The summer It is that blessed season desired by all in which practically all Europeans move in search of places to escape from routine and live new experiences. But, if it can be, we like to do it less than 40 degrees centigrade.
Those who think that the climate change it is an invention of a few, they only have to shop around much of Europe between July and August.
The heat waves are becoming more frequent, even affecting areas where, until a decade ago, they did not know what this meteorological phenomenon was and lived oblivious to the invention of air conditioning.
We are talking about countries like Germany, Belgium or the Netherlands, where people also look for coast , or the rivers and lakes, to cool off in summer.
However, there are still pockets of temperate climate –and even a little cold– in which to spend the summer months in Europe in a somewhat more pleasant way. These are some examples:
Donegal, heaven on Earth.
IRELAND
The Emerald Isle, beyond its capital, Dublin , and the famous Cliffs of Moher –which are the star of the west coast of Ireland–, is, perhaps, one of the most underrated and unknown destinations in Europe.
Irish summers – with some 19 hours of sunlight at its peak – they invite rent a car and tour the country enjoying an ideal climate.
We can start a tour of the island from Dublin, passing through North Ireland to admire the geological miracle of the Giant's Causeway.
In the extreme northwest, county donegal gives us villages and small towns where the old Gaelic and Celtic roots they sink deep into a land replete with verdant meadows and dramatic cliffs.
It is here that one begins irish west coast which is among the most beautiful in Europe.
Hit by the gray and furious waters of the Atlantic, it shelters wild beaches, fishing villages in which to enjoy great cuisine and lively Irish music, magical peninsulas -like the dingle – and places where you would stay for years to come, like the beautiful Ring of Kerry.
already in the south, Cork and its surroundings They make a great stopover before heading back to Dublin and starting to sort through the memories of an unforgettable summer.
Värmland: Sweden's outdoor sports paradise.
SWEDEN
The wonderful forests, lakes and rivers of Sweden represent an unbeatable shelter for those who want to escape the summer heat in Europe.
One of the best places to visit in Sweden in summer is the Varmland region, located in the southwestern part of the country and bordering Norway.
There we can pedal or walk along the paths that pierce the Brattforsheden Nature Reserve, covered by ancient forests and lakes that thousands of years ago were hidden under a layer of ice. These same lakes, and others in the region, invite you to cross, slowly, by kayak or canoe.
However, the funniest and most original way to lower the Klära River – the most important in Värmland – is about a large raft of logs that we can build with our own hands. It is an activity organized by some area campsites, promoting teamwork and contact with nature.
The fauna also plays a vital role in these balmy European holidays, as safaris to search for elk in the wild they have become one of the most important tourist attractions in the area.
Faroe Islands in summer.
FAROE ISLANDS
The Faroe Islands, far from the general tourist focus, live a peaceful summer in which we must always have at hand a sweater or jacket, and we can sleep comfortably covered with a duvet.
That will be in the few hours of night that we have, because during the day it will be time to explore a land where mother nature rules.
So we can visit Kirkjubour –which claims to be the oldest wooden house in Europe–, Sandoy Island, Vestamanna Cliffs, Mykines Island –which has one of the largest puffin colonies in the world–, the Sorvágsvatn lake or the Fossa waterfalls.
Also, if we stop to listen to stories from the locals, they will tell us about trolls, goblins, dwarfs and other magical beings that populate these dream islands.
Isle of Skye (Scotland).
SCOTLAND
Discover the Highlands Scottish is a great way to avoid the summer heat in Europe.
We'll get lost in a labyrinth of narrow roads that go into green valleys limited by small, but numerous, mountains. In them, the castles they will stand out like stone and gray giants, contrasting with the rest of the natural work.
Echoes of battles and deeds will accompany us as we explore the Scottish lochs and islands, such as the famous island of Skye.
Starry skies, nature in its purest state and, if we miss contact with other people and urban life, glasgow Y Edinburgh They will give us what we need.
Bergen, Norway.
NORWAY
Norway in summer is a true paradise. Those months are ideal for visiting places like Bergen, with its colorful houses and its iconic fish market, where we can taste the magnificent norwegian Wild Salmon, but also whale fillets and other less common fish.
Stavanger It is another population that is worth seeing, presenting the largest number of white wooden houses in Europe.
The Sognefjord is known as the 'Fjord of Dreams' and we can travel part of its extension on board a train -the train Flam– , on one of the most beautiful railway routes in the world.
The Geiranger fjord, the Briksdal glacier or the national parks around Lillehammer are other attractions of Norway in summer.
In addition, it is a country specially prepared to carry out endless outdoor activities, such as biking, hiking, kayaking, rafting or sport fishing.
Skógafoss, Iceland.
ICELAND
Iceland, the land of ice and fire, forgets –partly– its first name during the summer months, becoming a pleasant place where the thermometer reaches over 20 degrees for several days.
If to that we add that as soon as the sun sets and has dreamlike landscapes, it is normal that this country has become one of the tourist hits most notorious of the last fifteen years. Especially in the summer season.
A complete trip through Iceland will take us, at least, a couple of weeks. That will be the time needed to enjoy the magnificent glaciers, volcanoes, secluded beaches of different types of sand, waterfalls, lakes and countless fjords that this harsh land colonized by the Vikings gives us.
Down south, we can't get lost the beaches near Vík, protagonists of Game of Thrones (HBO), the solidified lava –still smoking– of the Fagradalsfjall Volcano, the Vatnajökull (the largest mass of ice outside the poles on the planet), the glacier lagoon of Jökulsárlón and the waterfalls Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss.
In the north we can admire whales in the waters of the bay of the charming town of Husavik, and drive through the lonely, eerie landscape of the Northwest Fjords to latrabajorg, some cliffs where they nest puffins and from which the Vikings glimpsed the routes that would take them to Greenland or North America.
The snaefellsnes peninsula is another of the essential places on a summer vacation that must end with a visit to the famous golden circle and the alternative Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, one of the most bohemian cities in Europe.
Copenhagen.
DENMARK
Although it is true that, in recent years, Denmark has suffered some hot summer days, this Scandinavian country remains a habitual refuge of travelers looking for mild temperatures in July and August.
Perhaps one of the hottest spots in Denmark is its capital, Copenhagen, but it will be worth sweating a little to walk around its charming streets, pristine and colorful.
Legoland in Billund It is a great option for those traveling as a family. The Lego theme park delights young and old.
To give us a swim in the Baltic waters, in an enviable natural environment, there is no better place than the Bornholm Island, with its fishing villages, glass and ceramic workshops, mills and smoked warehouses.
Art lovers can visit Skagen, where there is a school of painters founded in the 19th century and a large museum.
The frisian islands, Helsingor (with its magnificent castle), the white cliffs of Mon and Odense – where we will find the house where the writer Hans Christian Andersen was born – are other essential places to enjoy a mild summer in Denmark.