Europe is home to tens of thousands of islands, some of which make up entire nations. But while some are well-known holiday hotspots, there are many more lesser-known gems that go relatively unexplored. From Caribbean-esque beaches to rugged northern shores and islands with long and fascinating histories, there are underappreciated isles across the continent that have tonnes to offer.

Click through this gallery to explore the best islands in Europe that you've probably never heard of...

James Bond fans should recognise the remote Faroe Island of Kalsoy from the 25th Bond film No Time To Die. Doubling as Safin's lair, the actual island is not between Russia and Japan – as is claimed in the movie – but is, in fact, about halfway between Iceland and Norway. The island's landscape is dominated by rocky outcrops dropping dramatically into the sea, and houses 13 mountain peaks and just four villages, all of which are on the east coast. A fifth village was destroyed by a landslide in 1812.

The volcanic island of Pico is the second largest of the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. Sometimes known as 'the mountain island', Pico is famed for its wine production and its unusual landscape, which is marked by small plots of black volcanic soil in which Verdelho vines grow. Travellers head to the island, some 900 miles (1,450km) west of Lisbon, for its whale watching – it's on the migration routes of several species – and dolphin spotting, as well as its stunning volcanic scenery.

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Most visitors to Malta stay on the main island of the same name, while a small percentage make the short ferry ride to its little sister Gozo. Midway between the two is the tiny islet of Comino, which is just 1.3 square miles (3.5sq km) and houses a permanent population that you could count on one hand. A nature reserve and bird sanctuary, Comino's main draw is the Blue Lagoon, a sheltered inlet of glistening azure water popular with day-tripping swimmers and snorkellers. With no development to speak of, Comino is a beacon of perfect peace in an otherwise heavily touristed archipelago.

Hiddensee is situated off the north coast of Germany and is known for its bohemian atmosphere, with lots of art galleries, museums and independent shops. This is partly a legacy of the artist communities that flocked here from Berlin in the 1920s. Nowadays it attracts people looking to escape the modern world for a few days and its heaths, moors and marshes are easy to explore by foot, bike or on horseback. Lucky treasure hunters can even find amber – sometimes known as 'Baltic gold' – washed up on the shore.

The Greek island of Folegandros is considerably less known than its Cycladic sisters, despite being just an hour away from Santorini by ferry, but it's just as well-stocked with dramatic landscapes and stunning views out over the Aegean Sea. The main town of Chora is perched on a rocky outcrop and is known for its charming lanes, whitewashed churches and painted doorways. The island is also home to some of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in the whole of Greece.

Suomenlinna is a sea fortress based across several interconnected islands just off the coast of Finnish capital Helsinki. Built by Swedes in the 18th century – it is known as Sveaborg in Swedish – this UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to a star-shaped fortification, bunkers and six museums, alongside cafes, shops, picnic sites and the homes of 800 residents. Reachable by a short ferry ride, among the more curious attractions here is Finland's only surviving Second World War submarine. 

Bozcaada sits off the west coast of Turkey, but thanks to its location in the Aegean it has both Turkish and Greek influences – with mosques alongside Orthodox churches. Over the centuries it has been occupied by everyone from the Pelasgians to the Greeks, the Persians and the Ottomans. Its proximity to Troy also led to several mentions in The Iliad under the Greek name Tenedos. Reached by ferry from the Turkish mainland, today visitors flock for its wine as well as its unspoiled beaches.

Inishbofin is in the Connemara region of Co Galway, which Oscar Wilde described as possessing "a savage beauty". Reached by ferry from Cleggan Pier on Ireland's west coast, Inishbofin – derived from the Irish for 'Island of the White Cow' – is famed for its natural harbour and the 16th-century ruins of Cromwell's barracks, built by the regime of hated English statesman Oliver Cromwell. Nature lovers come here for bird watching, seal spotting and scuba diving, and the island is known for its clear waters.

Lastovo is the antithesis of Croatia's party islands, making it well worth the three or four-hour ferry journey from Split if you're looking for some peace and quiet. Home to sprawling pine forests and Venetian-style stone houses, Lastovo is the largest of the 47 islands that make up the Lastovo Archipelago, and has its own protected nature park criss-crossed by walking trails. Visitors can expect quiet and secluded bays, freshly-caught seafood and at least a couple of exceptional beaches.

Tucked into the Gulf of Finland, Prangli is Estonia's northernmost island and home to only around 100 people. It boasts 600 years of history and presents both Scandinavian and Soviet influences, the latter most obvious in the banged-up trucks that date back to the island's time as part of a Soviet fishing collective. Nowadays, visitors catch the ferry at Leppneeme near Tallinn to rent bikes and explore pristine beaches backed by pine trees and juniper bushes. Highlights include the island's wooden saunas and, in the springtime, easily spottable seals.

Elba is the third largest island in Italy and is famous among history buffs as the location of Napoleon Bonaparte's first exile, but it's comparatively under-visited by foreign tourists. Those who make the trip are enthralled by its pristine beaches and snorkelling coves – part of one of Europe's biggest marine parks – and its world-class butterfly sanctuary. Meanwhile, historic Portoferraio is home to Medici fortresses and the Villa dei Mulini, which was Napoleon's residence when he was kept here between 1814 and 1815.

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Popular with surfers and photographers alike, the Norwegian island of Vagsoy is defined by two things: its dramatic landscape and its weather. The strong westerly winds and crashing waves have shaped much of the coastline, including the Kannesteinen rock, which is variously described as looking like a whale's tail, a mushroom and a goblet. Visitors can experience the coast in comfort with a stay at Krakenes Lighthouse, and can reach the island by road bridge or ferry.

