Are you planning your dream European summer vacation? While there are classic Europe summer holidays that probably come to mind, we wanted to share some of our own favorite adventures. They include epic road trips in nature, beach holidays, and so many unique European summer destinations. Hopefully, these Europe vacation ideas will inspire you for your next trip!
What to Know About Summer in Europe
Summer in Europe obviously has its perks. You’ll get the nicest weather, all the stores and restaurants will be open, and the water temperature is perfect for swimming.
With that said, the peak months of July and August do come with a warning. Depending on the European summer destination you’re visiting, this time of year brings loads of tourists.
What we’re trying to say is you won’t be the only one planning a summer trip to Venice Italy or Prague! The cities and popular historic sites can be particularly overwhelming with so many other travelers. It’s led us to explore less visited countries in the Balkans such as Albania and Montenegro.
The weather can also get excruciatingly hot in central and southern Europe during summer. That’s why we’ve picked cooler countries like Norway, Scotland, and Switzerland in the summertime.
If possible, we also recommend visiting Europe in the swing season outside of these months. We’ve often planned our trips on the edges of summer in May, June, September, and even October!
In some of our favorite European summer destinations like Greece and Italy, you’ll still find pleasant temperatures and less crowds.
Planning Your Europe Summer Vacation
Rental Cars
As you’ll see in this article, one of the best ways to experience summer in Europe is by taking a road trip. We’ve been everywhere, from the Romantic road in Germany to Croatia’s Dalmatia Coast and the fjords of Norway.
We always use Discover Cars to look for deals when planning our Europe summer vacation. Be sure to compare prices from the airports as well as weekly and monthly discounts. We also tend to opt for a company that offers free cancellation in case our plans change.
Flights to Europe in Summer
Another way to save money on your Europe summer vacation is by planning it around the best flights. If you’re flexible with dates, you can find incredible deals any time of year.
Plus, once you make it to Europe, the hopper flights between countries and cities can be as low as $15-20 USD! Check out our complete guide to scoring cheap flights with Skyscanner and scan the latest prices here.
Hotels
So where will you be staying on your European holiday? Accommodations will likely be your biggest cost, especially if you love luxury hotels like us!
One thing we always like to do is pick a longterm Airbnb and use it as our base to explore the region we’re visiting. This is not only a money saver with weekly and monthly discounts, but you’ll have a comfortable spot to come back to after exciting day trips.
European Summer Cruises
We know what you’re thinking… a cruise?? We were never big cruisers ourselves, but they’ve really grown on us in recent years!
It’s a fun way to see multiple European summer destinations at once. Your room on the boat will also double as your accommodation.
While the islands and coastal cruises are nice, our new favorite Europe summer vacation has actually been river cruising. You’ll always have something to see along the river (as opposed to a vast ocean) and it allows you to visit so many beautiful small towns.
Be sure to check out companies like Viva Cruises or Riverside Cruises if you’re looking for a bit of luxury. We’ve even taken multiple cycling trips with Boat Bike Tours on the rivers of Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
Tours For Summer in Europe
Don’t get us wrong! We absolutely love exploring Europe in summer on our own. However, there are times where it’s better to take official tours of cities and the historic sites.
Food tours are something we enjoy to get a taste of the local specialties. When searching for European vacation ideas, we always hop on Get Your Guide, too.
The most important thing to note is that you’ll want to book these activities in advance during summer in Europe. You won’t want to miss out on walking the Milan Duomo rooftop or a Milos Island Boat Tour because it was sold out!
Sim Cards
One of the first things we do after landing in a new European summer destination is buy a sim card. This is essential if you’re heading out on a road trip or for looking up places to eat in a new city.
More recently, we’ve been buying the sim cards prior to arriving in a new country. Apps like Airalo allow you to purchase them beforehand so you’re connected to the internet the very minute you land.
