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Sicily - A view of Cefalù with its beach and 12th-century Norman cathedral. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean.

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Rhodes - An ancient acropolis crowns Lindos (pictured), one of many picture-perfect destinations this sparkling Greek island is celebrated for.

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Santorini - The pretty village of Oia is a travel brochure pinup. Santorini is part of an archipelago, itself a remnant of a volcanic caldera.

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Cyprus - Kourion, on the southwestern coast of Cyprus, was a renowned ancient city-state. Extraordinary Roman and early Byzantine ruins greet the visitor.

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Corsica - The beautiful Bay of Girolata. Nearly half of this pristine French Island is a designated national park.

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Sardinia - While in the capital Cagliari, head for Castello, the Italian island's rocky landmark centerpiece.

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Crete - Greece's largest island regales visitors with a rich culture, wild natural beauty, and picturesque destinations, including Agios Nikolaos (pictured).

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Malta - The island's vibrant and historic capital captures the imagination with landmarks like the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

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Zakynthos - The island is famed for an exquisite turquoise cove that embraces Navagio beach, the site of a 1980 shipwreck. The rusting hull is embedded in the sand.

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Korčula - An island of Croatia but originally settled by Greek explorers, this Adriatic destination harbors a wonderfully atmospheric old town.

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Euboea - This verdant Greek island is appreciated for its mountainous landscapes, archaeological monuments, and thermal springs, among other enticing attractions.

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Mallorca - Also known as Majorca, this Spanish Balearic island has Palma as its capital, a city dominated by the Moorish Almudaina royal palace and 13th-century Santa Maria Cathedral.

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Lesbos - An idyllic Greek island moored off the coast of Turkey, Lesbos numbers the remains of a Roman aqueduct near Moria among its must-sees.

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Chios - The quartet of traditional windmills lining the quay at Tampakika is a landmark feature of this attractive Greek island.

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Lefkada - A causeway connects Lefkada with the Greek mainland, meaning you can drive to places like the remote Egremni beach (pictured).

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Cephalonia -

Also known as Kefalonia, the island is located west of mainland Greece. The charming village of Assos (pictured) is a favorite destination.

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Menorca - Menorca or Minorca? No matter. This Spanish island is low-key bliss. Ciutadella (pictured) is a pleasant port city.

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Corfu - Venetian, French, and British cultural influences have left their mark on this scenic Greek island. Corfu Old Town is a magical place to explore.

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Mljet - Verdant and forested, Mljet National Park makes up most of this pristine Croatian island.

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Ibiza - The Med's party island also caters to visitors seeking quiet villages and secluded beaches. In the Catalan language, Ibiza is known as Eivissa.

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Lemnos - Jason and the Argonauts supposedly landed on Lemnos to find only women living on the island. Muse over the myth under the sails of traditional windmills at Kontias village.

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Naxos - Hora (pictured) is also known as Naxos. It's the ideal place from which to explore this atmospheric Greek island.

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Andros - The Tourlitis Lighthouse guarding this low-key Greek island appears as if chiseled from bedrock.

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Karpathos - The isolated village of Olympos is known for its traditional cube-shaped houses set across a steep mountain face.

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Kalymnos - Busy and wealthy, Kalymnos is the center of the Greek sponge trade. Indeed, the destination is known as the "sponge-diver's island."

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Samos - Pythagoreio (pictured) is named for the locally born Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras.

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Kos - Built to serve the island's Muslim community, the Defterdar Mosque in the historic district of Kos town dates back to the late 18th century.

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Kythira - It was off the coast of Kythira in 1902 that the famous Antikythera mechanism—an ancient Greek analogue computing device—was recovered from a shipwreck.

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Icaria - The island derives its name from Icarus, the son of Daedalus in Greek mythology, said to have fallen into the sea nearby. Pictured is the Church of Agios Alexandros, near Kouniadi.

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Gozo -

An island in the Maltese archipelago, Gozo, it used to be home to the beautiful Azure window, which unfortunately collapsed last year. The arch is now underwater and has been reborn as a popular dive spot.

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Elba - Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to Elba in 1814, arriving at Portoferraio (pictured) for a "stay" that lasted 300 days. The island is now part of Italy.

