Best Places to Visit in the World in Summer

Summers, the time of vacations and long drives, picnics and light airy clothes, long swims and juices on the porch. This season has defined a break from the routine for the longest time. For the non-millennials probably summers meant going back to their hometowns or to Nani’s house, wandering around that town, loitering to nearby tourist places and enjoying playing with cousins. For most of today’s generation though, summers mean a vacation abroad. A vacation on the exotic island beaches in the Indian Ocean or in one of the beautiful European cities. Between June to September, the world is alive with tourism and vacation like no other time. So here’s a list for you, detailing all the best places to visit in summer in the world.

France

The French love their summer, more so than any other season probably. With the lift in winter’s gloom, the flowers blooming and the women shedding their designer coats and boots for light tunics and dresses, France comes alive during this season. From the wineries to the cafes, Bastilles Day celebrations to the beaches of Nice and Saint Tropez, France treats its locals and tourists with great fun. You can visit Paris, of course, for the usual tour and shopping and desserts and cafes, go to Bordeaux for wine tastings and strolls in orchards, or check out the South of France for its line of luxurious beaches and the Cannes Film Festival. The summer produce of fresh fruits, olives and other veggies mean you get awesome French cuisine too!

London, United Kingdom

Open air cinemas and fragrant blooming gardens, mildly shining sun and the rain gods retiring now and then - that’s London’s summer come to life. With a nice balmy temperature range between 16°C and 23°C, London is famous for a summer holiday. You can go the the Nottingham Hill Carnival, attend open street parties, visit the Big Ben and the London Eye, explore cathedrals and monuments, check out a Shakespeare play and much more at this time, without needing too many warm clothes. The showers are still unpredictable and may disturb you but that’s just the way it is when you’re in London!

Prague, Czech Republic

The Czech Capital is absolutely stunning in summers. From May onwards, the temperature here starts rising and spring has already done its magic. Prague’s theatres, ballet shows, musicals - all start opening up with a blast. The tourist places like the Old Town and the Spanish synagogue are now crowded with happy tourists and locals alike, milling about in the sun. You can take Horse-Carriage rides, enjoy exploring the cobble-stone streets, visit cafes for endless rounds of local coffee and cake, and of course, walk across the iconic Charles Bridge.

Canada

Canada is a country in the north of the North American continent, home to the Niagara Falls and the beautiful Banff National Park, along with amazing cities like Toronto and Vancouver and Montreal, with their tall sky scrapers and towers and the beautiful English-French culture. While this country is freezing in winters, the summers here bloom to life with a temperature range of 20 to 27°C. The Niagara thaws and free flows in all its glory, the national parks are again active with animals out of hibernation and everything seems more beautiful, lakes more blue, trees more green and people more lively. 1st of July is Canada’s Independence Day and a holiday worth enjoying here.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Now Thailand is very hot through the summers, but some islands around here are still just incredible for a nice warm vacation. Like the island of Koh Samui, ripe with its party beaches, pristine sea waters and so much adventure (re: snorkelling, scuba diving, swimming, kayaking). You can indulge in long lie-downs on the beach, go for massages or spas, eat delicious seafood from the shacks and enjoy tropical fruits like mangoes and pineapples endlessly with your drinks. The Full Moon party held on the full moon nights every month are another draw to the nearby Koh Phangan islands.

Greece

Greece is one of the best, or probably THE BEST place to visit in summer. With its white-washed island villas and bougainvillea covered streets, Roman and Greek god temples, ruins of monuments, this country is a breath of warm fresh air to tired souls. You can expect loads of sunshine, a happy Mediterranean Sea, amazing olive oil dressed salads and wines to go with every meal. Visit Athens for its Acropolis and Pantheon, Crete for the history and Mount Olympus for some legends and mythology. The Santorini Island is also a brilliant spot for a summer vacation.

Mexico

Spanish-influenced history, lush rainforests that are thick and endless, parties where you dance the tango and bottomless bowls of nachos and burritos; Mexico is a dream summer destination. Between June and September, the highest that the temperature ever touches here is 28°C. You can get your hiking shoes on and go explore the Mayan Civilisation ruins, camp in dense jungles, enjoy the street markets and museums of Mexico City or the pubs of Cancun, check out the active volcanoes and basically mix up leisure and adventure seamlessly.

