Μany European islands show a completely different, more authentic side in winter. By gathering data centered on the popularity of destinations on Instagram, all ten top places go to Mediterranean islands and four Greek islands – Crete, Santorini, Mykonos and Corfu – secure places in the top 10, according to the latest data from Fit Reisen.
While the large tourist crowds stay away in the off-season, the ideal travel time begins for those seeking peace and quiet: experience sights without queues, learn about traditional holiday customs or let the fresh sea breeze blow away the winter blues. The off-season is also worthwhile in terms of price, as flights, accommodation and car rentals are usually significantly cheaper during this time.
To find out which European islands are particularly popular in the winter season according to the Instagram community, the leading german tour operator for wellness and health trips, Fit Reisen, conducted a comprehensive social media analysis. A total of 471 European islands were examined based on the frequency with which winter photos from there were shared on Instagram under #winter. A total of around 1.7 million hashtag data entries were included in the ranking.
The top 6 most popular winter islands in Europe
1st place: Mallorca, Spain
177,000 posts under #winter put Mallorca at the top of the rankings and show that the Germans’ favourite island has more to offer than just beaches and parties. With pleasantly mild temperatures between 10 and 18 degrees and little rainfall, winter on the Balearic island is perfect for hiking through the Tramuntana mountains or cycling through the hinterland, for example around Cala Millor, Artà and Son Servera. In December, colourfully decorated streets and Christmas markets, especially around the island’s capital Palma, create a festive atmosphere. Another highlight is the almond blossom in January and February, which transforms several areas of the island, such as the region around Sóller and parts of the east coast, into a sea of delicate pink flowers.
2nd place: Sicily, Italy
Those who only know Sicily as a summer destination are missing out on a lot. At the beginning of February, the city of Catania is transformed into a sparkling sea of lights during the Festival of Saint Agatha, soon followed by the colourful carnival parades in mid- February. At the beginning of March, spring officially replaces winter in Sicily with the Almond Blossom Festival in Agrigento, featuring exhibitions, tastings and parades. In addition to the festivities, conditions are perfect for exploring famous sights such as the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento without long queues. Nature lovers can hike to the snow- capped Mount Etna, relax in the island’s many thermal springs and even go skiing. With 154,000 posts, Sicily takes second place.
3rd place: Ibiza, Spain
When the clubs close and the beaches remain empty in Ibiza in winter, the otherwise lively party paradise is transformed into a green refuge for those seeking peace and quiet. This is also reflected in many of the 116,000 winter posts, which mainly feature peaceful nature shots. With mild temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees, hiking along the coast, cycling through the hilly landscape or exploring the old town of Eivissa are particularly appealing. However, there is still a bit of a festive atmosphere, first on New Year’s Eve and then on 5 January, when the Three Kings parade through the towns. In the island’s capital, Eivissa, they traditionally arrive by boat and, similar to Santa Claus, distribute gifts to the children.
4th place: Crete, Greece
With temperatures between 15 and 18 degrees, Mediterranean serenity and plenty of peace and quiet, the (pre-)Christmas season in Crete is in stark contrast to what we are used to in Germany. The villages are filled with the aroma of freshly baked melomakarona and kourambiedes, and the traditional fishing boats are decorated with lights. Winter is also the season for the olive harvest and raki distilling – the special brewing kettles are steaming everywhere and visitors can taste the fresh schnapps. In February and March, the island transforms into one of the greenest places in the Mediterranean: orchids begin to bloom and lilies and cyclamen sprout. Those who have only visited Crete in summer will now discover a whole new side to the island – with 102,000 winter posts, it ranks fourth in our ranking.
5th place: Santorini, Greece
While in the summer months, crowds of tourists gather in the iconic coastal village of Oia to applaud Greece’s most famous sunset, romantics can now enjoy it almost all to themselves. With 97,100 posts, Santorini ranks fifth in the ranking. With mild temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees, the island invites visitors to hike along the steep rocky coast. The Cycladic island also has a lot to offer in terms of cuisine in winter: numerous wineries open their cellars for tastings, where amateur sommeliers can sample renowned island wines such as Vinsanto. For an extra dose of relaxation, a boat trip to the neighbouring island of Palea Kameni is also worthwhile – a dip in the natural thermal springs is particularly soothing on cooler winter days.
6th place: Sardinia, Italy
Quiet beaches, snow-capped mountains and nature slowly blossoming again after the dry summer months – the 92,800 winter posts that put Sardinia in sixth place paint a diverse picture of the island. Now is the ideal time to travel for culture lovers and outdoor enthusiasts: until mid-December, traditional autumn festivals take place every weekend in the villages of Barbagia, showcasing local products and culinary specialities. Another special highlight is the festival in honour of Saint Anthony on 16 and 17 January, which heralds the start of the masked carnival in Sardinia with music, wine, good food and large communal bonfires. In the interior of the island, travellers can go snowshoeing in the Sardinian mountains or even skiing.
Further rankings
Behind the top six are Madeira with 69,800 posts and Mykonos with 63,700 posts. In ninth and tenth place are Corfu with 42,600 and Corsica with 41,300 posts under #winter. Behind them are the Greek islands of Rhodes (38,900), Kos (31,200) and Zakynthos (29,300). Sylt is the most popular German winter island, ranking 14th in the European comparison with 25,700 posts, followed by the Norwegian island of Senja with 24,100 Instagram posts – the first Northern European representatives in the ranking.
The most popular German islands for the winter months
Even though southern European islands dominate the ranking, the German islands show that winter holidays by the sea also have a special charm in the north. With 25,700 posts, Sylt is the undisputed most popular German island when it comes to winter photos. The combination of rugged North Sea charm, long beaches and clear winter air puts the island in a strong 14th place in the European comparison. The Baltic Sea island of Rügen follows in second place with 21,900 posts, closely followed by Usedom with 16,600 posts. Fehmarn (4th place; 8,980 posts), Norderney (5th place; 6,570 posts) and Helgoland (6th place; 5,970 posts) follow in the rankings.
About Fit Reisen
The Fit Reisen Group, based in Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg and Munich, is the No. 1 provider of global health and wellness travel. For 50 years, the company has been synonymous with combining healthy holidays with attractive beauty, relaxation and leisure activities. In addition to Fit Reisen, the group also includes the international brands SpaDreams, Yoga Escapes, aytour, Lotus Travel and the travel voucher portal tripz.de. Today, the specialist offers over 10,000 different spa, health, beauty, Ayurveda, yoga, detox and wellness packages. The portfolio includes 1,500 hotels and 400 destinations in 50 countries. The diverse range of services, many years of expertise and individual service have already received several awards: In 2014 as ‘Most Innovative Organiser in Health Tourism’, in 2016 with the ‘Typo3 Website of the Year Award’ and ‘Typo3 Tourism Award’, by n-tv in 2017, 2018 and 2019 as ‘Germany’s Best Online Portal for Wellness Travel’ and in 2020, 2021 and 2022 by technology magazine CHIP as ‘Leading Shop’ in the ‘Travel’ category. Fit Reisen is a member of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Association of European Travel Industry (AER) and Quality in Health Prevention e.V. (Quhep).