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Sant'Antioco -

In fact a region of Sardinia, Sant'Antioco island boasts a real hidden treasure: the catacombs underneath the Palaeo-Christian Basilica of Sant'Antioco.

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Ios - Often overlooked by tourists, the Greek isle of Ios is distinguished by its capital, Chora. The island is also appreciated for its local cheeses.

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Kythnos - An Instagram favorite, Kolona beach connects Kythnos to the islet of Agios Loukas.

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Formentera - The smallest of Spain's Balearic islands, Formentera has traditionally attracted the more independent traveler. For fans of trivia: Joni Mitchell wrote her 1971 album 'Blue' on the island.

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Pantelleria -

This Italian island is where to admire prehistoric Sesi, stone-piled tombs that are 4,000 years old.

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San Pietro - Anchored off the coast of Sardinia, this mountainous retreat has a few small beaches. It's better known for hiking and an annual tuna festival.

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Asinara - The Asinara National Park is noted for its wild horses and donkeys. In fact, the donkey is its identifying symbol.

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Bozcaada - Known as Tenedos in Greek, the Turkish island of Bozcaada showcases an impressive Venetian fortress.

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Ischia - A volcanic outcrop set in the Bay of Naples, Ischia turns heads with its inherent beauty and historic landmarks, including the medieval Aragonese Castle.

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Lipari - One of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari is the most practical base for visiting this fascinating volcanic archipelago.

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Salina - Salina, located off the north of Sicily, is named after the salt lagoon near the village of Lingua, once the site for production of sea salt.

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Giglio - The Italian island featured in headlines across the world in 2012 when the cruise ship Costa Concordia foundered off the coast.

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Lastovo - Sunset over Zaklopatica Bay, on Lastovo. The Croatian island is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the Adriatic Sea.

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Lampedusa - Lampedusa's tiny "Rabbit Island" is one of the last remaining egg-laying sites in Italy for the loggerhead sea turtle, endangered throughout the Mediterranean.

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Favignana - Cala Rossa, one of several bays found on this Italian island, is cherished for its outstanding crystalline azure waters.

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Capraia - The Italian island is part of Arcipelago Toscano National Park. It's also an important center for the harvesting of anchovy.

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Lokrum - Lying just 600 m off Dubrovnik, Lokrum is a delight to explore, enticing the curious to a former monastery and botanical garden.

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Caprera - Home to Italian general and nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807–1882), the island has been declared a natural reserve for resident seabirds.

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Cabrera - The uninhabited Balearic islet is included in the Cabrera Archipelago Maritime-Terrestrial National Park.

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Stromboli - Stromboli is one of the eight Aeolian Islands located off Sicily. Just 500 people live here under the ever-present threat of an active volcano.

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Porquerolles - A panoramic view of the French island of Porquerolles, the largest, most westerly of the three Îles d'Hyères.

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Marettimo -

Largely untouched by tourism, this Italian island woos with its green mountain peaks and rare flora.

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Capri - Enchanting Capri lures sightseers to natural wonders like the famous Blue Grotto. Featuring several upscale resorts, the island is a popular day-trip destination for Italians.

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Šipan - For centuries a chic summer getaway for well-heeled Dubrovnik families, Šipan today is a popular day-trip destination for anyone seeking peace and quiet in bucolic surroundings.

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Antikythera - The lighthouse of Cape Apolytaras, standing on the island's southern tip, is one of the oldest lighthouses in Greece.

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Poros Peloponnese - The mountainous Peloponnese provides an inspiring backdrop for this small Greek island. Poros town, with its striking neoclassical facades, is built amphitheatrically.

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Hydra - Once belonging to Venice and later part of the Ottoman Empire, Hydra owes its name to the Greek word for "water." Ironically, the island today is almost dry.

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Djerba - Berber, Arab, Jewish, and African cultures shape the look and enhance the feel of this Tunisian island vacation destination.

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Marathonisi -

Marathonisi (Turtle) Island, so named because it resembles a floating turtle, lies in the middle of Laganas Bay. Its beach is one of the most recognized in Greece.

See also: Islands of India you probably haven't heard of

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