Colonsay in Scotland's Inner Hebrides is renowned for its rocky landscapes, sandy beaches and wildlife, and – being just that little bit further from the mainland than its neighbours – is the ideal place for a quiet getaway. Reachable by ferry and the occasional flight from Oban, Colonsay boasts a spread of picturesque hills, several accessible caves, a bird reserve, Iron Age forts and a 19th-century abandoned village. The golf course is reportedly over 200 years old, although you'll need to avoid hitting the nearby airstrip.

France's Ile d'Aix, a little way off La Rochelle, boasts a long military history, having spent time as a prison during the French Revolution and as a naval fort under Napoleon, who spent his last days on French soil here after his defeat at Waterloo. Indeed, the only hotel on the island is the Hotel Napoleon, found just a block over from Napoleon Road. A car-free island, it takes no more than two hours to walk around the coast, although cycling is popular too. Visitors enjoy the windswept beaches and can learn all about the former emperor at a dedicated museum. 

Terschelling is – like most of the rest of the Netherlands – excellent for cycling, although horse riding is popular too. One of the West Frisian Islands to the country's north, the isle plays host to the Oerol Festival every June, a 10-day arts event that attracts about 50,000 people a year. It's also known for having some of Europe's darkest skies, and boasts starry nights aplenty at its Dark Sky Park. Reachable from Amsterdam within a few hours by car or train plus a ferry, during the day it has 20% more sunshine than the Dutch average.

The Cies Islands – off Spain's west coast, just north of the Portuguese border – and their surrounding waters make up a fiercely protected nature reserve. There's a daily cap on visitors, who need to get authorisation to visit in advance, and the islands have no bins or hotels – all your garbage must leave with you and you can only stay in sanctioned campsites. The effort is well worth it though, and guests can hike, snorkel and kayak to explore the park above and below water, and survey the archipelago's enormous colonies of seabirds. Rodas Beach, which connects two of the islands, is praised for resembling the Caribbean.

Margaret Island is a 1.6-mile (2.6km) spit of silt that bubbled up in the middle of the Danube as it passes through the Hungarian capital of Budapest. Named after the beautiful daughter of a 13th-century king, it has supposedly been a favourite meeting place for lovers since the 1800s. Nowadays, locals and tourists alike come here to relax among the trees, enjoy the island's thermal baths or rent a bike or pedalo. Visitors can also climb the 152 steps of the island's historic octagonal water tower and enjoy 360-degree city views.

The Scilly Isles are just 28 miles (45km) off the English coast of Cornwall, but locals pride themselves on being a world apart. With five inhabited islands and dozens more without permanent settlement, the islands' pace of life is generally slower than on the mainland, and the people friendlier. The majority of the population lives on St Mary's, the only island with cars and just one petrol pump. St Martin's is home to sweeping white beaches and seal snorkelling safaris, while Bryher is the most unspoilt and is well-known for birdwatching.

Iceland's Grimsey is known as 'the gem of the Arctic Circle' and is home to 50 or so fishermen and their families and more than a million seabirds, including puffins and Arctic terns. Despite being 25 miles (40km) north of the mainland, this remote island has a harbour, an airport and a handful of guesthouses and restaurants. Guests come here in the summer for the birds – the puffins can be found on the rocky cliffs between April and August – while winter attracts those looking for the Northern Lights.

Look for Portugal's Tavira Island on a map and you may be surprised to see that it stretches along the mainland, separated by just a few hundred yards of water in an estuary in the Rio Formosa Natural Park. East of Faro, this is where locals come on holiday to enjoy seven miles (11km) of pristine beach backed by eateries serving freshly-caught fish. The mainland town of Tavira is the best place to stay, with its cobbled streets displaying traditional Portuguese and Moorish influences.

Vrango is the southernmost inhabited island in the sprawling archipelago near and named after the Swedish city of Gothenburg. This car-free island is easily accessible by tram and ferry from the city centre and is famed for its traditional seaside villages, rocky shores and wild swimming. Yes, the water is very cold, but post-swim saunas abound. Vrango is also a birdwatcher's paradise, with around 60 bird species calling the island home. Head to the old pilot lookout for panoramic views of the mainland, the surrounding islands and the ocean.

The islands of Chausey, off the coast of Normandy in France, claim to be the largest archipelago in Europe. The chain boasts 52 islets at high tide, but at low tide that swells to an astonishing 365 islets when the waters of the English Channel recede. All of these islets are collectively considered a nature reserve, hosting more than 200 bird species including the magnificent red-breasted merganser. The main island, Grand-Ile, boasts a fort built by Napoleon III that housed German prisoners during the First World War.

Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura: these are the names that spring to mind when most people think about the Canary Islands. But there's more to the Spanish archipelago than these classic holiday hotspots, and La Gomera might be the most underrated of all its other offerings. Black-pebble beaches rim soaring cliffs and verdant valleys, and the island's many hiking trails cut through a wild volcanic landscape that looks like it was sculpted by an enormous hand. Foodies will enjoy the island's traditional cakes and crisp white wines, while the charming coves and crystal-clear waters can easily compete with those of its better-known neighbours.

Albania's tiny Zvernec Island is easily reached by foot from the mainland (near the city of Vlora) via an 886-foot-long (270m) wooden bridge. It is known for its pristine patch of pine forest, a well-preserved 13th-century Byzantine monastery and the wine produced at nearby Zvernec village. The monastery was abandoned during Albania's communist era, but these days locals again make pilgrimages there to honour Mary, mother of Jesus, every year on 15 August.

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