Greece has placed 22 islands in The Telegraph's newly published ranking of the 50 best Mediterranean islands, more than any other country, though Italy's Sicily and Sardinia claimed the top two positions, the British newspaper's travel study shows.
The index evaluated islands across more than 30 criteria including historical monuments, Michelin-starred restaurants, certified beaches and natural landmarks.
Crete led the Greek contingent in third place with 876 points, praised as Europe's most complete island destination for its 650 miles of coastline, 148 Blue Flag beaches and natural landmarks including the Samaria Gorge.
Kefalonia was among the study's standout performers, reaching eighth place on the strength of its newly designated International Dark Sky Park and Fteri Beach.
Rhodes completed the top ten, recognized for its UNESCO-listed Medieval City and the ancient Acropolis of Lindos.
Greek islands then dominated the rankings through the mid-table, occupying nine consecutive positions: Corfu at 12th, Lesbos 13th, Samos 14th, Paros 15th, Naxos 16th, Chios 17th, Santorini 18th and Zakynthos 19th — effectively squeezing out French, Spanish and Croatian rivals across that stretch.
Tourism Ministry officials in Athens welcomed the findings, saying the density of ranked destinations reflects sustained investment in positioning Greece as the Mediterranean's primary cultural and ecological travel destination.
Konstantinos Tsavalos