An island is not automatically quieter, cheaper or easier because it appears less often in travel roundups. Small transport networks can make a short stay surprisingly fragile. The useful question is not which island is most remote, but which island’s limitations you can comfortably accept. These three choices offer different answers: Atlantic weather on Flores, a walking-oriented stay on Eigg and longer sea connections to Lastovo.
Flores: allow the weather a vote
Flores, in Portugal’s Azores, belongs on a shortlist for travellers who value compact journeys between coastal settlements and walking landscapes. Santa Cruz das Flores and Lajes das Flores are practical names to understand before choosing accommodation. A dramatic location on a map is less helpful than knowing how you will obtain meals, reach a trail and get back if the weather changes.
Build your stay around the island itself rather than assuming every boat excursion will operate. A trip to nearby Corvo is a separate weather-dependent decision, not a guaranteed extension. Ask the operator about current conditions and cancellation arrangements, and do not put a critical onward flight immediately after an exposed sea connection.
Rain and wind can affect walking as well as transport. Carry waterproof layers, verify trail status and turn around if visibility or footing deteriorates. In a small settlement, park without blocking access and use established paths rather than crossing working land for a different camera angle. Choosing a locally run base can make practical questions easier to resolve.
Eigg: make the arrival part of the plan
Eigg, one of Scotland’s Small Isles, offers a different kind of detour. Its community-owned context is important, but visitors should not reduce that story to a slogan. Read local information, book somewhere to stay and treat the island as a functioning home before treating it as an outdoor destination.
Check the relevant ferry operator’s timetable for your actual date. Services, departure ports and operating patterns need checking rather than inference from a general map. Confirm baggage or bicycle arrangements if they matter to your trip. Accommodation capacity is limited, so securing a sailing without a suitable bed is not a complete plan.
A car-free stay can be a strength when you choose walks appropriate to your ability and the conditions. An Sgùrr is a recognisable landmark, not an obligation. Wind, wet rock and limited visibility can make a lower-level walk the better decision. Ask your host about current access, stock up thoughtfully and avoid assuming that food is available whenever you return.
Lastovo: plan around the port
Lastovo, in Croatia, suits travellers willing to spend more of their holiday getting to and staying in one place. The archipelago’s nature-park setting adds reasons to understand local rules. It does not remove the ordinary questions of groceries, onward transport and where your accommodation sits relative to the arrival point.
Ubli is the key ferry-port name to check against your booking. Lastovo village and other accommodation areas are not interchangeable with a port-side arrival. Establish how you will make that final connection, especially with luggage or a late arrival. Compare vehicle-ferry and passenger-service options using the operator’s current schedule, not an old itinerary found elsewhere.
Summer demand and heat can change the experience; outside the busiest period, reduced services may become the bigger issue. Neither season is automatically best. If swimming or boating is central to your plans, ask about local conditions and designated access. Keep noise low around homes and harbour workplaces, and never interpret an attractive waterfront as unrestricted private-property access.
Choose the constraint you can live with
Compare total travel time, not just the final sailing or flight. Include transfers, a disruption buffer, accommodation availability and the cost of staying an extra night. A less remote island with a longer stay may deliver the experience you want more reliably than a complicated chain of brief visits.
Before paying, check official sources: Visit Azores for regional context, CalMac for relevant Scottish ferry information, Jadrolinija for Croatian sailings and Lastovo Islands Nature Park for park guidance. These links are starting points, not promises that a particular service runs on your date.