When it comes to picking a destination for a summer adventure, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the European countries. You can experience unique cultural experiences you’ve never encountered before and see centuries-old historic sites, all while enjoying the warm weather throughout most of the continent. While there is an endless number of destinations and activities you could add to your European summer itinerary, these five are some of the best Summer destinations in Europe.
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Greece
Greece is one of the best Summer destinations in Europe thanks to its gorgeous landscapes, beautiful sandy beaches, and sparkling turquoise water. These features are beautiful throughout the year but are especially magical under the warm summer sun. If you visit during the summer you may see more tourists than you would during other parts of the year, but you’ll get to enjoy the region while also enjoying the beautiful warm weather.
Athens is a great place to start your trip. Not only is it a major city, but it has a major international airport you can fly into. Athens is full of iconic historic sites, so you can easily spend a few days here to see some of the sites such as the Parthenon and the Acropolis. There are also many incredible restaurants where you can sample some of the local cuisines.
After a day or two, you can venture into the iconic island of Santorini. There are many unique things you can do here. First, you can arrive by ferry and see the beautiful white and blue structures built into the cliffs and landscape of the island. Next, don’t miss out on an opportunity to travel up the island pathways via donkey. Here, you can experience some of the iconic Santorini sights, such as the sunset over the sea. People come from all over the world to see it.
Finally, head to Mykonos. This beachside retreat offers an iconic nightlife scene and a perfect place to unwind and enjoy the coast. It’s a popular destination amongst many bloggers and photographers as it’s stunning. Mykonos also has a unique culinary heritage and you can try dishes such as kopanisti, which is a spicy and salty type of cheese, and louza, a carefully prepared pork dish.
Resources for Europe Summer Itinerary to Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos in Greece:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your summer trip to Greece. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Greece itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos, one of the best European Summer itineraries, in addition to what already mentioned here.
Italy’s Lake District
If you’re looking for a quintessential lakeside holiday, the Lake District of Italy is the perfect place for you. It’s been a popular summer retreat for centuries and still retains its charm and beauty to this day.
Start your Lake District retreat in Milan. This city is full of iconic history and things to do. Stop by La Scala opera house – it’s been operating since 1778 and is a great place to see an opera to this day.
Once you’ve spent a few days in Milan, head to Lake Como. This lakeside district has been a popular getaway for centuries and is an idyllic resort area. You can spend time at any of the area’s beautiful hotels and resorts in between exploring the natural beauty of the area.
Next, spend some time unwinding in Verona. This city is famously the setting for Shakespeare’s tragic romance, Romeo and Juliet. You can visit the Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore, a real cathedral where the marriage of the titular character of the play is meant to get married.
Resources for Europe Summer Itinerary to Italy’s Lake District:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your summer trip to Italy’s Lake District. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Milan, Lake Como, and Verona to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Italy’s Lake District itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Milan, Lake Como, and Verona, one of the best European Summer itineraries, in addition to what already mentioned above here.
South of France + Monaco
The south of France is a famed tourist destination, and the summer adds some extra sparkle to the already beautiful region. Start your trip in Saint-Tropez, which is a beautiful coastal town on the French Riviera. It’s been a popular destination for centuries and has been mentioned in songs like “St Tropez (Party Girl)” by Lana del Rey and “The Man” by Taylor Swift. Its iconic status comes from its sparkling beaches and celebrity guests.
Next, head to the iconic town of Nice which offers a pristine setting where you can experience the Mediterranean lifestyle and the stunning views of the French Riviera. The city has a unique history as it was once part of Italy. You can see the diversity throughout the city.
End your trip in Monaco, an iconic city-state that’s famous for being luxurious and wealthy, and you can get a taste of what the region has to offer when you visit. Visit the famous Monte Carlo Casino or attend the famous Monaco Grand Prix should you visit during the right part of the year. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll be able to make beautiful memories in this south of France!
Resources for Europe Summer Itinerary to South of France + Monaco:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your summer trip to the South of France + Monaco. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Saint-Tropez, Nice, and Monaco to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your South of France + Monaco itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Saint-Tropez, Nice, and Monaco, one of the best European Summer itineraries, in addition to what already mentioned above here.
Portugal’s Coastal Cities
Portugal is famous for many things, such as its picturesque coastline. Despite its incredible beauty, it’s an often overlooked summer destination. If you’re looking for good food, drinks, and things to do, consider a trip to Portugal’s coastline.
Start your trip in Porto, a charming coastal retreat that’s famous for the port wine that’s produced nearby. It’s an idyllic place to be – the cobblestone streets that are lined with shops and restaurants are a great place to wander. You can visit Livraria Lello, a stunning bookstore that opened in 1881, making it one of the oldest in the country. It has a remarkable stained-glass skylight and a famous staircase leading to the second floor, and it is said to have inspired Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.
Venture south to Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city. It’s a massive metropolitan area that has most of the amenities that any big city would offer. It also has its unique history that you won’t find anywhere else. For example, you can see historic parts of Lisbon that date back centuries as it’s one of the oldest cities in the world.
Next, venture even further south to Lagos. This coastal city is popular with tourists during the summer due to its beautiful beaches, natural features, hotels, bars, and fantastic food. You can spend a day here, or you could spend years here without getting tired of the beauty of the region.
Resources for Europe Summer Itinerary to Portugal’s Coastal Cities:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your summer trip to Portugal’s coastal cities. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Porto, Lisbon, and Lagos to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Portugal’s coastal cities itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Porto, Lisbon, and Lagos, one of the best European Summer itineraries, in addition to what already mentioned above here.
Interlaken
Interlaken is a picturesque town in Switzerland with plenty to do! It’s a great place to be if you love sports and other outdoor activities. Try paragliding for an adrenaline boost – it’s also a great way to experience stunning views of the region.
For another exciting retreat, participate in a Canyon Swing in Grindelwald. There are also many hiking, swimming, and boating excursions to participate in throughout the region. Interlaken is a great base if you want to explore the mountains. You can also visit Gletscherschlucht, a dramatic ravine that you can walk or climb through!
You can also head to Thun and spend an afternoon exploring via historic restored paddle boats.
Lake Brienz is also a fantastic lake to visit if you have enough time.
Resources for Europe Summer Itinerary to Interlaken:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Interlaken and more. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Interlaken to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Interlaken itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Interlaken, one of the best European Summer Itineraries, in addition to what already mentioned above here.
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Travel Resources for Planning a Trip to Summer Destinations in Europe
To make planning your trip to any Summer destinations in Europe easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your trip.
Flights:
Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.
CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!
Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.
JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.
Hotels:
Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.
Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.
Transportations:
Airport Transfers: KiwiTaxi, Viator
Train: EuroRail, Trainline or RailEurope
Bus: Flixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.
Car Rentals: AutoEurope, EconomyBookings, or GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)
Bike Rental: BikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals)
Transportation Comparison: Omio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)
Tours & Activities:
TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.
Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.
Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.
GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities
Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.
Need help planning a trip to visit Summer destinations in Europe?
Want to plan a trip Summer Destinations in Europe but don’t know where to begin? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!
At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a trip to summer destinations in Europe are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations at the best price.
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To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “How It Works” page or check out our video on “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in 5 Easy Steps” here.
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