Europe & Mediterranean

Ranked · where to go & why

The Top 20 in Europe & Mediterranean

The cradle of the grand tour — coastlines and cities the great guides have ranked for a century. From the Amalfi Coast to the Moroccan medinas, here is the Mediterranean, ranked.

1. 1Amalfi CoastExplore →Cliff-clinging pastel villages above an impossible blue — Italy’s most romantic drive.
2. 2SantoriniExplore →Whitewashed villages on a flooded volcano and the most famous sunset in the world.
3. 3French Riviera (Côte d’Azur)Explore →Glamour distilled — Nice to Saint-Tropez, with Monaco, Cannes and a century of la dolce vita.
4. 4CorsicaExplore →France’s wild island — granite peaks into turquoise water, hill villages, and tropical-blue coves.
5. 5Dubrovnik & the Dalmatian CoastExplore →A walled marble city above the Adriatic — King’s Landing made real, with island-hopping beyond.
6. 6MallorcaExplore →The Mediterranean all-rounder — hidden calas, the Tramuntana mountains, and a cathedral over the sea.
7. 7SicilyExplore →A country unto itself — Greek temples, smoking Etna, and arguably Italy’s best food.
8. 8Lake ComoExplore →Alpine peaks falling into a mirror lake, lined with villas and old-world glamour, an hour from Milan.
9. 9Marrakech & MoroccoExplore →The Red City’s souks and riads — gateway to the Atlas and the Sahara. (See our Morocco Top 8.)
10. 10Egypt — Cairo, the Nile & Red SeaExplore →The last surviving ancient wonder — the Pyramids of Giza, the temples of the Nile, and Red Sea reefs. Keep to the tourist heartland and follow travel advisories.
11. 11ProvenceLavender fields, hilltop villages and rosé — the soul of the French south.
12. 12Tuscany & FlorenceRenaissance art, cypress-lined hills and Chianti vineyards — beauty by the acre.
13. 13VeniceA city of canals with no equal on Earth — go in the quiet hours and it’s pure magic.
14. 14Barcelona & the Costa BravaGaudí’s masterpieces, a buzzing food scene, and rugged coves a short drive north.
15. 15MykonosExplore →Cyclades glamour — whitewashed lanes, designer beach clubs, and the Mediterranean’s best nightlife.
16. 16CreteExplore →Greece’s grand island — Minoan ruins, dramatic gorges and beaches like Elafonissi’s pink sand.
17. 17MaltaKnights’ fortress cities, the Blue Lagoon, and 7,000 years of history on a sun-baked archipelago.
18. 18Cinque TerreFive jewel-box villages stitched to the Ligurian cliffs by footpaths and a little train.
19. 19Ibiza & the BalearicsTurquoise coves and pine-clad calm by day; legendary by night — far more than its reputation.
20. 20Athens & the Greek mainlandExplore →The Acropolis and the cradle of the West — now with a food and arts scene to match the ruins.

Curated by TravelWell, in the spirit of the great travel guides. Linked picks open a full guide + Safety Card; more are being added.