20 Epic European Summer Destinations
1. Norway Fjords Road Trip
Norway is one of those special places in northern Europe that’s perfect for a summer road trip! Due to the harsh climate, the summer months provide the optimal time to see the country in a more comfortable environment.
We have been here a few different times now, but our favorite experience was this 7 day Norway road trip. After taking a ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo, we rented a car and set off a magical week-long journey through the Norway fjords.
We explored beautiful towns like Flam and Undredal Norway, staying right on the water. You can also opt to see the fjords on a cruise, whether it be for an entire week or day trip.
Summer is the best time to visit Norway because of the wild weather. Even in July, we needed jackets and pants to stay warm! The accommodations are extremely limited during this time, so its always best to book in advance.
2. Explore Northern Spain
If you’ve been following us for awhile, then you know how much we truly love Spain. In fact, we recently made this country our European home base!
You’ll see Spain make multiple appearances in our European vacation ideas list. Still, it wasn’t until recently that we discovered the north.
Our first visit was a trip to the stunning seaside city of San Sebastian. This has become the food capital of Europe for it’s Michelin star eateries and pintxo bars.
You’ll definitely want to take a pintxos tour like this one on your visit. It’s also located on the border with France, which makes for some easy San Sebastian day trips.
On our most recent trip, we started in Bilbao and drove the entire northwest coast. This is part of Spain that surprised us in every way, as we made our way through Asturias and Galicia. There are so many small coastal villages and beaches to explore.
3. Netherlands Cycling Tour
The Netherlands is world renowned for its cycling and canals. So when we found out we could combine that with a river cruise, we were all in!
Boat Bike Tours has its hub out of the Amsterdam and runs a ton of incredible trips from the city. Our week-long cycling trip took us to some of the Southern Holland’s most famous towns.
Highlights of our tour were definitely seeing the windmills and stunning countryside. The best part was you ride all day and meet the boat at new stop, then wake up and do it all again! This is the exact tour we did, but also check out their Wadden Sea trip for something different.
This was honestly a dream European summer vacation for us. You can also check out Boat Bike Tours in the spring time to see the famous tulips bloom.
4. Croatia’s Dalmatia Coast
Okay, we’re off to the Adriatic Sea. Croatia is one of those European summer destinations where the islands get all the shine.
Trust us when we say we understand why! We’ve spent many summer days island hopping through Southern Croatia Islands like Hvar, Korcula, and Brac.
On our last visit, we decided to see more of the mainland. Split and Dubvronik are must-see cities in their own right, but the true gems lie outside of these two cities on the Dalmatian Coast.
We based ourselves from the small coastal town of Trogir Croatia for one month. Having a rental car allowed us to take so many awesome day trips.
A few places you won’t want to miss are Makarska, Sibenik, and the Biokovo Skywalk. Also, be sure to check out the ancient Klis Fortress, which sits right above Split!
5. Moselle Valley, Germany
Heading back inland, our next recommended summer destination is the gorgeous Moselle Valley. Honestly, before our Boat Bike Tour, we’d never heard much about this part of Germany!
After all, the country is most famous for its beer, and international travelers rarely hear about its wine. Our first experience in the area was biking from Metz France to Cochem Germany all along the Moselle River.
This is one of those river cruises we’ve been raving about already, and we can’t say enough about them. We enjoyed the Moselle so much that, afterward, we decided to stay for a month in the small wine town of Reil Germany.
Our month-long Airbnb was completely surrounded by vineyards and looked out to the Moselle River. We truly fell in love with the area and all the tiny German wine villages.
While Bavaria and the Christmas Markets get well-deserved attention, don’t miss out on this awesome part of Germany. You can read all about our 8 favorite Moselle Valley towns for inspiration.
6. Costa del Sol, Spain
This is a region of Spain that first captured our hearts at the very beginning days of our blog. The stunning Costa del Sol stretches along Spain’s southern coast for a majestic 150 km.
