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado No. 15: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, New York No. 16: Zion National Park in Utah No. 17: San Antonio RiverWalk in San Antonio, Texas No. 18: ICON Park in Orlando, Florida No. 19: Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California No. 20: Brooklyn Bridge In New York, New York Is your favorite attraction on the list?
