Three cool holiday destinations

Goodbye summer heat

Some people love the summer heat while others long for a cool spot to escape the hot weather. We have three holiday tips for “escapees”, where cool temperatures are guaranteed and the only sweating you’ll do will be in a sauna or while playing sport.

Bergen in Norway

© Jay Mantri
No more than 18 degrees, even in high summer – Bergen in Norway is a dream location for the heat-afflicted. © Jay Mantri

The second-largest city in Norway impresses with its location on the Byfjord on the west coast. Aside from the largest harbour in Europe, you can enjoy the traditional city life. There are also literally innumerable possibilities for discovering the magnificent landscape surrounding the city. Even in July and August, it rarely gets hotter than 18 degrees and it rains almost every day. Not for nothing is Bergen known as the wettest major city in Europe.

Glacier skiing

© Liz Pendleton
Winter sport fans will find what they’re looking for on a glacier in summer. Instead of ice-cold, it’s just pleasantly cool. © Liz Pendleton

If you’ve had enough of bathing weather with its heat, sticky city air and (too) scantily clad people but still want to remain in familiar surroundings, try an excursion to one of Europe’s many glacier ski resorts. Les Deux Alpes in France, the Schnalstaler glacier in Italy, the Matterhorn in Switzerland or the Hintertuxer glacier at Zillertal in Austria offer cool-weather lovers excellent slopes in summer as well. And all that comes with sunshine and temperatures that rarely exceed the 10-degree mark.

Lapland

© Ville Palmu
Lapland The fascinating landscape covers parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland. © Ville Palmu

Lapland is another great travel destination for avoiding the summer heat. The large, very sparsely populated region in the north of Norway, Sweden and Finland captivates visitors with its virtually undisturbed nature, with mountains, fabulous cool lakes and just endless woods and tundra. It’s a perfect place for planning a detour to the Arctic Circle or the North Cape. It’s also worth making a visit to Father Christmas’s village at Rovanniemi in Finland to get yourself in the winter mood. In summer and despite (almost) around the clock sunshine, temperatures are often a pleasant 15 to 25 degrees.