Travelers are drawn here during summer in Europe for its blue flag beaches, culture, and delicious food. Popular towns like Malaga and Marbella are worth visiting, but don’t skip out on the smaller coastal towns!
One of our absolute favorite places in Europe is Nerja Spain. We’ve spent many weeks here and taken drives up into the mountains to villages like Frigiliana and Mijas.
The best part about the Costa del Sol is that it’s a year-round destination! This coastline is blessed with over 320 days of sunshine a year, making it ideal for swing season or even winter in Spain.
7. Greek Island Hopping
How has it taken us this long to get to Greece on our European summer list?? Greece is the country that we’ve blogged extensively about and we keep returning to year after year.
If you can believe it, we’ve now been to over 20 islands… and with over 6,000 to see (200+ inhabited), we won’t be stopping anytime soon!
Here’s a list of the best islands in the Cyclades we think you’ll love. With that said, you shouldn’t limit yourself to just the popular islands.
To be very clear, we’re not saying you shouldn’t visit Santorini or Mykonos at all. These islands are still worth seeing, but you’ll want to avoid them in July and August at all costs.
For instance, we’ve been to Santorini in May and felt like we had the island to ourselves! However, if you go in the peak summer months, it will be swarmed with cruise ships and people.
Our best advice for island hopping in Greece is to take 1-2 weeks and explore different islands. Pick a popular European destination like Naxos Island or Rhodes and combine it with a smaller islet you may have never heard of.
The Greek Island ferries make it easy to travel from island to island. Also, if you plan your dates right, you can find ferries for as low as 5 Euros. Check out our ultimate Greece Island hopping itinerary for some fun Europe vacation ideas.
8. Hiking in Zakopane Poland
Poland is easily one of most underrated European summer destinations! While we’ve spent plenty of time strolling the streets of cities like Krakow and Gdansk, some of our favorite memories were hiking in the Polish Tatra mountains.
Zakopane is a beautiful town located on the Slovakia border. It’s popular in both the winter during ski season and the summer for its stellar hiking paths.
With Zakopane being just 2 hours from Krakow city, it’s easy to plan a couple of days here and include it in your Poland itinerary. Two of our favorite trails were the Kasprowy Wierch and Morskie Oko in this area of the country.
9. Relax on the Albanian Riviera
Albanian Riviera? Yes, that’s right!! This Balkan country may not be at the tip of your tongue when thinking about pristine European beaches. Yet, we’re here to tell you that Albania has them!
The southern coast of the country features numerous beach towns that are worth exploring. We started our own 2 week Albania itinerary coming from the Greek island of Corfu.
A quick Corfu to Saranda ferry took us to the seaside city for a couple days. We then visited Ksamil Albania just up the coast, which has some of the nicest beaches in the Balkans.
There are amazing bars that hang over the water where you can order a drink and jump right in the Adriatic Sea. The coast is nice and relaxing, but there is plenty of adventure to be had in Albania as well.
From Ksamil, we took a wild ride on the Albanian bus system to such towns as Himare, Dhermi, and Livadhi Beach. You’ll also want to spend some time in the historic mountain towns like Gjirokaster and seeing sites like Butrint National Park.
10. Camping in Switzerland
It’s no secret that Switzerland is one of the more expensive Europe vacation ideas you could have. Still, one thing we’ve learned over the past decade traveling, is that almost anywhere can be done cheap!
We had our own fun camping adventure on magical Lake Brienz. Pitching a tent here put us in great position to see the Swiss Alps and experience the best things to do in Interlaken.
Another way to save money in this region is by purchasing the Jungfrau Travel Pass. This pass gave us unlimited use of the buses, trains, and gondolas so we could easily explore the area. You can even see snow in the summer months by taking a day trip to Jungfraujoch.
Not a big fan of camping? Don’t worry! This area of Switzerland has some spectacular luxury spa hotels like Deltapark Vitalresort on Lake Thun.
You’ll also be in close proximity to the France, Germany, and northern Italy. Be sure to add this to your European Summer destinations wishlist!
