We’re undecided about you, however we can not seem to get the thought of Vespa rides into blood-orange sunsets or lounging on a fine-pebble seashore hugged by crystal-clear waters out of our minds these days.
The Mediterranean is asking, and this summer season, we plan on answering it.
There’s only one slight… downside. The Med is large, and there are such a lot of unbelievable locations to select from.
Maybe that is the 12 months you lastly test a wonderful Santorini off your bucket record, however then that offbeat Hvar in Croatia appears to be like simply as charming…
Oh, and the way about Mallorca, over in Spain, with its vineyard-dotted hills and pristine calas? Don’t get us began on Côte d’Azur and its pastel-hued villages and classic appeal… okay, we get it, it will assist would simply slender it down slightly for you.
We positively have our favorites ourselves, however should you’re one to look to TripAdvisor consultants for recommendation, it’s best to know they’ve simply unveiled their Europe’s Best of the Best rating for 2025, and shock, shock, 5 sun-drenched Mediterranean gems have made the highest 20.
Without additional ado, this is our fortunate winners––and why they need to be in your radar this 12 months:
Santorini, Greece
Santorini has been experiencing a tough patch these days attributable to earthquakes and landslides, however because the saying goes, the darkest hour is simply earlier than daybreak.
Once the primary rays of sunshine break by means of the overcast winter skies and climate situations enhance, we’re positive the island will likely be restored to its former glory, and there is really no higher 12 months to discover Greece’s whitewashed treasure than 2025:
From Imerovigli’s model new One on One boutique resort, with luxurious villas overlooking the caldera, to Firostefani’s glitzy Nevma Suites, there’s a host of thrilling new listings we’re desperate to expertise firsthand ourselves this 12 months.
On high of that, that is the 12 months the Municipality of Thera, which governs Santorini, shifts its focus from Oia and different cliffside hotspots to hidden gems inland. They wish to protect Santorini’s close-to-being-lost cultural identification and promote tourism in lesser-explored areas.
After all, blue-dome church buildings and Instagrammable, bougainvillea-adorned villages just isn’t all Santorini has to supply:
For occasion, there’s Megalochori, a labyrinthian hilltop village with a multi-level bell tower, Akrotiri, the place a red-sand seashore and archeological ruins await discovery, and even Pyrgos, the best village, and a fortress-style settlement characterised by its basic Aegean structure.
Sardinia, Italy
Italy’s second largest island, Sardinia is a stand-alone vacation spot it’s best to dedicate one to 2 weeks to.
It lays declare to a whopping 1,242 miles of shoreline, largely comprised of sandy strips and teal-colored waters, to not point out it merely oozes Old World appeal.
Cagliari, Sardinia’s capital and principal port, is well-known for its well-preserved, walled Old Town, Thirteenth-century cathedral, renovated alongside Baroque strains, and unmatched meals scene–you really have not been to Sardinia till you’ve got tried the native fregola with clams.
If it is the unspoiled coastal surroundings that makes your coronary heart skip a beat, nonetheless, possibly it’s best to head straight for Costa Smeralda, the aptly-named Emerald Coast:
The water right here is impressively clear, and the seashores are that excellent, powdery white sand.
Honestly, if it weren’t for the previous fishing villages, with their scenic harbors and medieval facilities, like Porto Cervo and Cannigione, you’d swear you’d landed within the Caribbean.
Can’t get sufficient of the subtropical vibes? The just about untouched Maddalena islands are a brief 20-minute boat experience away from Palau, and should you’re chasing these peaks, the Gennargentu National Park presents a number of the most lovely panoramas in the entire territory.
Mallorca, Spain
The trendiest vacation island in Spain, Mallorca really wants no introduction:
It is well-known for its picture-perfect capital, Palma de Mallorca, a compact coastal hub dotted with historic landmarks, with a monumental Catalan-Gothic cathedral and a novel, round-shaped Bellver Castle, to call a pair, and quite a few secluded coves bathed by turquoise waters.
It can get very busy in summer season, particularly with the inflow of British and German vacationers and the nonstop flights coming from America, so why add it to your itinerary in 2025?
