Paris, September 15, 2010 – Greece has the most beautiful islands in Europe, according to an international poll of over 14,000 voters conducted on 17 Zoover websites.
The countries/regions vying for the title of most beautiful islands in Europe: France, the Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, Scandinavia, Portugal, Greece, Italy and Turkey.
Islands: yes, but always in the sun!
Crete, the Cyclades, the Sporades… Greece and its 1,400 islands are the unanimous choice of Europeans, winning over 44% of votes. Spain, with its Canary and Balearic archipelagos, came a distant second with 17% of the vote, neck and neck with Croatia, an increasingly popular destination, which closed the podium with 16% of the vote.
Samos, the most popular island!
Based on the reviews received on the Zoover sites, Samos is the favorite in Greece, with an overall score of 8.6 out of 10. Renowned for its authentic character, with typical white-clad fishing villages and colorful harbors, it’s its charm that has earned it this distinction. It is also a sanctuary protected by its inhabitants and the Greek state, notably through legislation prohibiting the construction of high-rise buildings.
“Magnificent white sandy beaches and coves, hidden from view, and picturesque little ports… Behind, the island’s interior is entirely wooded and covered with lush vegetation”: this is how Zoovernauts describe Samos. How can you resist its charms?
Karpathos and Lesbos also score above 8, demonstrating their appeal to travelers.
And the French islands?
France comes a long way behind the top 3, with just 3.5% of European votes! With its overseas islands (Tahiti, New Caledonia, Reunion, Martinique, Guadeloupe or Saint-Martin…) or European islands (Corsica, Ile de Ré, Belle-île en Mer…), France has a wide variety of islands and a great diversity of landscapes, but it seems that Europeans weren’t convinced: lack of information or just a question of taste?
The French, who are undoubtedly more familiar with the diversity of the French islands than their neighbors, are far more enthusiastic: 14% of the 1581 French voters cast their ballots for the French islands, putting them in 2nd place, but far behind Greece (41%).
The results can be astonishing!
Portugal, known for the beauty of the islands of Madeira and the Azores, received less than 3% of the votes! These two destinations are very popular, especially on the Zoover websites, where they score 7.8 and 7.9 out of 10 respectively.
In contrast, the Netherlands scored 3.7%, no doubt helped by the plebiscite of the Dutch themselves (12% of the 4400 Dutch voters elected the islands of the Netherlands as the most beautiful in Europe).
Pascal Iakovou
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
