Many such destinations are worth visiting for other reasons too: as well as being pleasant places to go on holiday, Iceland, Hawaii and the Greek island of Santorini all demonstrate, for example, the influence of vulcanism on island formation.

ECONOMIST: Good sport

Perhaps the closest comparison occurred in 2007, when the MS Sea Diamond ran aground near the Greek island of Santorini, eventually sinking and leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead.

WSJ: Cruise Operators See Shares Fall, Defend Safety

On the other end of the fame scale from Santorini, the island of Spetses, an island in the Saronic Gulf, is known mostly as a haven to ship owners who have houses here and less to the general public who flock to neighboring Hydra instead.

FORBES: Six Places That You Should Visit In Greece This Fall