Summer

You have already settled on summer, and now the details need sorting out. There are usually three questions: will the sea be warm, how crowded will the place be, and what has to be arranged in advance. Vacations are tied to school breaks or a work schedule, so shifting the dates is not always possible. This section helps you understand what to expect from a particular place in a particular summer month.

The core of the section is coverage of the sea and beaches. We look at where in Europe you can swim as early as June and how the water temperature in the Mediterranean changes. There are roundups of Italian beaches for the start and the end of the season, quiet coves in Mallorca, the Dutch coast and the beaches of Nice. We also compare the northern and southern shores of Lake Balaton, the Bulgarian coast in July and the warmest lakes in Austria. For Greece there is a piece on the meltemi: where this wind blows hardest and when it is better to go.

The second large group is month-by-month and seasonal guides. They cover cities and countries: Prague, Lisbon, Tallinn, Brussels, Berlin, Munich, Athens, Florence, New York, Italy, the Netherlands, Montenegro, Azerbaijan. Among resorts there are Ayia Napa, Paphos and Antalya. For long-haul trips we describe the seasons of the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt and Iguazu Falls. A summer month in these places can mean dry weather or the rainy season.

The third group is mountains, nature and events. This includes summer in St. Anton am Arlberg with its lifts and trails, trekking in Mestia and Svaneti, the Troodos villages in Cyprus, Galicia and Asturias. There is a piece on US national parks where advance reservations are required, and one on whale and dolphin watching in Brazil. Among events we cover Wimbledon and Ferragosto in Italy: what is closed that day and what stays open. If you are traveling without flying or by car, the pieces on night trains across Europe and on driving through Montenegro will be useful.

Every piece opens with a short answer to the main question. Practical sections follow: weather and water, crowd levels, prices, transportation, and what you need to buy or reserve ahead of time. Each figure comes with its source and the date it was checked. We name the downsides plainly: heat, lines, packed beaches, stores closed on a public holiday. The piece on Cornwall in August, for example, is built around the pros and cons of the busiest month.

The section suits anyone traveling in June, July or August who wants a sober view of the conditions. It is useful for families tied to school breaks, for beach lovers and for those planning mountains or a city trip. If your dates are flexible and you are still choosing the time of year, start with the "When to Travel" section. If you are looking for hotel roundups or museum descriptions, other parts of the site are what you need.

Start with the piece on your destination: it shows how the summer months differ from the rest of the year. Then look at the texts on the sea or the weather in that region to compare June, July and August with each other. After that, move on to the practical side: beaches, routes, transportation, reservations. If a holiday or a major event falls on your dates, check it separately.

"Summer" is part of the "When to Travel" section. Next to it are "Spring", "Autumn" and "Winter": they are worth a look if summer crowds or heat do not suit you. Many of the monthly pieces apply to several seasons at once, so they also appear in the neighboring sections. Holidays and events have their own section, "Festivals & Celebrations".

Summer conditions change from year to year: prices, reservation rules, lift and train schedules. We update the pieces and check the data against the official websites of resorts, parks, carriers and weather services. Before your trip, still verify the key figures with the original source, which is named in the text. That way you have a clear picture before you buy tickets.