without a long-haul flight
Average June temperature: daytime highs of 27°C
Portugal’s Alentejo region is a place to make the most of summer by slowing down and living a little better. Here, you won’t find the crowds you might expect in other corners of the country in peak season: instead, you’ll find peaceful countryside, golden-tinged rolling farms, pretty little villages like UNESCO-listed Évora, and a thriving food scene that spotlights traditional dishes, farm-to-table cooking (and not in a performative, zeitgeisty way) and local produce (and wine!). In June, days are warm without hitting the mega-temperatures starting to appear in other parts of Europe.
Average July temperature: daytime highs of 22°C
If there’s one fantasy the Traveller editors keep rehashing at the moment, it’s the idea of a Scandi summer – somewhere it’s sunny but not too hot; where the days are long and spent soaking up nature without the crowds. Enter the archipelago of Sweden. Summer here is a jumble of bike rides, swimming in lakes, boat trips and festivals.
A town square in Tallinn
Getty ImagesAverage August temperature: daytime highs of 22°C
As one of the oldest cities in Europe, Tallinn is – perhaps unsurprisingly – drastically pretty. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There’s a thriving food scene here – the best restaurants in Tallinn reflect the best of Estonia’s produce and traditional recipes. In the summer, head up Toompea Hill for widescreen views of the city, take part in Tallinn’s sauna culture or take a waterfront cycle.
Athens from above
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