‘Lapped by the turquoise, crystal seas’: readers’ favourite unsung European islands

From secluded coves in Ireland to an evening passeggiata on Italy’s Aeolian islands, readers share their discoveries Tell us about your most memorable food and drink discoveries in Europe Giant griffon vultures glided parallel with my bus as it reached the highest point of Cres, the least populated of the four main islands in the Kvarner Gulf at the very north of the Croatian Adriatic. Covered in scrubby heath, olive groves and lavender, with small towns and villages on its coastline, its wildness is its appeal. Some, like Cres town, are unobtrusively set up for holidaymakers; in others local people just quietly get on with the life they’ve lived since the Venetians ruled here. All are lapped by the turquoise, crystal seas Croatia is known for.Rhiannon Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will be featured online and may appear in print. To enter the latest competition visit the readers' tips homepage Earlier this summer, my sister and I took a road trip along the south-west coast of Ireland. Our favourite place was Valentia island, a small land mass slightly off the more touristy Ring of Kerry, accessed via a bridge to the so

Aug 28, 2026 → Aug 28, 2026