dyllic islands of the Mediterranean to warm up your dreams

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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 Nefterdar 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.