11. Costa Blanca, Spain
Costa Blanca is another stunning coastline in Spain that we have fell in love with. So much so, that we actually moved here full time in 2024!
It stretches from the fun town of Denia over 200 km south to Pilar de la Horadada. Without a doubt, Costa Blanca has some of the nicest beaches in Spain.
One area we particularly love is just south of Denia at the starting point. You’ll want to check out Javea Old Town and its majestic Montgo Mountain, Moraira, Altea, and of course the sandy Calpe beaches.
The easiest way to get to Costa Blanca would be to fly into its largest city of Alicante. It’s worth spending at least a couple of days here before renting a car.
Also, don’t forget that the Balearic islands lie just off the coast! It’s easy to take a ferry or fly to Mallorca or Ibiza and include that in your Costa Blanca itinerary.
12. Mainland Greece
The Greek islands make multiple appearances on this list, and for good reason! However, some of our favorite recent European summer destinations have actually been on the mainland.
First off, you should know that the Greek mainland is incredibly large and vast, with much to explore. Let’s start with an area that’s easiest to access from Athens!
The Peloponnese region is full of historic sites, lovely beaches, and historic small towns. After a recent Tbex travel conference, we rented a car from Kalamata and took off on a one week Peloponnese road trip.
For those looking for a Europe summer vacation by the beach, Halkidiki is another amazing place to discover. It’s easy enough to fly in and spend one day in Thessaloniki, then you can rent a car to explore all three Halkidiki peninsulas.
Meteora Greece is one other place that would be crazy not to mention on the mainland. These are the world-famous monasteries you’ve probably seen in pictures that sit perched up in the cliffs.
The west coast is certainly worth seeing as well. You can make a stop in towns such as Parga Greece, and be within range of the Ionian islands like Kefalonia off the coast.
13. The Islands of Malta
Malta is one of the most unique European summer destinations to visit! Lying just 60 miles south of Sicily, Malta is an explosion of culture, food, and history.
It’s small enough to rent a car in Malta and see in a couple days, but also large enough to spend an entire week in.
Simply strolling around the colorful streets of Valetta and eating all the local specialties is sure to captivate any traveler. Another spot we loved was Mdina, which is known as Malta’s Silent City.
Many people don’t realize before researching that Malta has 3 fun islands to experience. One of our favorite memories was taking a day trip to tour Gozo Island!
Another exciting excursion from the big island is visiting the Blue Lagoon for a beach day. Just make sure to hop on one of the first boats in the morning during the summer, as it can get packed with people.
14. Portugal Road Trip
Ever since our first visit to Portugal, we’ve been yearning to see more of this country on the Iberian Peninsula. So what’s the best way to take a European summer vacation here?
If you couldn’t tell by now, we love a good road trip! Something we highly recommend would be to rent a car and make a one week northen Portugal itinerary from Lisbon to Porto.
While the Lagos beaches of the south may get all the summertime shine, there’s so much to see along this coastline between the two major cities.
After experiencing some of the best things to do in Lisbon, it’s time to drive towards the north. We enjoyed stopping at the Tomar Castle, seeing the big waves of Nazare, and so many small towns along the way.
Our last stop of the road trip was Porto Portugal, which quickly became one of our favorite cities in Europe. Check out this six bridges boat tour for a historic tour from the water.
If you have some extra time, the Douro Valley wine region is a popular place to go. This area just north of Porto has been on our European summer destinations radar for such a long time!
15. The Magic of Tuscany Italy
If you’ve never been to Tuscany, you’re probably dreaming of wide open landscapes, pool villas, and sipping wine from a balcony. For some it may be the ultimate Europe summer vacation!
While visiting in the summer, we found it not to be as crowded as Italy’s endless beach towns along the coast. We fell head over heels with the food and culture of this region immediately.
