While you may be looking forward to your summer 2026 holiday, one thing that can fill you with dread is the thought of dealing with the crowds. Unfortunately, many European destinations suffer from overtourism, meaning holidaymakers are increasingly looking for off-the-beaten-track spots instead.

If you’re a fan of the Canary Islands, but find Tenerife and Lanzarote a little too crowded for your tastes, then this place may be for you. Solmar Villas analysed over 160 destinations, looking at the density of crowds, pace of life, and safety, to come up the the most relaxing places for a holiday this summer.

Coming in at number seven was a little-known Canary Island that gets a fraction of the visitors of its popular neighbours. While roughly seven million people visit Tenerife each year, only about 26,000 make it to nearby El Hierro, so you won’t be fighting the crowds.

El Hierro is the second smallest of the eight inhabited Canary Islands, and is just 19 miles long, but it packs in lots of spectacular scenery. From black ash-covered volcanic landscapes to pine tree forests and natural sea pools with crystal clear waters, there’s so much waiting to be discovered.

Perhaps one of the reasons why El Hierro has been untouched by mass tourism is that it’s slightly more difficult to get to than the other islands. It has a small airport that only offers domestic flights, connecting it with Tenerife North and Gran Canaria, although it only takes an additional 40 minutes to get here by air. There’s also a ferry from Los Cristianos in Tenerife to Valverde on the island, which takes up to two-and-a-half hours.

Valverde is the island’s capital, a small hilly town that slopes down towards the sea and is surrounded by mountain scenery. Don’t expect a huge number of tourist attractions. You can visit the Casa de las Quinteras, which is full of archaeological items and exhibits on the island’s history, or wander around the pretty baroque Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción church that dates back to the 18th-century.

Close to the capital you’ll find one of the island’s most spectacular coastlines - El Charco Manso. The turquoise waves beat furiously against the black volcanic landscape, and there are walking paths along the cliffs where you can get the best views. Many of the island's beaches tend to have darker sand, although Arenas Blancas has lighter sand than the rest of the island, which looks even more dramatic in contrast to the surrounding black mountains and bright blue sea.

Playa de Tacoron is considered one of El Hierro’s finest beaches, and while it has no sand, there are flat rocks where you can lay out your towel and soak up the sun. The cliffside has ladders so you can climb straight into the calm bay and swim in the clear, blue waters of the bay.

Another incredible swimming spot is Piscina Natural La Maceta, a series of lava pools filled with natural sea water which also have beautiful ocean views as you swim. You can also take a boat trip from El Hierro for a day of whale watching and snorkeling, scuba diving, or just exploring the coast of this unspoilt gem before it becomes a tourist hotspot.

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