8 Must-Visit Destinations In The Mediterranean This Summer
From Andros to Menorca, we’ve handpicked the most beautiful spots to while away a sundrenched summer holiday.
Places go in and out of fashion, but the Mediterranean is timeless. Come summer, there is quite simply nowhere better to be than in one of the many dazzling spots along its coastline, whether that’s a romantic Greek island or a remote destination in the South of France. To help you whittle down the options for this year, we’ve handpicked eight of the most spectacular — and a little off-radar — places to pick.
Andros, Greece
A firm favorite of Greek shipping families, Andros is fast becoming one of the most stylish new islands to visit. It has empty, stunning beaches such as Achla, laidback tavernas like Agia Marina in Batsi, and rolling green hills. Stay on the sea at the beautiful Melisses, which is run with such heart by the brilliant Allegra, and spend your day's boat hopping around the island, before hitting the handsome chora for chic shopping at Waikiki and dinner at locals’ favorite O’Nonas. ©Nicole Franzen, Mèlisses
Antiparos, Greece
For anyone wanting a dose of Greek Island goodness, while avoiding the Mykonos parties and Santorini honeymooners, Antiparos has a wonderfully quiet vibe. With its traditionally Cycladic whitewashed buildings, quaint cobblestone streets, and Aegean blue doors framed by bougainvillea trees, the island is a nod to days gone by. Stop in at Beach House for lunch and a couple of ouzos at The Doors, the island’s favorite locals’ bar. The hot hotel on the scene is The Rooster, which has an earthy minimalist design and divine owner.
Sifnos, Greece
Food lovers will adore the Cycladic island of Sifnos, the cradle of Greek cooking which has borne many a chef, including the great Nikos Tselementes. As well as Sifniot cuisine, the island has endless beautiful blue and white churches, the ancient hilltop town of Kastro, rocky inlets for wild swimming, and seriously handsome villages with more than a whiff of Venetian architecture about them. Stay at Verina Astra, which is set on a steep hillside overlooking Panagia Poulati. We love its super private pool suites that sleep up to three or four people — but are perfect for honeymooners. Book here
Read more in our Guide to Sifnos.
Menorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Most people only travel to Mallorca and Ibiza and keep forgetting their smaller Balearic sister Menorca. Menorca has over 80 beaches and bays, most of which are unspoiled. The island is an understated Mediterranean jewel, waiting to be discovered. And since the arrival of Parisian Hospitality brand Experimental and Swiss Art power couple Hauser & Wirth, the island is starting to attract a different kind of clientele. Stay at Son Blanc Farmhouse - a 19th-century farmhouse that has been transformed into a boutique hotel with a 320-acre working farm. The 14 rooms are different with private gardens, terraces with outdoor hot tubs, dramatic views, or balconies onto the wilderness.
Read more in our Guide to Menorca.
Camargue, France
Following an 18-month renovation, Les Bains Gardians opened its doors last year in France's unspoliled Camargue region, southwest of Provence, near the town of Arles and facing the Mediterranean. The hotel features 67 rooms, including 48 traditional garden huts, reception and lounges, a restaurant and cocktail bar, two swimming pools, a spa, and horse stables.
Ponza, Italy
The tiny, vertiginous island of Ponza is one of the modern-day Romans’ best-kept secrets. A mere speck in the Tyrrhenian Sea set between Napoli and Roma, it’s the island where Circe the sorceress is said to have been banished to and seduced Odysseus on his journey home to Ithaca. Many are still bewitched by Ponza today, with its simple trattorias, startlingly blue coves, and pleasing lack of five-star hotels. Stay at Chiaia di Luna, a low-key but lovely hotel with a knock-out terrace, or gather a group to fill Casa Fontana.
Read more in our Guide to Ponza.
The Ligurian Coast
The Ligurian Coast, stretching crescent-like between the Côte d'Azur and Tuscany, is one of the most beguiling destinations in Europe — the Italian Riviera. Thyme-scented hillsides and terraced vineyards fall away into a sparkling shoreline, peppered with fishing villages and multi-coloured palazzos. While the Cinque Terre and Portofino are well-known slices of la dolce vita, there is a hidden, quieter side of the Ligurian Coast that remains one of the Italians’ best-kept secrets: the Riviera di Ponente, which runs from Genoa to the border with France. Low-key and unassuming, it’s a favorite of those living in Milan and Turin. Stay at Hotel Windsor, a historic building by the sea, painstakingly restored with a harmonious blend of contemporary design and retro atmosphere. The hotel is set in the authentic village of Laigueglia and comes with its beach club and a seafront restaurant for a casual lunch or a gourmet dinner.
Read more about Liguria in The Secret Stretch Of The Italian Riviera To Visit This Summer.
Ischia, Italy
The Amalfi Coast and its surrounding islands have long been the epitome of Mediterranean glamour, but it's the unassuming island of Ischia that we have on our radar this summer. Stay at Marie-Louise Scio's latest hotel, Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa. Set among the ruins of a 16th-century watchtower, this sun-bleached terracotta beauty is surrounded by forest and perches on the northwestern part of the island. It’s so lovely, that you could easily not leave, drifting from its famed breakfast, to poolside to dips in the sparkling sea just below. Utter heaven.
84 Rooms recommends: Where To Stay On The Costa Brava, and The Best Greek Island Hotels For Summer 2025.