Everyone knows Ibiza, but this quaint town has better beaches

Formentera, Spain

Formentera island, Spain.Credit: Getty Images

Everyone knows Ibiza: each summer it turns into one of Europe’s craziest party island destinations. But far fewer know about Formentera, a former hippie hangout, just 30 minutes south by ferry. It’s home to some of Europe’s best beaches, but is far less crowded – and once the day-trippers return to Ibiza on the afternoon ferries, you’ll have this island to yourself (especially in May, September or October.) Rent a bike or just walk between beaches such as Playa es Pujols, home to more sophisticated beach clubs and bars than what you’ll often find in Ibiza (especially in clubbing capital, San Antonio).

Piran, Slovenia

Piran, Slovenia.Credit: AleksandarGeorgiev

Forget Italy and try Slovenia – particularly Piran, the town on the Adriatic Coast dubbed Little Venice. For a fraction of the cost and with far fewer tourists (though it pays to holiday outside of July), Piran has the same features as Venice: narrow, cobbled 1000-year-old alleyways leading out to the Mediterranean, waiters in suits at al fresco restaurants serving seafood caught that morning, and old-town squares full of cafes and lively bars. Part of the Venetian Republic until the late 18th century, Piran still feels Italian. Here you can watch the sun rise over Italy, then set over Croatia.

Faroe Islands, Denmark

Faroe Islands, Denmark.Credit: iStock

With average summer temperatures rising by almost 1.5 degrees these past two European summers, it makes sense to try cooler destinations. They don’t get much cooler than the Faroe Islands, located half-way between Iceland and Scotland in the Atlantic Ocean and a short flight from the UK. They comprise 18 islands and have a population outnumbered by sheep. The government has limited tourist numbers. Expect 20 hours of sunlight a day in summer and average temperatures in the mid-teens. Nowhere on the islands is more than five kilometres from the coastline and you’ll also find plenty of fjords and waterfalls.

Tropea, Italy

Tropea, Italy.Credit: Getty Images

Tread carefully on the Amalfi Coast – it’s overridden each summer by millions of international travellers – and come south to Calabria instead. No Italian seaside region in summer is ever crowd-free these days, but Tropea offers more value for your dollar and more spare sand to throw your towel on. It’s only a small town, but it’s stunning, with an old town (and it’s old – it’s said that Hercules founded it) that overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea, on the Coast of the Gods. There’s still a community feel, with locals living within historic buildings in every colour, and commuting on cobblestoned streets.

Andros, Greece

Andros, Greece.Credit: Alamy

It’s odd that a Greek Island barely two hours from Athens can be one of the country’s best-kept secrets, but that’s Andros. Take a ferry from Athens and you won’t believe your eyes – Andros is green! Where most of the Greek islands are dry, dusty and calico-coloured, the ancient Greeks call this island Ydrousa (“watery”). With a mountainous hinterland and green valleys all over, it’s Greece’s best hiking destination. It’s full of the perfect white-sand beaches you expect in Greece, set beside al fresco seafood restaurants on old cobbled streets. Unlike hotspots such as Mykonos, there’s almost no crime – and you won’t be robbed by accommodation prices either (a homestay can cost less than $150 a night).

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