World-leading travel publication Condé Nast asked its readers to rank the 30 best islands in the world outside of the US. This was broken up into Europe, Asia, South Pacific, North America etc and with 429,000 readers taking to vote, Mykonos was ranked the best island in Europe, followed by Crete and Paros.
Ischia in Italy was named fourth and Ibiza in Spain took the fifth spot.
Regarding Mykonos, Crete and Paros, the magazine wrote:
“Said to have been where Hercules killed the giants, Mykonos is steeped in mythological history. A popular cruise ship stop, the island hasn't quite outgrown its raucous party reputation that would impress even Dionysus, but is on the path to attracting a more sophisticated and upscale type of traveller.”
“The largest Greek isle, Crete is also one of the most distinctive, with its own unmistakable culture, landscape, cuisine, and mythological history. Make sure to visit the Minoan palaces in Knossos if you make it beyond the beach.”
“On your first visit to the 220-island Cyclades, you'll likely visit Mykonos or Santorini. There's nothing #basic about it—they're popular for a reason. But on that second trip, aim for Paros, one of the lesser-known isles with no shortage of beaches, whitewashed hillside towns, and hidden swimming caves to discover and explore. It'll mostly be you and European vacationers who hightail for their second homes outside the villages of Naoussa.”
*Source: Condé Nast