These little known islands are perfect for international adventures.
In case you can’t tell by how much I obsess over them, I am in love with islands. I live in Manhattan, which many people don’t know is an island– and I blame that on our youth being more concerned with World of Warcraft than the world in general. Manhattan isn’t, however, the kind of island I like. When I think of islands, I think of beaches, rainforests, small towns, and locally grown food– give me all your sunburn and avocado-based dishes, mmmkay? These islands in Europe have all of those things and more, but the best thing about them is that they aren’t that well known internationally, so you don’t have to worry about tons of tourists fighting over who gets to use the poorly made selfie stick first.
If off the beaten track is your speed, these need to go on your travel bucket list:
Lofoten, Norway: Sitting just above the Arctic Circle, the temperature in the Lofoten archipelago is a consistent zero degrees, year round. This doesn’t make for a great beach vacation, but its perfect if you want to see the Northern lights or the midnight sun.
READ MORE: Five Weird Islands
Isles of Scilly, England: The Isles of Scilly are located just off Cornwall, England, and offer a quiet, relaxing, artistic community, perfect for people who just want to chill in the English countryside.
Madeira, Portugal: The Madeira archipelago in Portugal is made up of volcanic islands complete with tropical weather year-round, subtropical rainforests, beautiful beaches and some of the most amazing wine you can find. Winos, rejoice.
Pano Koufonisi, Greece: It seems like everyone has been going to Greece lately, but you never hear about Pano Koufonisi. The island is just off Naxos, and home to only about 300 locals. There are no roads, so you should go here for a truly unique experience to enjoy some authentic Greek island life.
Editor’s note: if there are no roads, what does that say for the quality of available toilets? Just something to ponder if you have a high fiber diet.
Belle-lle-en-Mer, France: The name may be hard to pronounce, but it means ‘beautiful island in the sea’. Located on the Bay of Biscay, the island is full of beautiful beaches, gorgeous gardens, and lots of locally grown food. Take heed however, the only way to get here is a ferry from the Brittany coast.
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