Our accommodation was in the medieval village of Montepulciano, completely surrounded by Tuscan vineyards. The location allowed us to take day trips to more awesome destinations such as Castiglione del Lago, Pienza and Cortona Italy.
One word of warning about Tuscany is that can get very hot in the summertime. Pisa and Florence are must-visit cities and easy to fly into. However, we recommend staying in one of the smaller towns and using it as your base to explore.
16. Budapest, Hungary
Oh Budapest, where do we start! This is a city we’ve gone back to time and time again. From the many bridges crossing the Danube River to the Buda Castle & Fisherman’s Bastion, there’s so many fun things to do in Budapest.
Our favorite part of any visit here is dipping in the thermal waters. There are dozens of places to go in the “city of spas” including Szecheny thermal bath, Rudas, and the remarkable Gellert baths.
Aside from all the sites, you’ll want to experience the cuisine of Hungary’s capital city. Check out our self-guided Budapest food tour and stop in for a drink at the Szimpla Kert, which is the original ruin bar.
For those with extra time on their European summer vacation, you can head a couple hours north to Eger Hungary. This city is located in the wine region and filled with mind-boggling sites.
17. Germany River Cruise
With all the beaches and mountain adventures on our Europe summer destinations list, you might forget about the rivers! River cruising in the summer is a very relaxing option that will still allow you to see so much.
Instead of having to jump on a train or pack and unpack your luggage, you can simply sleep on your floating hotel and wake up in a new town each day. We’ve loved our time cruising down the Danube and Rhone, but there’s one special place you should consider for your next trip.
Germany is a country with so much to explore, and rivers like the Moselle and Rhine are the best way to see the small villages. Last year, we sailed on the Viva One Cruise Ship and it ended up being one of our favorite travel journeys!
Setting off from Dusseldorf Germany, we passed through historic towns like Bernkastel-Kues and Trier. Some of our favorite moments were also sitting on the top deck and watching the world pass us by.
Here’s how to pick the best Moselle River Cruise if you’re considering this style of vacation. We had such a great time, we even took a Christmas Markets Cruise later in the winter!
18. Scottish Highlands
Don’t worry, we saved one more epic road trip for you! Scotland is a country that’s always been at the top of our bucket list. So when we spotted a longterm airbnb in the town of Stonehaven, we knew this was our chance!
After an incredible month on the northeast coast, we rented a car and drove to straight to the highlands. Our journey took us to to some of the most famous castles in Scotland, hiking trails, and unreal viewpoints.
A few highland highlights you won’t want to miss are the Isle of Skye, Urquhart Castle, and a legendary Loch Ness cruise.
We ended in the great city of Edinburgh and enjoyed so much delicious food in Scotland. You can read all about our 10 Day Scotland road trip and use it as a guide to plan your own adventure.
19. Stockholm, Sweden
We touched on Norway earlier, but there’s another Scandinavian gem to consider for your Europe summer vacation! Stockholm is a beautiful city that every traveler will appreciate.
However, in the summer it takes on a whole other life! Stockholm truly comes alive in the warmer months, as it’s made up of over 20,000 islands.
You can utilize the efficient ferry system to get around or simply stroll your way through the elegant city. Here’s our top 15 things to do in Stockholm Sweden on your own visit.
20. Dodecanese Islands, Greece
We wouldn’t be true to ourselves if we didn’t end this blog with our favorite country! The Cyclades are the most popular grouping and rightly get the recognition they deserve.
Nevertheless, there’s another set of islands that everyone should know about! Any Dodecanese rip should start from the big island of Rhodes Greece.
Take a 2 or 3 days to discover Rhodes Old Town and indulge in some delicious traditional Greek food. After that, it will be easy to hop your way around to nearby destinations like Karpathos, Symi Island and Halki.
This is an island grouping we just can’t get enough of. With how many amazing islands there are, you could spend anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks in this region of Greece.
Have any questions on this article or want to share your own favorite European summer destinations? Leave us a comment below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
