Global warming and sky-high temperatures – booking a summer holiday in 2024 isn’t as simple as booking a sunshiny trip to the Med and enjoying the good weather. Perhaps you want to plan a holiday where the days are just that bit more temperate, where getting out and actually exploring the destination you’ve travelled to doesn’t go hand-in-hand with sunburn and suffocating crowds. You wouldn’t be alone – when asked what travel to Europe looks like this summer, travel specialists agreed that more and more of us are turning to alternative destinations. So here, we round up the 10 places that aren’t too hot in July.
French AlpsGetty Images
1. The French Lakes, France
Average July temperature: 23°C
You know the French Alps best for the powdery snow, cosy chalets and epic fondues – but summer here can be dazzling, too. “The lakes make an excellent set of coordinates for the would-be explorer, especially in spring and summer,” Steve King writes in our feature on Savoy. There’s the gorgeous, old-timey spa town Evian, and Annecy, on one of the most beautiful lakes in the area. July temperatures skim a pleasant 23°C – stay in the splashy Hôtel Royal while in the area.
GaliciaGetty Images
2. Galicia, Spain
Average July temperature: 23°C
Spain’s quiet, foodie region is a land of golden sand beaches, craggy coastline, glittering ocean and knotty vineyards. While much of Europe heads to southern Spain during these months, those in the know head for the west coast to Galicia, where days are spent exploring old-school towns such as Sanxenxo and eating simple fish suppers in restaurants like Benboa or fine-dining feasts at Restaurante Culler de Pau. Stay at the affordable Quinta de San Amaro.
