Four Croatian Islands Earn Top-10 Spots in Europe's Best Island Getaways 2026
British travel company Saga Holidays has placed four Croatian islands among the ten best island getaways in Europe for 2026. Korčula, Mljet, Lošinj and Brač all made the shortlist in the ranking, which assessed 80 islands across 14 countries.
The ranking gave most weight to nature and greenery (45 percent), followed by weather (35 percent) and the quality of restaurants, cafés and bars (20 percent). Korčula finished highest of the Croatian entries in fourth place, praised for its medieval heritage, forested interior, gastronomy and calmer atmosphere. Mljet followed in fifth and was also named Europe's greenest island in a separate nature assessment.
Lošinj took seventh place and Brač eighth. Lošinj is known for its aromatic vegetation and one of the largest populations of bottlenose dolphins in the Adriatic, while Brač is best known for the Zlatni rat beach, its stonemasonry tradition and good cycling and hiking terrain. For Slovak visitors, Brač also has a literary connection: Martin Kukučín, one of Slovakia's most celebrated writers, worked there as a doctor for more than a decade and considered the island his second home.
Miodrag Mlačić, director of the Croatian Tourist Board for Slovakia, said Croatia's many islands each have their own character, which is why visitors return to the Adriatic repeatedly.
Why Saga Holidays' Scoring Favours the Adriatic
Why Saga Holidays' Scoring Favours the Adriatic
The criteria are worth noting because they skew toward exactly what the Croatian coast already sells: unspoiled nature and reliable holiday weather. With nature and greenery carrying 45 percent of the score, destinations with large protected areas and low-density tourism have a built-in advantage. Mljet's separate win as Europe's greenest island underlines that its national park and pine-covered coastline are the central draw.
Dining completes the picture. The 20 percent weighting for restaurants, cafés and bars suggests the ranking rewards islands that blend outdoor appeal with developed tourism services, rather than pure wilderness.
What the Top-10 Finish Means for Croatian Tourism
This is the interpretation: the ranking is a marketing asset. Four entries in a British top ten gives Croatia's tourist board and local operators a ready-made message for the 2026 season, aimed at a market that values nature and active holidays. The mention of the Slovak connection to Brač also keeps the ranking relevant in Slovak media, where the Croatian Tourist Board runs an active promotion office.
What the ranking does not tell you: the exact methodology behind the scoring has not been published in the article, and the list itself was compiled by a travel company promoting holidays, so it should be treated as a guide rather than a scientific measure.
Choosing Between Korčula, Mljet, Lošinj and Brač
Travellers planning an Adriatic holiday in 2026 can treat the four islands as distinct options:
- For scenery and active holidays, choose Mljet — it was named Europe's greenest island and offers the Mljet National Park, cycling, kayaking and paddleboarding.
- For history, gastronomy and a more relaxed pace, choose Korčula — the top-ranked Croatian island, praised for medieval heritage, forests and a calmer atmosphere than the busiest parts of the coast.
- For nature and family appeal, consider Lošinj — known for its fragrant vegetation and one of the largest bottlenose dolphin populations in the Adriatic.
- For beaches, hiking and cultural heritage, Brač delivers the iconic Zlatni rat beach, its stonemasonry tradition and the places connected to Slovak writer Martin Kukučín.
Keep in mind that nature and greenery carried 45 percent of the ranking's score, weather 35 percent and dining 20 percent — so if your priorities differ, weighing destinations on your own criteria makes sense.
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