Is there anywhere on the Med that’s not TOO hellish for mosquitoes?

[AndCallMeNancy]

It’s that time of year when I’m desperate to book a holiday…. we’ve been to Skiathos and Tuscany since the pandemic and they have been gorgeous holidays but the amount of mozzie bites that the whole family has had to endure whilst away has been awful. I’d love to hear of any experiences where people have been away in July/Aug and there’s not been too much of a mozzie problem (if you normally get bitten). We need sun and sea for our 9 year old DD so preferably the Med. Does such a place exist?!

Thank you! 🙏🙏

Loads of places, often it's just certain locations e.g. in Majorca I avoid Alcudia as I get mauled to death there. There are canals and lakes in the national park which have stagnant water and are a breeding ground for mosquitos. Anywhere else on the island I've been fine. Look at the resort setting, mountains and lakes are an issue, coastal usually but not always less so.

Just come back from a lovely sunny, warm fortnight in Cyprus. No bites on any of us.

That’s hardly surprising at this time of year. The OP asked about July/August.

I visit Cyprus regularly in the summer months and always get bitten. However, lots of people don’t get bitten at all.

It’s something that comes up quite often on the Cyprus Tripadvisor forum.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g190372-i9179-Cyprus.html

Thanks 😊 I have been to Majorca (Port de Soller) and don’t remember getting bitten but it was about 6 years ago so I may have just been forgotten. I will def think to check out the resort location on Google maps to look for lakes/ponds etc before I book anything.

I look carefully for lakes and streams nearby.
The other factor is recent rain. They had some unseasonable rain in some areas of the med in August and there followed an explosion of mozzies.

Was in Calla Millor last year first week of September and went armed with plugins and sprays. Never saw a mozzie.

I have been to loads of different places in the Mediterranean, in France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Greece & Cyprus. The only place I have ever had a problem with mosquitos was Pollensa, on Mallorca. And I am always the fist in line to be bitten.

How about the Canaries instead? I was surprised to discover that mosquitoes are much less frequently found there than on the Med. Doesn't mean there are none at all, but certainly much less of a problem.

I think it depends on your pheromones. DH and I go to the same place, he sprays all over and gets bitten, I don’t.
The only tips I can give are:
wear anti-mosquito wristbands (I hate sprays) and floaty swishy clothes
avoid stagnant water, so marshes, lakes and slow rivers
don’t water the plants on your balcony.

The drier, breezier Greek islands (Cyclades) tend to be pretty good - much better than the greener islands like the Ionian and Sporades.

Choosing fairly new built accommodation with ac and well sealed windows, plus repellent or long clothes in the evenings helps a lot.

Sorry to state the obvious, but have you tried taking an antihistamine? I took one every day on holiday last summer. I was still bitten, but the bites didn’t bother me or itch, and went down very quickly.

When I had been bitten on other holidays, they were borderline infected and enough to ruin my holiday.

I've never had a major issue on the SE coast of Mallorca. Been loads of times, often a few bites. Never hellish.

Use a proper repellant with Deet and a Raid Night and Day plug in.
I live in Puglia where it's humid and gets up to 40 degrees in summer. Mozzies not really an issue though they are everywhere (including this time of year)

We take antihistamines from February onwards for Hay Fever and it seems to have the added bonus of always keeping me and DS un-bitten and we've been to Corfu (notorious for them). DH used to get bitten loads until he also started antihistamines.

@MiniCooperLover You’re probably still being bitten, you just don’t notice them!

MaryActsLikeSheDontCare no I don't believe so. Not even the smallest lump or bump or scratchy skin or anything like that. Equally I do agree with the person who mentioned Pheremones. I've never attracted bites and I've been to a lot of places that are known for it. But I do think the anti histamines help and it helps to have at least a few weeks worth in your system.

Antihistamine helps reduce the swelling and itching but it doesn’t stop you getting bitten in the first place.

It just makes the bites a bit more bearable.

Spray with lemon cologne and they do not bite .

Well pre-loading on antihistamines sound worth a shot for sure. We always do deet etc and it seems to have little impact, still get savaged. Last year I religiously took a B Vit as I was convinced this had worked for a previous holiday to Spain but it didn’t cut the mustard in Tuscany 😭

Anyway, thanks everyone for your comments. Parts of Mallorca sound promising, I’m also going to look at the Cyclades as I adore Greece. I’ve never been very drawn to the Canàries but I think a previous thread on here that I looked at someone suggested they were pretty good in terms of mozzies along with Madeira so I might look into Madeira.

I was really fancying Croatia this year. Anyone been and able to report back re biting?

We have been several times to Gran Canaria to the Lopesan baobab hotel . It’s African themed and outstanding. 7 pools , lovely food room , entertainment ambiance. It’s relaxing and the smell when you arrive is amazing. It is mixed with citronella. No mosquitos or any bugs seem there .

Croatia (was near Dubrovnik) was actually pretty bad in the evenings. We just came back from Cyprus, near Ayia Napa (Atlantico Mare hotel 5* AI) not a mosquito in site and my DSS is a moz magnet.

The Cyclades are a good bet. We have been a number of tines and never got bitten.

Generally speaking I don’t seem to find them an issue in Portugal but I think it can vary year on year. I went consistently for 3 years without so much as a nip and then one year in the same location was eaten alive!