We may want "buzzy" for our restaurants and nightclubs, but when it comes to our vacations, we're all about off-the-grid and under-the-radar.
Here are 15 islands that have remained blissfully secret.
1. Panarea, Italy
Just off the coast of northern Sicily, this Aeolian gem is practically picture-perfect with whitewashed buildings covered in fuchsia bougainvillea and narrow, romantic lanes made for strolling. (The island is car-free, so you’ll only be passed by golf carts, Motorino electric bikes and Apes, Italian three-wheelers). Home base is the 28-room Hotel Lisca Bianca, which has a rooftop sushi restaurant and striking views of the ocean from its blue-tiled terraces. During the day, explore the island’s caves by barca and cool off with somegranita (a slushy-icy treat) at Bar Del Porto; at night head to the trendy Da Pina restaurant to tuck into plates of octopus salad, eggplant gnocchi and branzino al cartoccio con agrumi(sea bass baked with zesty oranges and lemons). Then, toast with Sicilian vino and a killer vista at the family-run Trattoria da Paolino.
2. Fernando do Noronha, Brazil
Mention Fernando do Noronha to any naturalist or ecologist and they’re sure to know all about this under-the-radar archipelago— one of the most fiercely protected natural environments in the world. In an effort to preserve the eco-wonderland, only 420 tourists are permitted to visit at once, but if you manage to be one of the lucky ones, book a stay at Pousada Maravilha, an intimate hilltop retreat with five bungalows, an infinity-edge pool and panoramic views of the island's rugged landscapes. To experience the area's rich marine life, bring your snorkeling gear to Baía dos Porcos for the chance to glimpse turtles, stingrays and whales. After, reward your efforts with a spicy bowl of octopus, shrimp and lobster stew at Ecologiku's, where guests dine on plastic picnic tables in the garden of the chef's house.
3. Gozo, Malta
Off the coast of Italy, out in the middle of the Mediterranean, the quiet and impossibly green Gozo takes its place in a chain of islands that make up the Maltese archipelago. With rural fishing villages and idyllic bays, the isle is thought to be pulled straight from the pages of Homer’s Odyssey. Drop your bags at the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz where modern luxuries – namely an oriental hammam and ayurveda center – rest in the traditional countryside village of San Lawrenz. For an authentic Gozitan meal, the family-run Ta Karolina on the Xlendi waterfront serves up platters of local cheese and fish that precede mains like thyme and rosemary braised lamb shank and rabbit marinated and fried in garlic and prune sauce. Work off generous meals hiking around Dwejra Bay and treat your insta to shots of the the Azure Window, the natural limestone arch that is Gozo's utmost pride and joy.
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