Europe may be synonymous with relaxing summer getaways, where the days are spent sipping cocktails on the beach and listening to the waves. But for travellers seeking a more active escape, the continent’s islands offer an adventure playground, particularly along their coastlines and in their surrounding waters.
Active and sports tourism is a growing sector, accounting for around 10% of global tourism spending and projected to expand by 17.5% between 2023 and 2030, according to UN Tourism.
Reflecting this trend, TUI Musement analysed Google search volumes for seven water sports — surfing, diving, kayaking, sailing, snorkelling, windsurfing and kitesurfing — across more than 500 European islands. The aim was to identify the destinations attracting the greatest interest from water-sports enthusiasts.
According to Euronews, the tours and activities company ranked Europe’s best islands for water sports, with Malta taking the top spot overall. Five Spanish islands also made the top 10, while Greece was represented by the spectacular island of Crete, which secured seventh place.
TUI Musement also identified the leading European islands for each of the seven individual activities included in its analysis.
The 10 Best European Islands for Water Sports
The islands were ranked according to total search volumes, based on TUI Musement’s analysis of Google search data:
1. Malta: 157,800 searches
2. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain: 153,390 searches
3. Madeira, Portugal: 134,620 searches
4. Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain: 130,610 searches
5. Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain: 111,010 searches
6. Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain: 102,540 searches
7. Crete, Greece: 95,690 searches
8. Sardinia, Italy: 70,470 searches
9. Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain: 58,960 searches
10. Cyprus: 57,620 searches
