Readers’ favourite European island escapes

Readers share island recommendations from the protected Cíes Islands off Vigo, where a short ferry ride takes you to a tiny archipelago with daily and overnight visitor numbers capped. There are no cars, only a few small restaurants and one campsite; seabirds rule and the Atlantic waves are the main lullaby, and many visitors find the beaches unspoilt.

Italy features heavily. On Ischia in the Bay of Naples, ferries and buses make getting around simple: circular routes, a day ticket for a few euros and the chance to hop on and off until late make it easy to explore like a local. Tiny Cavo on Elba is quieter than nearby Portoferraio — some hydrofoils from Piombino stop there — and its iron-rich seabed makes the water glitter; a handful of hotels, a beach, prawns the size of your head and a summer jazz festival give it a serene feel.

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