The tourism giant TUI has placed Gran Canaria, behind Fuerteventura, ninth in its annual ranking of the 75 best European islands for 2026. With a score of 50 out of 100, the island consolidates its position among the select group of the ten most competitive destinations on the continent. The ranking is led by Crete, which achieves 67 points thanks to its impressive array of 12 water parks and 150 Blue Flag beaches, followed on the podium by the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia.
The Canary Islands archipelago demonstrates overwhelming strength in this report, placing all its main islands in prominent positions. Fuerteventura climbs to fourth place with 54 points, driven by its dominance in water sports with 64 specialized schools. Mallorca matches that score in fifth place, while Tenerife closes out the top 10 with 49 points. Lanzarote appears in the middle and upper echelons of the table in 11th place, La Palma in 15th, La Gomera in 28th, El Hierro in 49th, and Formentera in 56th.
For tourists choosing southern Gran Canaria, the data confirms a far superior range of leisure activities and services compared to its direct competitors. The island boasts 1.110 bars compared to Crete's 753, while maintaining an average price of €7,00 for an Aperol Spritz, significantly lower than Mallorca's €13,50 or Ibiza's €11,50. Furthermore, the stunning sunsets over the Maspalomas dunes and the southern coastline have generated a huge buzz on social media, with 242.000 hashtags on Instagram, far surpassing the figures for the Greek islands.
TUI's complete ranking spans Europe from the Mediterranean to the Baltic. Among the top spots are Madeira (6), Malta (7), and Cyprus (8), which precede Gran Canaria. Further down the list, below 60th place, are destinations with less infrastructure, such as the British Isle of Wight, the Greek islands of Lemnos and Aegina, and the Turkish island of Bozcaada, which brings up the rear. This analysis reaffirms that the Canary Islands model, based on direct connectivity and a wide range of outdoor activities, remains the benchmark for quality in the international accommodation market.
In the middle of the rankings are Hvar, Santorini, Lesbos, Amrum, Fehmarn, Sylt, Pico, and Pantelleria, all scoring between 34 and 35 points. Capri, Samos, Gotland, and Borkum precede a large group of islands that reach 31 points, including Naxos, Paros, Texel, Heligoland, Ischia, Hiddensee, and El Hierro. Competition remains high in destinations such as Euboea, Langeoog, Wangerooge, Jersey, Cres, Föhr, Formentera, and São Jorge, which close their rankings with a perfect 30 points in the TUI index.
The final section of the ranking of 75 destinations includes Bornholm, Norderney, Guernsey, and Terceira. Spiekeroog, Lemnos, Öland, Saaremaa, and Terschelling appear with more modest scores. Juist and Baltrum are tied with 25 points, followed by Lolland, Falster, and the Isle of Wight. The last positions on the 2026 list are occupied by Aegina, the Isle of Man, and Hiiumaa, with Turkey's Bozcaada bringing up the rear. This report reaffirms southern Gran Canaria as a benchmark for high-quality, mass-market leisure, maintaining competitive prices compared to the exclusivity of other Mediterranean islands.