Well, as an alternative of flocking to a resort-dominated Cala d’Or, like everybody else, or the yacht-lined Port de Sóller, take a deep dive into Mallorca’s wealthy historical past as an alternative:
Valldemossa is a wonderful, stone-built mountain village, retaining a lot of its historical attract regardless of being based as early as 123 BC, and Alcudia combines each seaside leisure and cultural immersion with its intact medieval core and lengthy ivory seashore.
Looking to beat the crowds and absorb all that lush Mediterranean nature with out the fixed humdrum of the resort zones?
Book a 1 to 3-night keep on the pool-equipped Mon Boutique Hotel, nestled within the Pollença hills, and one-minute stroll to probably the most idyllic cities wherever in Mallorca––are you able to scent the citrusy aromas and listen to the cicadas but?
Crete
Greece’s most cosmopolitan island, in addition to its largest, roughly the scale of the U.S. state of Delaware, Crete boasts an incredibly-diverse vacationer supply:
Only within the capital, the bustling Heraklion, will you discover an imposing Sixteenth-century fortress guarding the principle port, a palm-backed marina full of eating places and gelato retailers, and a 3,900-year-old Palace of Knossos, nonetheless partially preserved and with restored frescos.
Outside Heraklion, Samaria Gorge is the principle attraction for nature lovers: it’s one in all Europe’s longest gorges, and there are planks permitting vacationers to stroll over the crystalline stream.
Over in Balos, there is a pure lagoon bathed by a striking-blue Aegean, and for the long-lasting pink sands, head straight for Elafonissi, however do mood your expectations––the vividness of the pink depends upon coastal situations in addition to the season.
For a conventional Cretan expertise (with smaller crowds), take a day journey out to Chania, a quaint metropolis well-known for its medieval harbor, picturesque slender streets, and bougatsa, a fluffy custard pastry yow will discover in nearly each bakery up across the Old Town.
Sicily
It appears there’s simply no beating Sicily in the case of a Mediterranean escape.
Taormina Sicily, Belvedere of Taormina and San Giuseppe church on the sq. Piazza IX Aprile in Taormina. Sicily, Italy. Couple on trip on the Italian Island Sicily
The highest-ranking European summer season paradise on TripAdvisor, Italy’s largest island might properly be its personal nation, judging by its distinctive character––it has a wealthy historical past comprising durations of Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman and even Islamic rule––distinct tradition and even language.
Words like ‘buongiorno‘ and ‘grazie‘ will get you far wherever in Italy, however in Sicily, should you really wish to impress locals, you may wish to go for the Sicilian equivalents ‘bonjornu‘ and ‘grazzi‘.
The territory’s principal vacationer vacation spot and one which’s internet hosting U.S. flights starting this summer season, Palermo is a sprawling metropolis recognized for its Twelfth-century cathedral. It can be dwelling to a number of historical royal tombs, the well-frequented Ballarò Street Market, and a vigorous port space.
A brief drive from city, Mondello Beach has ivory sands and translucent seas, and Cefalù is a postcard-ready whitewashed village topped with a fortified Norman cathedral relationship again to medieval instances and flanked by the paradisiacal Settefrati seashores.
On the other finish of the island, Catania is the second-busiest Sicilian hub, that may equally be served by Transatlantic flights within the upcoming excessive season.
For structure fans, the cathedral sq. and its ornate elephant fountain are a should, and foodies merely can not skip A Piscaria, the native fish market, off Piazza Alonzo di Benedetto––greatest sardines and lemon-sprayed clams you will get wherever in Sicily!
Oh, and Catania is backdropped by a towering Etna, an energetic volcano that may often spew ash at its most agitated––in quieter durations, nonetheless, it is nice for summiting, commanding breathtaking views of the larger panorama.
If you are a White Lotus fan, you will wish to try Taormina, a one-hour practice experience from Catania, for a Roman theater overlooking the ocean, and even an offbeat Noto, featured within the present’s second run because of its spectacular Baroque basilica and richly-decorated Palazzo Nicolaci.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed listed below are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, accepted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included throughout the submit.