The Mediterranean Sea attracts millions of tourists each
year to the array of European islands on offer. From Spanish, to Italian, to
Greek islands, there is something for everyone to enjoy with every island being
charming and unique. Mediterranean island holidays mean you are always close to
the sea with stunning views of the blue Mediterranean, whilst soaking up the
continuous rays of sun. Some of the most beautiful places I have visited have
been some of these islands at the bottom of Europe, making them absolute
must-sees in my opinion! I have created a list of the reasons why everyone
should experience Mediterranean island holidays, and why I have three more
planned this year!
Idyllic landscapes:
For the ultimate relaxing summer holiday, beautiful beaches
are pretty much an essential, and Mediterranean islands won’t let you down on
this! I’m not the biggest fan of going to the beach and getting sand
everywhere, but on holiday I love walking along the beach in the evening or
having a dip in the sea which is ideal along the gorgeous coastlines. Some of
the most idyllic beaches I have been to were in Rhodes, where the sand was soft
and white and the sea was crystal blue.
Marinas always seem to pop up somewhere, which I think make
the landscape even more stunning. Boats bobbing up and down against the shore
create a calming atmosphere and add a touch of serenity to a place. From my
experience, Rhodes Town and Ibiza Town both have expansive marinas which are
lovely to walk alongside and dwell over how nice it would be to be rich enough
to have your own yacht...
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| The beach near where I stayed in Ibiza |
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| Marina in Rhodes Town |
Quaint and
historic streets:
Greek islands are well known for their white, picturesque
buildings and winding little streets. The two Greek islands I have visited,
Rhodes and Corfu, I have fallen in love with because of their striking white
buildings and cute cobbled streets. The little streets consist of independent
restaurants and shops, sheltered from the sun they’re ideal to get lost in on a
hot afternoon. Many Mediterranean islands have an ‘old town’ area of the
capital city which shows the historic architecture and culture of the island.
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| Looking onto the Old Town in the background from the New Town, in Ibiza Town |
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| Mallorca |
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| The cutest streets in Lindos, Rhodes |
Amazing
sunsets:
For some reason, the sunsets on Mediterranean islands are
simply amazing! I am a sucker for a sunset, so every time I see there’s going
to be a good one I rush to find a good spot to catch a photo of it! So for me,
most evenings involve me rushing off to the beach to take some photos… But
honestly, the sunsets really are spectacular, filling the sky with warm pinks
and oranges as the evening sets in.
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| Lindos, Rhodes |
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| Corfu Town |
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| Pefkos beach, Rhodes |
Food:
Each group of islands offers something different in terms of
food. Each island compliments its culture’s food through independent
restaurants offering fresh and interesting dishes. Spanish islands offer the
classic paella dish in particular and Greek islands offer an array of Greek
cuisine with there being many restaurants offering purely Greek dishes. It’s
great to be able to try new food and enjoy the culture of the island. However,
if this isn’t for you, there are always plenty of restaurants offering all
kinds of foods, from Italian, to Indian, to Mexican… so there’s usually something
for everyone! Often markets are available in towns selling fresh produce if you
fancy cooking for yourself!
Fun for
all:
Whether you’re a couple, a family or group of friends,
Mediterranean islands cater for all. Ibiza for example, known for its huge
party scene, is ideal for groups of friends, but is also great for families.
When I was younger, we often went on holiday to Ibiza due to the wide range of
resorts and things to do for kids. Many Mediterranean resorts on islands such
as Ibiza, Mallorca and Corfu are perfect for families as they’re close to the
beach and restaurants and have kids clubs to keep children entertained. Lots of
islands have water parks also which I definitely recommend for all ages for a
fun day out! The Mediterranean islands I have visited have all had great
transport links with cheap buses that can take you around the island (if the
island is small!), to the water parks and capital city for example. Rhodes in
my opinion is perfect for couples with its romantic quiet beaches and
interesting restaurants allowing you to taster Greek cuisine.
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| View of Ibiza from the plane |
Excitingly,
I have three upcoming trips planned this year to Mediterranean islands, because
all of the reasons I have listed why you should go to them, have in fact
persuaded myself...
MALTA - The first
is to Malta, where I'm going on a field trip with my Human Geography course
(this Sunday!!) I'm really excited about this as Malta is rich in culture and
history, which is something we will be investigating whilst we are there. Malta
is in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea and was originally British owned, so
I think it will be quite different to other Mediterranean islands I have
visited before.
MYKONOS - The next
is Mykonos which I have chosen to go to as it is one of the most gorgeous Greek
islands. Mykonos and Santorini are two Greek islands high up on my bucket list,
so being able to tick one off this year is exciting! I can't wait to capture
perfectly Instagram-able photos of the turquoise blue sea and beautiful white
buildings!
SICILY - The
final Mediterranean island I am visiting this year is Sicily, which will be
interesting as I have not been to an Italian island before. I've chosen to
travel to Sicily for the amazing Italian food (obviously) and the incredible
landscape. We are staying close to Mount Etna which will be amazing, in the
beautiful town of Taormina.
I hope some of these tips persuade you to visit some
Mediterranean islands if you get the chance! And make sure you watch out for my
posts on Instagram and on my blog about my trip to Malta next week, yayyyy!
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