Greek isles voted best in Europe holding seven out of the top 10 places

(Mail online) Britons who head to Majorca or Tenerife for their sunshine breaks may be missing a trick. For it is the holiday islands of Greece that are the best in Europe, a survey found.

Hotel search site Trivago looked at reviews left by 140million holidaymakers from around the world on 200 booking sites.

It compiled a top 30 from average ratings for hotels on the Mediterranean islands, Madeira and the Canaries.

Greek islands filled seven of the top ten locations, including a top three comprising the lesser-known destinations of Ios, Hydra and Folegandros.

Italy’s best ranked island was Capri in fourth and Lipari at nine, while Spain’s – in 13th – was one of its lesser known, La Gomera in the Canaries.

Gran Canaria and Lanzarote languished near the bottom of the top 30, while Majorca and Ibiza were not even ranked. The Portuguese island of Madeira came tenth.

Marine Grande bay and harbour on the Isle of Capri, in Italy, also made it on to the list at number four

Marine Grande bay and harbour on the Isle of Capri, in Italy, also made it on to the list at number four

Denise Bartlett of Trivago said: ‘It is interesting to note that few Spanish islands make the list of 30, as these are continuously the choice destination of British holidaymakers during the summer months.

‘It is also interesting to note that the more well-known Greek islands of Crete, Corfu and Rhodes have lower-ranked hotels than the smaller islands of Ios, Hydra and Folegandros.

‘The ranking not only highlights the islands with the most highly-rated hotels, but presents the traveller with some attractive alternatives to the typical summer resorts.’

THE SURVEY’S 30 BEST EUROPEAN HOLIDAY ISLANDS

1. Ios (Greece) 11. Sicily (Italy) 21. Terceira (Portugal)
2. Hydra (Greece) 12.Hvar (Croatia) 22. Ile de Re (France)
3. Folegandros (Greece) 13. La Gomera (Spain) 23. Kos (Greece)
4. Capri (Italy) 14. Spetses (Greece) 24. Sao Miguel (Portugal)
5. Santorini (Greece) 15. Ile D’oleron (France) 25. Elba (Italy)
6. Mykonos (Greece) 16. Crete (Greece) 26. Formentera (Spain)
7. Naxos (Greece) 17. Ponza (Italy) 27. Rhodes (Greece)
8. Paros (Greece) 18. Sardinia (Italy) 28. Gran Canaria (Spain)
9. Lipari (Italy) 19. Ischia (Italy) 29. Corfu (Greece)
10. Madeira (Portugal) 20. Zakynthos (Greece) 30. Lanzarote (Spain)