Best European summer trips, where to actually go in July and August

The cities to skip

Rome in July is 35°C+. Paris in August is half-closed for ferie. Barcelona in August is overrun. The famous European capitals in peak summer are at their worst version. If your dates are flexible, push to late September or May.

If your dates aren't flexible (school holidays, weddings), pick by climate not by name. The list below is built for July-August specifically.

Northern coasts, cool and underrated

Northern Europe in summer is when the climate finally cooperates. Specifically:

• -Brittany (France), the cliffs of the Côte de Granit Rose, oyster towns like Cancale, the walled city of Saint-Malo
• -The Algarve (Portugal), technically southern but the Atlantic keeps it cool
• -Scottish Highlands, 18-22°C, 18-hour days, the seafood is unbelievable
• -Norwegian fjords, cool, dramatic, midnight-sun hiking, and the cruise season is at its peak
• -Faroe Islands, cool, dramatic, half the price of Iceland, and almost no other tourists

Mountain regions, the European summer secret

Altitude is the cheat code. The Dolomites, Slovenian Alps, French Alps, and the Pyrenees all stay at 18-25°C in July-August with hiking, lake swimming, and meadow walks at their peak. Examples:

• -Dolomites (Italy), Cortina d'Ampezzo or Val Gardena as a base, via ferratas, lake Braies
• -Lake Bled and the Julian Alps (Slovenia), the cheapest mountain trip in Europe
• -Annecy and the Haute-Savoie (France), lake + Mont Blanc views
• -Pyrenees (Spain / France), Aigüestortes National Park, hot springs, almost no English speakers

Greek islands, which ones, not Mykonos

The Cyclades are not all the same. Mykonos and Santorini in July are theme parks. The alternatives that work:

• -Sifnos, pottery, walking villages, the food capital of the Cyclades
• -Folegandros, cliffs and quiet, smaller than Santorini, half the price
• -Naxos, big enough to have variety (beaches + mountain villages), cheap food
• -Milos, the photogenic cliffs that Instagram thinks are Santorini, but with 80% fewer people

Corsica's mountains, the secret

Corsica is famous for its beaches, but the mountainous interior (Corte, the GR20 trail area) stays at 22-26°C in August while the coast hits 35°C. The mountain villages serve charcuterie and cheese unlike anywhere else in the Mediterranean, and the granite formations look like the Alps. Pair 4 days mountains with 3 days coast.

What to avoid (or book 6+ months out)

Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Lake Como, Mykonos, Santorini, Dubrovnik, Mallorca's west coast, all overrun in July-August. Manageable only with a 6+ month booking lead time and the discipline to plan around the busy hours.