Iceland

No, Iceland is not all ice, just as Greenland is not all green. In summers especially, Iceland rids itself of all that snow and shines with a midnight sun. For most of June and July, the days here in Iceland are almost 20 hours long, and the nights are really just an illusion when the sun still lingers on the horizon. In addition to this wonderful sight, you will be thrilled with active volcanoes, hot springs, waterfalls, natural mineral baths, national parks and lagoons that look right out of the stories of elves and gnomes. The people in Iceland are also very close to their myths and believe in all kinds of creatures that live under the land. So summer is a great time to visit this country, with all its magic and paradoxes.

Switzerland

Switzerland, the country of unparalleled natural beauty, of hills and valleys that rise and fall like a child’s water colour painting, is a dream summer holiday destination. With the Mount Titlis walks and explorations across cities like Geneva and Zurich, chocolate cafe tours and endless rounds of cheese dishes, the Swiss summer holidays mean very little cold and lots of sunshine. The warmth is not too high, only between 18 to 28°C, but that’s just perfectly fine for you to roam around without the need for winter coats or boots, unless of course, you are going up to a snow-capped hill.

Turkey

The Turks called summer ‘yaz,’ and indulge in all the delicious sunshine and bright seas with everything in them - from food and coffees and teas to clothes and festivals and arts. Istanbul is a bright beacon through the months following May, exuding a happy vibe as tourists and locals mill around the sites and markets. Izmir, a coastal resort town is also highly in demand as people flock down for beaches and parties, while Cappadocia is blessedly glorious, wrapped in the golden haze of the sun and hot-air balloons floating through the clear skies. So plan a visit to Turkey in summer for all of these and more, enjoy their country cafes, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits in desserts and summer dishes, along with bright coloured cooling sherbets while soaking in a hammam.

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Italy’s Amalfi Coast is another great summer destination, with its gem of a coastline, peaks rising from the beach and forests going denser and denser as you penetrate. The towns here are fairytale-like, with pastel coloured houses, ancient churches and cute cobblestone streets lined by local markets. Visit the amazing Positano Beach, take tours of the Amalfi Cathedral, Ravello Cathedral, Villa Cimbrone and the ancient city of Salerno.

USA

Well, all of the United State of America is too big to cover on one holiday, but rest assured, you can go to many cool places during your summer vacation. Some coveted destinations in the States include the East Coast cities like Chicago with its deep dish pizza, Boston with its rich American Revolution history and Washington with its classic monuments and the White House. However, the best place to be in the US during summer is New York. This city is so alive, with sunshine and people, fast cars and crowded streets, insane shopping and quiet Central Park musings. Other places to put on your list are the Grand Canyon, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Spain

The Spanish Summer is a thing of great legends. Why, it includes endless platters of tapas and lines and lines of cocktails, Ibiza beaches and Canary shore sailing; a Spanish summer includes exploration of Barcelona’s madness and football fever, as well as Madrid’s historic buildings that practically line the whole city. Granada is another great place for lovers of art and history, and you must gorge on plates full of paella when here. Caution: it’s also very hot and humid in June-July so go prepared to beat the heat.

Germany

Germany is a beautiful country, in any season. But summers take the cake when talking the ‘best season.’ With the beer festivals, art gallery events, innumerable exhibits and shows and the Black Forest region ripe with freshly blossomed trees; Germany is a hub of energy and activity. Berlin, the world’s art capital, is a beauty through and through, with its Berlin Wall and graffiti paintings, World War II museums and castles. Frankfurt is a modern city with skyscrapers and clubs, beckoning tourists for some summer fun. Hikes in the pine tree of Black Forest are at their best during July-August too!

Marrakesh, Morocco

This city of Morocco is all about stunning blue-carved mosques and ancient markets called souks, camel safaris through sand dunes and colourful buildings that give out a chic desert vibe. When in Marrakesh for summer, you are sure in for some great experiences, even though it is a little hot. From camel rides to caravans, camps in deserts to palace explorations and shopping; you will be in for a wild Arabic cultural extravaganza. Also, do not return from Marrakesh without trying their patent spiced Moroccan coffee.

Norway

Most in the world visit Norway to see the Northern Lights, and obviously they are the highlight of the North Pole and the Nordic countries. But there is more to the country than these winter lights. In summer, Norway is almost like a different place; all lush forests and flowing streams, sunshine almost the whole day and picnics that are the best reward to tough hikes. A range of 12–18°C in summer mean that you need basic warm clothing but not too much of anything. Visit the wooden houses and coastal streets in the 'sommerbyer' towns like Skudeneshavn, Stavanger and Haugesund. Sailing, fishing, idle walking and shopping from candy coloured buildings is just a local set of pastimes here.