As the search for tranquility intensifies, a new ranking has identified the European islands where travelers can still find genuine solitude. The "Unspoilt Index" from BookRetreats.com, a retreat booking platform, analyzed 100 islands worldwide using satellite data and insights from silence researcher Olga V. Lehmann, a psychology professor. The index applied the European Environment Agency's definition of a quiet area—a soundscape where unwanted noise is absent or at least not dominant—and scored each island on six criteria: natural richness, road density, air traffic, crowd levels, light pollution, and coastal preservation.
The results are a stark contrast to the continent's bustling hotspots. Santorini, infamous for its throngs of visitors, ranked 99th out of 100 globally. In a twist, Anafi, a small Greek island just an hour away by ferry, claimed the title of Europe's quietest island and second quietest in the world, after New Zealand's Stewart Island.
Anafi: A world apart from its neighbor
Anafi, covering just 40 square kilometers, is home to a mere 300 residents—nearly 30 times fewer per square kilometer than Santorini. The island has no airport and no major roads, and it scored an impressive 92 out of 100 for naturalness, one of the highest in the index. Its beaches, including Roukounas, Klisidi, and Katsouni, remain nearly empty, offering golden sand and turquoise waters that rival any in the Cyclades.
"Islands have always been where we go to escape, but very few are still as quiet as they once were," said Sean Kelly, co-founder of BookRetreats.com. "Our Unspoilt Index maps where the last genuinely quiet ones are, and what’s clear from the data is that they’re peaceful because people chose to protect them, and still do."
Europe performs strongly in the global top 25, securing ten spots. Beyond Anafi, the list includes St Martin's in the Isles of Scilly (5th), the Isle of Skye in Scotland (11th), and Herm in the Channel Islands (14th). St Martin's, with just 135 residents, benefits from the Gulf Stream, making it one of the sunniest parts of the UK, and offers a vineyard, a flower farm, and seal snorkeling. Skye is the only top-ranked island reachable by road, while Herm is notable for its car-free environment and tiny population of 60.
Croatia contributes two entries: Mljet, near Dubrovnik, at 17th, and Vis, close to buzzy Hvar, at 19th. Greece appears again with Milos in 22nd place. The list is rounded out by Salina in Italy's Aeolian Islands (23rd), Flores in the Portuguese Azores (24th), and La Gomera in the Canary Islands (25th).
At the opposite end, Malta ranks 100th, beating even Santorini for noise and crowds, and has been named Europe's most overcrowded island for 2025. The index highlights a growing trend: searches for "quiet destinations" have surged by 1,268% year on year, a phenomenon dubbed the "quietcation."
For those seeking a truly peaceful escape, the data suggests that Europe's quieter islands offer a viable alternative to the crowded mainstream. As Europe's quietest countries demonstrate, solitude can still be found across the continent, if you know where to look.
The findings also resonate with broader discussions about overtourism and sustainability. While biometric border checks have doubled wait times at major airports, the appeal of remote islands like Anafi lies in their inaccessibility. Even as Istanbul overtakes Heathrow as Europe's busiest airport, the quietest corners of the continent remain a world apart.
For now, Anafi stands as a testament to the value of preservation, offering a rare glimpse of what unspoiled Mediterranean life can be.
