Seeking cooler climes for the holidays of the future

As temperatures around the world rise, there are some holiday resorts that are – for some – getting just a little too hot for comfort. But as long as an uninterrupted dose of sunshine remains the top annual aim for many, the quest is on to find those destinations where the temperature hits the sweet spot.

So what’s up, sunshine?

Holidaymakers are having to expand their horizons like never before as global temperatures surge. Some popular tourist destinations, such as Nicosia in Cyprus, registered some of the highest temperatures across the European continent in the summer of 2023 with stiflingly high temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius during July. And while that might be just about bearable for some, the ideal summer temperature for your average Brit abroad, according to research, is 27 degrees Celsius.

So, where are the new destinations for those who like it hot – but not too hot?

Broadening your summer horizons

We took a closer look at cities across Europe to uncover the new holiday not-so-hot spots; places which can provide a cooler alternative to where the temperatures are soaring. In each case we sought out destinations that not only scored when it came to the perfect temperature, but delivered on the other factors which make a holiday truly special. These were the things that can fill your vacation with happy memories, such as access to landmarks and sights to keep your Instagram grid looking pretty, alongside museums, art galleries, and concert venues to satisfy the culture vultures.

Where to get that perfect holiday climate in summer

Let’s start with temperature. Europe is where the heat levels are currently rising at the fastest rate. Over the last 30 years European temperatures have increased at more than twice the global average, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). These extreme rises in temperature have caused havoc in favourite holiday spots including the Greek island of Rhodes which was ravaged by wildfires in the summer of 2023. Around the same time, the Italian island of Sardinia equalled the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe - an astonishing 48 degrees Celsius.

With this change in climate, it’s believed that Europe’s southern coastal resorts could see as much as 10% fewer tourists during the summer months. So where on the continent should the British traveller head to bask in that perfect 27 degrees in the summertime?

There are five cities that can currently compete for your tourism. The Catalan capital of Barcelona has an average summer temperature of 27 degrees Celsius, meaning the Spanish city on the sea is just right for those Brit sun-seekers who prefer things on the slightly cooler side. The same can be said for fellow Spanish city Valladolid, which also manages a 27 degrees summer average.

There’s also nothing to lose by travelling to Southern France in the summer, either. The beautiful city of Toulouse may be inland like Valladolid, but the Mediterranean coast is less than 2 hours away from this French favourite. Again, it’s a city that averages the magic 27 degrees in the summertime. Meanwhile Venice is Italy’s temperature top-spot, and Lisbon takes the crown for Portugal as they both average exactly 27 degrees in the summer too.

Plan your 2083 getaway today

So we now know where to get the Brit-perfect temperatures in Europe this summer. But if things are going to keep getting warmer at the present rate, then it’s likely that those cities will be a tad too toasty fifty years from now.

By 2083, the holiday heat map will look different again. The summer vacation destinations of the future will include cities that you likely wouldn’t consider now – or even be aware of. So start learning their names because if a 27 degrees temperature is what you’re always going to crave, this is where you’ll need to go:

Linz is a beautiful city in northern Austria that sits either side of the rolling blue waters of the River Danube. It’s a great mix of art, culture and history – and most importantly it’ll have a summer average of 27 degrees in 2083.

Saint-Étienne, a city in the Loire region of France, will also hit exactly 27 degrees as a summer average temperature fifty years from now. This arty city is northwest of the lush Pilat Natural Park, which is home to a huge variety of wildlife. And while Portuguese capital Lisbon is a Brit-friendly 27 degrees in the summer now, by 2083 you’ll need to head 195 miles north to Porto to hit the comfortable climes.

Are Romania and Slovenia on your future bucket and spade list? Well, you might want to consider adding them! Romania’s Sibiu is a beautiful mediaeval town in the region of Transylvania (yes, we know what you’re thinking) and it’ll have a 27 degrees summer average by 2083. Slovenian capital Ljubljana will hit that exact temperature by then too, and draw tourists in to enjoy this pretty and cosmopolitan city.

The cool resorts that have it all: today’s top summer destinations

But back to the present.

If you’re looking for the complete package – a European summer holiday with all the trimmings AND the perfect temperature - we’ve uncovered just exactly where you need to go.

We looked at 196 resorts across the continent to see where the average summer temperatures even out at that magical 27 degrees point, while assessing the quality of sights and landmarks, museums and art galleries, and concert and music halls. By combining these results, we were able to award each city a score out of 40.

And the first thing we noticed was that Italy is where it’s at! No less than 11 of the top 20 cities are in Italy, with Italian cities claiming each of the top 5 spots. In first place, with a near-perfect score of 37.16, is Venice. This jewel on the canals has been adored for centuries and it’s easy to see why, with its romantic architecture, endless bridges, wonderful food, and incredible history. And of course, not forgetting a summer average temperature of 27 degrees. Perfect.

And while the following four Italian cities of Pordenone, Trieste, Florence and Matera can’t quite score a perfect 27 when it comes to temperature, they each boast high scores when it comes to sights, landmarks and culture.

The first non-Italian city to make the top 10 is Weimar in central Germany. The average summer temperature there is a slightly cooler 22 degrees, but it’s packed with museums and art galleries and scores highly on sights and landmarks to ensure you’re never bored. Some other notable destinations that make the list of 20 are Salzburg in Austria, Prague in the Czech Republic, and Bruges in Belgium – along with two Irish entries, Limerick and Galway.

Stay cool at home, too

But if a cool staycation is more likely for you this year, then keeping your home at the perfect temperature during the summer months should be top of your to-do list. At Currys we have a great range of options to ensure that your room temperature is always exactly how you want it, no matter what the weather is doing outside.

With a portable air conditioning unit you can maintain a pleasant ambient temperature in whichever room you happen to be spending the most time in that day – so it’s great if you want to stay cool while working from home, or while lounging on the sofa watching the tennis. Likewise a portable fan is a great way to avoid overheating no matter where you are, while a desk fan will keep you cool while working.

Air quality is something to consider too, and can ensure a more comfortable summer for everyone. Check out our dehumidifiers for home ambience like no other, or a HEPA air purifier for cleaner air free from pollutants.

Methodology

For this study we compiled a list of 196 European cities and analysed them based on a range of different factors, including how close they were to the perfect “average” summer holiday temperature for Brits (as discovered in a study by Sunshine.co.uk), as well as ranking them based on their offering of ‘sights & landmarks’, ‘museums & art galleries’ and ‘concert & music halls’ to discover the best destinations to visit for a pleasant European summer holiday.

Perfect destinations for the future (2083) were determined by the findings that temperatures over Europe have warmed significantly over the 1991-2021 period, at an average rate of about +0.5 °C per decade the following study: https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/temperatures-europe-increase-more-twice-global-average Therefore each average summer (June-September) temperature, has had 2.5°C added to account for the five decades until 2083.

For the search volume, phrases such as Holiday in "Country", Holiday to "Country", Flights to "Country", Hotels in "Country" were used for each European country to determine interest.

Average 2023 temperature source: https://world-weather.info/

Cultural highlights source: https://composite-indicators.jrc.ec.europa.eu/cultural-creative-cities-monitor/docs-and-data

Keyword search volume: Google Keyword Planner