The readers of top US travel magazine “Travel + Leisure” have voted Milos as best island in the world and Europe in the World’s Best Awards 2021 with an almost perfect score of 95.50.

Folegandros came second in the “Top 25 Islands in the World” category, while another seven Greek islands were included in the “Top 20 Islands in Europe” category, giving Greece the lion’s share of the rankings. Santorni ranked in 5th position and Paros in 10th, while Mykonos came 13th, Crete 14th, Corfu and the Ionian islands 15th, and Rhodes and the Dodecanese 17th.

These new distinctions come just a few days after Greece and Satorini were named Favourite Country and Favourite Island in Europe respectively by the US travelling public in the FXExpress 2021 Awards, confirming that our country remains one of the most popular destinations for US visitors.

“Drop-dead gorgeous!”

Announcing this year’s awards, the magazine’s writers stress that Milos came top “thanks to friendly locals who welcome visitors to explore the quaint villages, extraordinary tavernas, and dozens of picturesque beaches that vary in color depending on whether they are formed from shells, stones, or sand.” They also noted that Milos “may be known as the place where the Venus de Milo statue was found, but it has so much more to offer visitors than its ties to antiquity. Visitors will find many options for lodging, and can explore award-winning wineries, sun on the volcanic rocks, and snorkel through the island’s caves — all before dinner at one of the island’s exceptional restaurants. As one voter summed up, “Drop-dead gorgeous!”

Voting for this year’s awards took place between January 11 and May 10, 2021, during which almost 35 million readers of the magazine and users of its various platforms picked their favourites in a variety of categories, including cities, resorts, luxury and wellness destinations, airports, hotels, airlines, cruise companies, travel offices, car rental companies and more.

The Greek award was accepted by the head of the GTO North America office, Constantinos Charokopos, while the results will be published in detail in the October 2021 issue of the magazine.

This article was previously published in Greek at moneyreview.gr.