Best Places to Visit in Europe to Escape the Heat According to Top Travel Advisors

Beat the Heat in Europe This Summer

Southern Europe in peak summer can mean 38°C (100°F) afternoons, packed piazzas, and energy-draining heat. But the continent is vast, and some of its most beautiful destinations are at their absolute best in July and August, when the days feel long, and the air stays fresh. If you’re searching for the best places to visit in Europe that don’t come with a side of sunstroke, this is your travel guide.

Since 2013, Flytographer has connected travellers with trusted local photographers in 350+ destinations worldwide. We’ve captured over six million memories for 100,000+ travellers who wanted more than a phone snap. Today, we asked our trusted travel advisor community to share the destinations they recommend to escape the heat in Europe this summer!

From alpine valleys in Italy and Switzerland to Scotland’s festival season and the fjords of Norway, here are the best places to visit in Europe when you want culture, scenery, and breathing room. ✈️

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1. Dolomites, Italy for alpine-fresh air and dramatic Italian scenery.
2. Norwegian Fjords for midnight light and cinematic calm.
3. Edinburgh, Scotland for walkable culture and August festival energy.
4. Ljubljana, Slovenia for storybook lakeside serenity and a charming capital.
5. Basque Country, Spain for ocean breezes and world-class food.
6. Stockholm, Sweden for island-hopping and Scandi design.
7. Swiss Alps for wildflower meadows and panoramic train journeys.

Photo: Lucrezia in The Dolomites for Flytographer. David and partner capture memories in The Dolomites during summer.

1. Dolomites, Italy

July/August temps: 15–25°C (59–77°F)

While Florence and Rome swelter, the Dolomites stay temperate and alpine-fresh. This is Italy with altitude and breathing room, where dramatic jagged peaks, wildflower meadows, and mountain huts set the scene for one of the best places to visit in Europe for summer hiking and lake swims. The Italian Alps have been drawing travellers for generations, and high summer is when the trails and rifugios truly come alive.

“Stay at Forestis Dolomites for a serene mountain retreat. Summer is ideal for hiking trails like Seceda or Tre Cime, mountain biking, and scenic drives. Eat hearty alpine cuisine, think speck, dumplings, and polenta, and enjoy evenings on terraces with panoramic views.” – Blake Greene-Kawar, Milo & Maps Travel Co.

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Photo: Nadia in The Dolomites for Flytographer. Chester and partner capture memories in Northern Italy during summer.

2. Norwegian Fjords

July/August temps: 15–22°C (59–72°F)

Summer is Norway’s golden season. The sun barely sets, the fjord water turns a shade of blue-green that seems artificially vivid, and the mountains are laced with waterfalls fed by snowmelt. Temperatures hover in the comfortable teens, cool enough to hike hard, warm enough to linger on a dock well into the evening. Start in Bergen, where the colourful old town wooden wharf buildings have been standing since the 14th century. For dinner, Lysverket in the KODE art museum serves Michelin-starred Nordic cuisine that ranks among the best in the country.

“The Fretheim Hotel in Flåm is a beautifully restored historic property sitting directly at the mouth of the Aurlandsfjord. On the fjords themselves, eat what the water provides: gravlaks, smoked trout, fresh shrimp pulled from the boats at the dock. Simpler than it sounds, better than almost anything else you’ll eat all trip.” – Erin Moore, Expedition Everywhere Travel

The Flåm Railway is one of the most dramatic train journeys in Europe, a 20-kilometre climb through gorges and past waterfalls that earns its reputation completely. Pair it with a fjord cruise along the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, where the cliffs seem to lean toward each other overhead. For those who want to earn their views on foot, the hike to Preikestolen, the flat cliff ledge hovering 600 metres above the Lysefjord, is among the most rewarding half-days in all of Scandinavia. And if your Norwegian itinerary includes the capital, Oslo is a vibrant European city that has quickly become the new capital of Scandi cool.

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3. Edinburgh, Scotland

July/August temps: 13–22°C (55–72°F)

Mild summers, historic streets, and a palpable creative energy make Edinburgh one of the best places to visit in Europe in August. Between the Fringe Festival and the Royal Military Tattoo, the entire city feels alive in a way that’s hard to describe until you experience it. The walkability, literary charm, and atmospheric old town make this a bucket list destination that delivers every time.

“I love pairing that festival energy with a stay at the Virgin Hotel Edinburgh. It has a bit of a rock-and-roll edge, but still feels relaxed and polished, a great contrast to the history of the Old Town. One experience I especially love to recommend is a historian-led food tour. You’ll hear the stories behind local specialities as you browse the cheese shops and fishmongers, and you may find yourself trying haggis after all.” –Margaret Critz, For the Good Times Travel

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Photo: Kim in Edinburgh for Flytographer. Kelly and partner capture memories in Scotland during summer.

