Crete ranks as Europe’s second most desirable island at Wanderlust awards

Crete has placed second in the “most desirable islands in Europe” category at the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2026. The Deputy Regional Governor for Extroversion of the Region of Crete, Michalis Klontzas, announced the result from London, where he was attending the World Travel Market (WTM) exhibition.

The award was presented during a special ceremony held on the sidelines of the exhibition’s second day, an event that drew attention from the international travel industry. Wanderlust, the international travel magazine behind the awards, placed Crete in the silver position within its European islands category.

Klontzas said the result confirmed the island’s standing as a strong destination brand and thanked everyone who contributed to the achievement. Kyriakos Kotsoglou, the Region of Crete’s delegated tourism consultant, also commented on the ranking during the London event.

The recognition comes as the island continues to position itself within tourism experiences in Crete promoted at major international travel fairs such as the WTM.