While Santorini, Capri and Mallorca attract millions of tourists, six less popular islands in the Mediterranean offer beaches, ancient ruins and fewer crowds. Travel Off Path's list is aimed at travelers looking for a more relaxed holiday in 2027, without giving up historical sights and local atmosphere. The publication summarizes its selection with the words: “The good news is that the authentic Mediterranean still exists. You just have to look beyond the crowded tourist centers.“
Gozo and Samos combine history and nature
The first suggestion is Gozo – the island off Malta, which can be reached by ferry in about 45 minutes. Quiet rural villages, limestone cliffs and hills are part of the landscape, but the most famous landmark is the megalithic temples of Ggantiya. They are older than the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge. The island also attracts diving enthusiasts with the underwater landscapes of the Blue Hole.
Samos is located in the eastern Aegean Sea, near the Turkish coast. Unlike the drier islands of the Cyclades, it is green, with wooded mountains, slopes and a tradition of winemaking. Among the main historical sites is the Heraion of Samos - a complex with the remains of the ancient temple of the goddess Hera. The site, along with the ancient city of Pythagorion, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992.
Vis and Menorca preserve traces of the past
Croatian Vis was long used as a military base for the former Yugoslavia and access to foreign tourists was limited. According to Travel Off Path, this has helped the island avoid the large-scale tourist development known from other Croatian resorts. Today, visitors can see the ruins of the ancient Greek and Roman city of Isa, as well as abandoned underwater tunnels dug into the coastal cliffs. Boat trips to the nearby island of Biševo to the Blue Cave are organized.
Menorca offers a more relaxed rhythm than Mallorca and Ibiza. The entire island is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and its natural features include secluded bays, pine forests and coastal routes. The island is dotted with monuments of the Talayotic culture - stone towers and monuments from the Bronze Age. The Cami de Cavalls, which circles the coast for about 185 kilometers, is a good hiking trail.
Sant'Antioco and Ithaca remain off the main routes
Sant'Antioco is located off the southwest coast of Sardinia and is connected to the island by an artificial isthmus and a bridge with a history that goes back to the Roman era. The site preserves a Carthaginian tophet and underground Roman catacombs. They show the different cultural layers of the area - from the Phoenician and Punic heritage to Roman rule.
Ithaca is associated with Odysseus and remains relatively sparsely populated, partly because of the more difficult access. The island does not have its own airport, so travelers usually arrive at neighboring Kefalonia and continue by ferry. Green slopes, olive groves and quiet beaches are among its main features. The historical site, known as the School of Homer, continues to be the subject of scholarly debate due to its unclear exact meaning.
Sources: traveloffpath.com