There are few things that can ruin a beautiful location like the screeching of tires, the honking of horns and the smell of exhaust fumes.
Car-free islands can help with this, as these islands are of course free from the above dangers as standard.
And there are more than you might expect.
To start, these six gems: from a time-travel trip to the US where you can ride in a horse-drawn carriage to a Greek paradise where anything with wheels is strictly forbidden, and from an island in the Channel Islands that is a paradise for stargazers to a paradise in the Indian Ocean with ‘the best beach in the world’.
Read on to find out how you can enjoy a smoke-free holiday…
Tresco, Isles of Scilly, British Isles
‘Award-winning accommodations, deserted coves and aquamarine seas’ await visitors to car-free Tresco. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Located 30 miles off the Cornish coast in the heart of the Scilly archipelago, the family-friendly island of Tresco can be reached by boat, helicopter or by swimming.
Car owners must leave their vehicles on the mainland.
What will they discover there? ‘Award-winning accommodations, deserted coves and aquamarine seas,’ according to www.tresco.nl.
Car-free Hydra (above) in Greece is praised for its turquoise waters, hidden coves and winding alleys
Located among the Saronic Islands in the Aegean Sea, this island is ‘almost unsurpassed’, according to Ted Thornhill, editor of MailOnline Travel, thanks to its picturesque harbour, hidden coves, winding alleys, chic shops, turquoise waters and car-free roads.
All vehicles with wheels are banned on the island. Ted says: ‘The absence of buzzing mopeds and cars tearing through pretty streets makes for a remarkably peaceful and carefree atmosphere.
‘Children can run around freely and sounds that might otherwise be drowned out can be heard clearly.
‘The horseshoe-shaped harbour is beautiful, the water is full of a mix of cute fishing boats, speedboats, yachts and superyachts. The water is bathwater warm, sometimes teeming with fish, and crystal clear thanks to the rocky seabed. Every day it’s a case of wake up at the hotel, leave, dive, repeat.’
Sark, Channel Islands, UK
Sark, above, is billed as ‘a magical island straight out of a fairytale’
Although cars are banned on Sark, the third smallest of the Channel Islands at just three by two and a half miles, visitors and residents can get around by horse and cart.
And for cycling and hiking enthusiasts it is a paradise.
Visitors can also enjoy fishing, rockpooling, clay pigeon shooting, archery and guided donkey walks, and the skies are renowned for their excellent stargazing.
The islands official website states: ‘Sark has a very unique character and personality, which sets it apart from the other islands and from the rest of the world.
‘Without the hustle and bustle of modern life comes a wonderful sense of freedom. Stargazing on Sark is a very unique and special activity. Many people who live amongst street lamps will never have seen the Milky Way or experienced the wonder of true darkness with millions and millions of stars above their heads.
‘Sark is a magical island that looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale. Ready to be discovered!’
Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA
Time jump: Motor vehicles have been banned on Mackinac Island since 1898
Arch Rock, a beautiful rock formation on Mackinac Island
On this Michigan island in Lake Huron, motor vehicles have been banned since 1898, with a few exceptions. The car-free environment adds to the Victorian-era charm.
The locals travel by bicycle, on foot, by horse and cart and by boat. There are numerous boats in the harbour.
This island, which reminds you of a time travel, offers plenty of opportunities for hiking. There are over 96 kilometers of hiking trails and you can admire beautiful natural stone formations, such as Arch Rock and Sugar Loaf.
Mackinac Island also has a rich military history. Visitors can tour Fort Mackinac and watch demonstrations of old weapons, according to the Associated Press, which adds: “In the summer months, the [fort] The entrance fee also includes access to the historic buildings in the village, including a blacksmith shop and the former American Fur Co. building.
‘You can walk through the streets in the city center for free. There you will find shops, churches, museums and other buildings.’
For more information visit Mackinac Island Tourist Office.
Vrnik, Croatia
Vrnik in Croatia, above, offers ‘a Mediterranean postcard landscape where seeing a pod of dolphins is nothing unusual’
Here you see the beautiful Vrnik, a little gem in the Adriatic Sea.
Toni Hrelja, founder of the rental company Villsy.com and a Croatian resident says: ‘Vrnik is a tiny island (0.11 square miles), part of a small archipelago, a Mediterranean postcard scene where it is not uncommon to see a pod of dolphins.
‘The accommodation on the island is private, with apartments or houses to rent. There is one restaurant and a fast food bar.
‘The great thing about staying on the small island is that you have the choice to completely disconnect or just hop on a boat and explore the nearby small towns and islands.’
During the summer months you can reach Vrnik by regular taxi boat from the town of Korčula.
La Digue, Seychelles
La Digue, pictured, ‘has beaches that look straight out of a daydream’
‘The palm-fringed sandy beaches of Anse Source d’Argent (above) on the island of La Digue are often called the most beautiful in the world,’ says Siobhan Grogan
The Seychelles archipelago consists of 115 islands, but car-free La Digue is perhaps the most beautiful.
Travel journalist Siobhan Grogan even claims it has ‘beaches that look straight out of a daydream’.
She adds: ‘The palm-fringed sandy beaches of Anse Source d’Argent on the island of La Digue are often considered among the most beautiful in the world.’
Holidaymakers to this spot in the Indian Ocean can encounter giant turtles, go kayaking and snorkelling to spot butterflyfish, porcupinefish, batfish and damselfish.