Last Updated on July 1, 2021
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Summer season is upon us, and what that means, is that many are getting ready to spend some of it traveling. Europe remains one of the top choices, which comes as no surprise, given all it has to offer. So many great countries with unique architecture, culture, perfect weather, amazing food and ease of getting around make spending summer in Europe very appealing. Even though the Old Continent is a great destination year round, summer months remain the absolute peak season.
When is high season in Europe?
Europe is a huge and a very diverse place and high season might differ a bit depending on the destination. But generally speaking June, July and August are what’s considered the peak tourist season in Europe. Although some places start seeing crowds already during the month of May. Summer in Europe means perfect weather, long days, most attractions are open and there is a lot going on. That is also when Europe is the most crowded, hotels most expensive and some destinations see record high temperatures ( i.e. Andalusia in Spain ).
I am a huge advocate for traveling to popular destinations outside of peak season. Nice weather starts early and runs well into the fall, places are still very lively, without being overcrowded, and prices of flights and accommodations drop significantly. However, sometimes you just don’t have that flexibility. Whether it’s coordinating your travels with school or work schedule, traveling during summer months is the only option for some people. While there is no way you’ll be able to escape the crowds, there are certain steps you can take to make your summer in Europe more enjoyable.
Tips to survive summer in Europe
Book flights and hotels way in advance
Last minute planning is not something I’d recommend when it comes to traveling to Europe in the summer. If you want to get a good deal on flights and hotels, you need to book everything early. Hotels and most popular attractions fill up fast in high season, and if you wait too long, you’ll have to deal with what’s left, which might be the most expensive option. Plus you run the risk of not being able to find any openings at all. Booking.com is an excellent choice for finding great deals on hotels around the world. When it comes to finding best deals on flights, Skyscanner is my go-to website. It lets you preview airfares for the entire month, so if you have flexibility in your travel dates, you can pick the cheapest flight.
If you plan on traveling in Europe by train, book those tickets early too! Reservations open anywhere from 60-90 days ahead, and the earlier you book, the cheaper it will be. There are a lot of promo fares early on, and it’s not unusual to pay 1/3 of the price compared to the last minute one. As an example, the high speed Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam costs 55 Euro if booked a few weeks in advance, compared to 135 Euro the week before. Also, most long distance trains require a seat reservation, and once the train is full, you won’t be able to get on.
Pre-book tickets to attractions
Booking your tickets ahead of time is my number 1 tip for traveling to Europe in high season. Aside from the most important, which is securing the spot to the attraction of your choice, there are other benefits to it as well. You save yourself from standing in a, very often, long line. With the ticket already in your hand, you can arrive before your entry time, walk right up and skip the line.
Most attractions open their booking system 2-3 months in advance and I highly recommend securing your ticket as soon as you have your travel dates in order. A lot of the world famous places are insanely popular, and in an attempt to control the crowds, there is a limited number of people allowed in. Your ticket will most likely have an assigned time entry and the earlier you book, the more likely you can get your preferred time slot.
Pre-booking your tickets online is also the only way to visit some of the most popular places like the Alhambra in Granada or Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. While you might be able to score a ticket to these and other popular places at the ticket counter off season, it’s nearly impossible in the summer. If you wait too long, you might miss your chance of visiting altogether.
Set your alarm clock early!
As someone who is not too fond of crowds and other people in my travel pictures, this is what I swear by, not only during summer in Europe, but everywhere else I go. The fact is, the most popular places will be crowded. Very often, you have to deal with not only independent travelers, but also with large tour groups. The only way around it, is to beat the crowds, and the way to do it is to get up early. If you don’t want to navigate through the sea of people and selfie sticks, you have to get there before they do.
Get off the main streets
When you travel to a certain destination, you obviously want to visit the most iconic landmarks. Whether it’s Eiffel Tower in Paris, Trevi fountain in Rome or La Rambla in Barcelona, you don’t want to, nor should you miss them. However, most places have a lot of hidden beauty in them, that often gets overlooked. All it takes is taking a little detour from the main street to discover the most beautiful spots. So go to the busy places early, and get lost in random alleys later in the day.
Get out of the city on the weekend
With many budget airlines, traveling between European countries is easier and cheaper than ever. The result is that the already crowded destinations, become even busier on the weekends. This is a good reason to explore the most popular attractions during the week, and get out of the city on the weekend. Although some of the nearby towns are popular as well, you’ll see just a fraction of the crowds compared to those in the city.
Most major cities have a lot of great options for day trips, and with an excellent public transportation in Europe, it’s very easy to do on your own and pretty cheap.
Here are some great examples :
- from Lisbon – go to Sintra or Cascais
- from Porto – go to Aveiro, Coimbra or Braga
- from Barcelona – go to Montserrat, Girona or Sitges
- from Madrid – go to Toledo or Segovia
- from Seville – go to Cordoba or Cadiz
- from London – go to Bath, Cambridge or Cotswolds
All these towns are anywhere from 1-2 hour away, so it’s easy to visit in one day. Aside from getting away from the major crowds, you’ll also expend your horizon and get a different taste of the country you are visiting. While major cities like Paris and London are very appealing to people, there’s a whole world outside of them that is worth exploring.
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Oh mann, I’m planning to visit Europe next year, but for two months : June and July. I’m gonna die. hahahah. Thanks for these life saving tips!
Ha ha 🙂 For the last few years I’ve been spending July in Europe and I still enjoy it. Just go with the realistic expectations, that it’s going to be crowded, and then use some tips to limit the exposure to the crowds:) I’m sure you’re going to love it anyway!
Great guide! This is going to be really helpful for my future travels!
Some great tips here regarding surviving summer in Europe. I would also say that booking hotels well in advance is also a great way of getting good quality hotels. I only booked Madrid 2 months in advance and ended up with a woeful hotel albeit in a very nice area.
Great Europe summer tips! I’m definitely not a morning bird but often get to tourist attractions in Europe as soon as they open to avoid the crowds, and then have a lazy lunch and relax for the afternoon. Time to plan another European holiday!
I absolutely second the pre-booking tip for top attractions. Even 10 years ago it was already a nightmare to queue for walk-in tickets to the Alhambra. You’d literally spent more than half a day just to get a ticket, that you can’t use for that day because your time slot is in the morning. You really don’t want to waste time in a queue on holiday!
Exactly, what a time waster.