Vai, Crete, Greece July 17, 2026

On the remote northeastern tip of Crete, Greece, lies a quiet corner far from typical tourist routes. Today"s image shows Vai Beach, a broad curve of golden sand bordered by calm, shallow waters of the Aegean Sea. With sunbeds, umbrellas and showers, it"s ideal for swimming, relaxing or enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. But what truly sets Vai apart is just beyond the sand: Europe"s largest natural palm grove. It consists of more than 5,000 Cretan date palm trees, a species native to Crete and parts of Turkey.

© borchee/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Jul 17, 2024Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
Jul 17, 2025Lavender fields in Plateau de Valensole, France

More Desktop Wallpapers:

June 25, 2026Buildings on Grand-Place Square in Brussels, Belgium
Feb 7, 2026Salar de Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia
Jul 7, 2025Northern gannets, Shetland Islands, Scotland
Oct 4, 2025ISS main solar arrays seen from SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour
Apr 3, 2026Armbrug bridge, Amsterdam, Netherlands
June 20, 2026Arched iceberg, western Antarctic Peninsula, Southern Ocean
Aug 17, 2025Lyngvig Lighthouse, Hvide Sande, Denmark
Sep 22, 2023Marsala salt pans, Italy
Dec 3, 2025Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, United States
May 5, 2024Colonnade in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico
Sep 4, 2024Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
Mar 9, 2026Grey seal sleeping on the beach, Orkney Islands, Scotland
Feb 13, 2025Lake Tyrrell, Victoria, Australia
Apr 8, 2024European hedgehog
Oct 23, 2025Snow leopards, India
Mar 26, 2026Logan Creek Suspension Bridge, West Coast Trail, Canada
Sep 19, 2023Hadrians Wall, England
June 8, 2026Lions mane jellyfish swimming in the ocean
Dec 25, 2024Lakes of Covadonga, Asturias, Spain
Sep 13, 2025Point Reyes National Seashore
Oct 1, 2025Clark Range, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
Oct 3, 2024Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
Dec 6, 2025Everglades National Park, Florida
June 14, 2026Mallard duck
Apr 11, 2026Papagayo Beach, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
Dec 6, 2024Helsinki, Finland
Mar 30, 2025Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
Feb 25, 2026Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, United States
Jun 21, 2024Reticulated giraffes
Apr 12, 2025View from the cupola of the International Space Station