The wildly popular Cycladic island of Mykonos has once again outdone itself at this year’s Conde Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards, coming second in the list of Europe’s top 20 islands.
The prestigious London-based travel magazine asked its readers to vote for their favorite European island destinations, based on “overall average levels of satisfaction.” Millions responded, and an astonishing nine Greek islands made the final cut, including Paros, Corfu, Rhodes, Kos, Skiathos, Sifnos, Santorini and Crete.
Out in front of the Greek contingent is Mykonos, ranked second overall behind the Italian island of Sardinia, with an impressive score of 87.35. CN Traveller writes: “Splashy Mykonos is the Greek island where you go to see and be seen.” The magazine website commends the “glittery beach clubs” and the incredible nightlife, and recommends Cali Mykonos as the place to go to experience “Cycladic nirvana.”
Responding to the news, the Mayor of Mykonos, Konstantinos Koukas, stated that, once again, the popular Cycladic island, dubbed the “Island of Winds,” remains a key player in Greek tourism.
“We are particularly happy that our island is firmly holding the sceptre in travellers’ preferences, which confirms the high level of services and the unique experience that only our island can offer,” the mayor said.
© Dimitris Vlaikos
Not far behind, in fourth place, sits Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, with readers praising its “rugged” interior and cosmopolitan cities. Santorini, ranked seventh, is noted for its traditional Cycladic architecture and beautiful sunsets. It also notes that, due to over-tourism in summer months, visiting Santorini in the winter is “a great way to have the island practically to yourself.”
Just outside the top 10, sitting in 11th place, is Sifnos, with a score of 83.25. Skiathos and Kos rank 12th and 13th respectively, with Rhodes (17th), Corfu (18th) and Paros (19th) making up the remainder of the Greek contingent.
The remaining European islands include Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca, and the Canary Islands, the Azores, Hvar in Croatia, Malta, Sicily and Ischia in Italy, and Bozcaada in Turkey. The overall winner, with a satisfaction score of 88.08, is Sardinia, noted for its stunningly beautiful Costa Smeralda (“Emerald Coast”), in the northeast, colorful villages, and archaeological ruins.
