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Shade seekers can rejoice, holiday travel trends are changing and tan-refreshing, sunbed-stewing summer getaways are on the decline.
Even Brits, habitually inclined to boil abroad, are redirecting their wanderlust to more moderate climates where they won’t be a prisoner to hotel air-conditioning or sweat over the midday UV index.
After the UK baked in its hottest ever June temperatures – 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk – this summer, it’s time to swap searing mainland Spain for the cooler Canaries, and trade Portugal’s Algarve for Poland’s Baltic coast.
With chasing scorching sun on the back burner, here are the destinations bringing a breeze to summer holidays, from wind-whipped islands to northern Europe’s fine coastline.
1. Ostend, Belgium
- Average high in August: 21C
- Average low in August: 16C
Though best known for its chocolate, beer and the hub of EU democracy that is Brussels, it would be foolish to turn your nose up at Belgium’s beach resorts. Let Flanders’ largest, Ostend, sweep you away to its golden sands this summer for mornings spent kitesurfing and afternoons filled with fresh oysters on the Albert I Promenade – all without the need to retreat from the heat.
2. Oslo, Norway
- Average high in August: 21C
- Average low in August: 16C
The Norwegian capital is a tangle of hip districts – specifically buzzy Grünerløkka – boutique stores and al fresco dining spots fringed by thick Marka forest (where you can go for active pursuits, including zip lining and mountain biking). Slick museums on the Oslo Pass, such as the Munch Museum, meet the culture criteria for a city break while taking a dip in seawater pools and drying off in Nordic saunas nails the R&R element of a standard summer holiday.
Read more: Off the grid in Norway – and more connected than ever
3. La Gomera, Canary Islands
- Average high in August: 28C
- Average low in August: 21C
While mainland Spain sizzles, an Atlantic onshore breeze blows through the Canary Islands, blessing balmy year-round La Gomera with inviting 20C days for holidaymakers to indulge in hiking, black-sand bathing and foodie feasts of melon, lobster and marmalade rabbit. The bearable heat doesn’t sacrifice sunshine, with around nine hours of vitamin D on offer in August.
Read more: Best luxury hotels in Tenerife
4. Tartu, Estonia
- Average high in August: 22C
- Average low in August: 13C
Inevitably laden with sweaty vista climbs, winding refreshment queues and daily step tallies in the thousands, comfort is key on a city break, and the 2024 Capital of Culture, Tartu, has just the climate for exploring Estonia. There is an elegant Town Hall Square primed for mass kissing events (yes, really), the sleek Estonian National Museum, and timber barges on the Emajõgi River for a sailor’s view of the peaceful landscape.
Read more: Here’s why Tartu should be on everyone’s lips
5. Sopot, Poland
- Average high in August: 22C
- Average low in August: 14C
Seafront Sopot, in the Tricity region of the “Baltic Riviera”, is an affordable alternative to the beloved big names further south and at its warmest come August. A short train ride from all the history of Gdansk, 4km of tempting beaches, Europe’s longest wooden pier and stylish health spas dot the fairy tale-esque facades, and locals hail Sopot for its beachfront nightlife scene and, of course, decadent waffles.
Read more: Obscure Lublin is one of my favorite cities for a holiday
6. Sylt, Germany
- Average high in August: 20C
- Average low in August: 15C
A magnet for the German elite, the North Frisian Islands’ mild microclimate, pinstriped strandkorbs (hooded wicker seats wide enough for two) and pristine pale sands understandably attract travellers to Sylt’s west coast. A Michelin-rosette gastronomy scene, thatched cottages and lighthouse-scattered peninsulas make this balmy under-the-radar beach break one to add to your list.
Read more: The German city that has Berlin teetering on its trendy pedestal
7. Lake Bled, Slovenia
- Average high in August: 25C
- Average low in August: 13C
Slovenia’s most famous attraction sparkles under the summer sun, and Lake Bled’s inviting glacial waters will help you keep your cool on climbs up to the medieval Bled Castle and romantic rows around the fantasy island. Where the legendary lakes of Garda and Como sweat with crowds in Italy, Bled’s slice of the Julian Alps, though inevitably busy, offers forest trails suited for secluded alpine hikes.
Read more: How this borderless city duo is celebrating its blended cultures
8. Machico, Madeira
- Average high in August: 26C
- Average low in August: 21C
Leave the scorching Algarve for a more temperate Atlantic alternative on Portugal’s Madeira archipelago. Sandwiched between mountains, far east Machico has a wave-battered artificial beach with golden grains imported from Africa, well-groomed gardens and a vision of terracotta roofs dotting its landscape.
9. Pori, Finland
- Average high in August: 19C
- Average low in August: 11C
On Finland’s west coast, the city of Pori is a centre for jazz music, Finnish street eats (including porilainen, an elevated sausage sandwich), and the star of Scandinavia, Yyteri Beach: 6km of white sand geared for windsurfing, bird watching, beach volleyball and barbecues. With the Kokemäenjoki River and Bothnian Sea National Park, this diverse destination has mastered sub-30C summer culture.
10. Haarlem, Netherlands
- Average high in August: 22C
- Average low in August: 14C
Head to Haarlem for tulips, vinyls, hidden hofje courtyards and a fair share of canals. Amsterdam’s less-crowded neighbour serves a slice of Dutch cool without the sweaty shoulder brushes with strangers. It has a popular shopping scene as well as a brewing culture dating back to the 14th century, and active pursuits can be found in the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park.
Read more: Best LGBT+ hotels in Amsterdam, reviewed by an expert
11. Skagen, Denmark
- Average high in August: 20C
- Average low in August: 14C
On Denmark’s northeastern peninsula, the port town of Skagen has art museums and fine dining to rival the country’s effortlessly cool capital, Copenhagen. Wisps of cloud paint the skies, and wild nature patrols the pale grains of the Grenen sandbar that straddles the Baltic and North Sea. Better still, August’s T-shirt and light-layers weather is ideal for exploring this stretch of the Rabjerg Mile – a migrating coastal sand dune.
Read more: The most beautiful towns and cities you need to visit in Denmark
12. Arran, Scotland
- Average high in August: 17C
- Average low in August: 13C
Closer to home, Scotland’s temperate isles are set to welcome holidaymakers seeking a heat reprieve this summer. On the Isle of Arran, or “Scotland in miniature”, there’s adventure and relaxation in spades with long sandy beaches, dolphin boat tours and hikes up Goatfell mountain that don’t require three layers of factor 50. The island off the west coast of Scotland is just a 55-minute ferry ride from Ardrossan. It is highly accessible from Glasgow.
Read more: Scotland forecast to benefit from ‘coolcations’ as Med becomes too hot
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