These are the best ‘coolcations’ in Europe

Europe was once home to the perfectly temperate summer holiday – warm enough to bask in a balmy piazza, but cool enough to throw on an extra layer in the evenings. 

That was until the effects of global warming accelerated and sent popular holiday destinations across the Med and other parts of Europe into literal meltdown. This summer alone, wildfires blazed in Cyprus and Greece, while the Acropolis in Athens was temporarily closed out of fears for tourists’ safety in the blistering heat.

But shade worshippers can breathe a sigh of relief, as the travel industry is now embracing a new kind of summer holiday: the cool vacation or ‘coolcation’. From breezy islands to crisp mountainous regions, here are the best places for a cool European holiday in August.

RECOMMENDED:
Europe’s most underrated travel destinations
How to be a better tourist in Europe’s most popular cities