3. Ljubljana, Slovenia

July/August temps: 18–26°C (64–79°F)

An alpine lake framed by mountains and forest, a tiny island church reached by wooden plintas, and a medieval castle perched on the cliffs above. Lake Bled looks like it was designed for a postcard, and it’s one of the best places to visit in Europe for travellers who want stunning scenery without the summer crowds of nearby Italy or Croatia. Just an hour away, Ljubljana is a compact, cafe-lined capital with a car-free old town, a hilltop castle, and an energy that feels more neighbourhood than metropolis. Slovenia remains one of Europe’s most underrated gems, and together these two stops make a case for the whole country.

“Vila Bled is my first call. It was Tito’s personal lakeside residence, and staying there feels appropriately cinematic. The rooms look directly over the lake and the island church, and the private swimming platform means you can slip into the water before the day-trippers arrive.” – Michelle Belcher, Archer Escapes

Capture memories with a local Ljubljana photographer →

Photo: Mankica in Ljubljana for Flytographer. Veronica and family capture memories in Slovenia during summer.

Basque Country, Spain

July/August temps: 18–26°C (64–79°F)

Northern Spain stays significantly cooler than Andalusia or central Spain, and the Basque Country is where incredible food, dramatic coastline, and a fiercely proud local culture all exist in the same place. San Sebastián is the anchor, and it deserves a spot on any list of the best places to visit in Europe, full stop. Nearby Bilbao adds architectural drama with the Guggenheim and a buzzing riverfront food scene. The Spanish pintxos crawl through San Sebastián’s Parte Vieja is one of the great food experiences anywhere.

“Walk to La Concha beach in the morning, and spend every evening doing a pintxos crawl starting with the anchovy and olive gilda and ending whenever the night decides. Bar Nestor for the legendary tortilla, Arzak if the budget allows for a tasting menu that earns every star. Drive to Bilbao for the Guggenheim, it is one of those buildings that genuinely changes how you think about architecture, and drive the coastal road back through Getaria and Zarautz with the Atlantic on one side and vineyards on the other.” – Allyson Bauer, The Ally Escape Co.

Book a photoshoot with a local photographer in San Sebastián →

Photo: Sofia in San Sebastián for Flytographer. Kim and family capture memories in Northern Spain during summer.

Stockholm, Sweden

July/August temps: 17–25°C (63–77°F)

Built across 14 islands, Stockholm is a city that thrives in summer. The light barely fades, the waterways glitter, and the whole pace of the city shifts to something airy and relaxed. It is easily one of the best places to visit in Europe for travellers who want design-forward city life balanced with nature, whether that means kayaking through the archipelago or exploring the artwork in the subways.

“Stockholm is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I recommend spending time in the archipelago or kayaking around the city. Visit the Vasa Museum, where a 17th-century galleon is perfectly preserved, or tour the ABBA Museum. Or just wander the city and explore the artwork in the subways. There are just so many options.” – Monica Hubinette, Hubinette Travel

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Photo: Eriko and Said in Stockholm for Flytographer. Samantha and family capture memories in Sweden during summer.

Swiss Alps

July/August temps: 15–23°C (59–73°F) at higher elevations

Green meadows replace snow, wildflowers carpet the hillsides, and alpine villages feel cinematic without winter crowds. Switzerland in summer is effortlessly beautiful at every turn, and every moment genuinely feels like a postcard. Lucerne deserves special attention, a lakeside city framed by snowcapped peaks where medieval covered bridges, waterfront promenades, and world-class dining come together in one impossibly photogenic package. The country’s train network, one of the finest in the world, turns the journey itself into part of the trip.

“I love building itineraries that combine places like Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zermatt, especially when you can incorporate scenic rail journeys like the Glacier Express or Bernina Express along the way. For stays, I tend to recommend Bürgenstock Resort overlooking Lake Lucerne or hotels in Zermatt with direct Matterhorn views. Days are spent hiking panoramic trails, taking cable cars up to viewpoints like Jungfraujoch, and slowing down with long lunches by the lake.” – Ana Santos, Wanderlustre Travels

Book a photoshoot with a local photographer in Lucerne →

Photo: Dairin in Lucerne for Flytographer. Tanisha and partner capture memories in Switzerland during summer.

Capturing Memories on Europe’s Cooler Path

Europe doesn’t have to mean melting in a crowded piazza. From the fjords of Norway to the alpine trails of Switzerland and the pintxos bars of the Basque Country, the continent’s cooler corners offer some of the most rewarding summer travel anywhere in the world. Wherever your cooler path takes you, Flytographer connects you with a local photographer in over 350 destinations worldwide, so you can bring home wall-worthy photos that capture the feeling of summer done right. 📸