Continental Travel Inspiration for Summer 2020
No matter what happens with all the Brexit news we’re bombarded with every day, there is one important thing to remember from hearing about Europe so much; it’s always great fun when you can hop on a plane and be jetting off for a little getaway in less than two hours.
There’s a special thrill about being able to book a cheap flight (always remember three months out is when tickets are cheapest) and be able to soak in the sights and sounds of a new city for a few days. If you’re a savvy traveller like me, it’s all about living like a local and travelling without a big price tag attached.
And if you’re already marking on the calendar potential dates to get away in the Summer, I’ve compiled a list of cities to visit for the warmer months of the year, along with tips on where to stay and what to see.
Have a read and see if any destination sparks travel inspiration for next summer.
Where to go in May: Paris
Always think of Paris like London. Now imagine being right in the middle of London on a boiling hot day in July or August. Doesn’t sound like much fun, does it? That’s why I recommend going in May when the temperature is perfect; you’d be looking at 20° max most days and no drastic drop in the evening.
The best time to go (at the time of writing) is around the early May bank holiday as flights are still cheap. Paris is the kind of city where you don’t need an itinerary every day and simply walking around to see the sights can be fun, although big events at this time of year to check out would include Museum Night with free entry to dozens of museums and The French Open towards the end of the month.
When it comes to finding somewhere to stay, Fraser Suites Le Claridge is tucked away just off Champs-Elyséez and offers serviced accommodation as opposed to a cramped hotel room.
Where to go in June: Belfast
Technically still a domestic flight, Belfast is one of the only UK destinations where you fly over the sea to get there, so it sort of counts. June is the best time of year to visit the city, and there’s so much to discover when you’re there, especially if your knowledge of the NI capital comes from what you hear in the news.
Thousands of people travel here to see anything and everything related to Game of Thrones, but there are tours and such related to the Troubles, which is something arguably everyone should know about to get context with all the stuff going on in the news right now.
The weather is just like at home so you’ll have no trouble packing, and some places to check out include Crumlin Road Jail, Titanic Belfast, the Observatory bar at Grand Central Hotel (£8 for a pint with a view) and the Peace Wall which still separates parts of the city.
It’s also best to go in June as July and August are known as “marching season”, and it’s when a lot of the city shuts down. The middle of July is a bank holiday weekend here.
Where to go in July: Vilnius
Move over Berlin; there’s a new uber-trendy European city to visit.
Without looking it up, can you guess what country Vilnius is the capital of? You’ll have seen it every year on Eurovision, and it may not have sunk in, but Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania. And it’s a city that is surprisingly nice to visit in the summer.
It’s chock full of baroque-style architecture, has a lot of trendy graffiti, is surprisingly green for a capital and is steeped in history that you would never know about. When you’re not looking at castles or cathedrals, you can dig into some incredibly unique cuisine like Cepelinai or visiting uber-trendy bars without the trendy bar tag.
July is a great time to go as the weather is bliss but doesn’t feel too intense for a city that’s quite inland. Hotels there can be cheap too, but Airbnbs are even cheaper, and you’ll be able to get a good deal on a city centre apartment that will see you living like a local.
Where to go in August: Hamburg
Again…Move over Berlin; there’s another German city that is attracting attention. Now truth be told I’d always pictured Hamburg as nothing more than a big industrial port city but it couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s a bustling city a bit like Glasgow or Liverpool that leans on the fact it’s got a rich history and big river running through.
You can be sitting in a lovely little café for a morning coffee before exploring the canals of the city in a boat or lounging around at one of the city’s many beach parks; a growing trend that is seeing blank areas of the town turned into artificial beaches.
Also, it’s best to visit in August as it’s when the Hamburg DOM fair takes place. It’s a massive funfair that runs three times a year, and the summer one is where you can go down a rabbit hole sampling all the local food before watching fireworks every Friday night.
In terms of where to stay, serviced accommodation in Hamburg if your best bet when you want a spot in the city centre that makes it easy to get around town.
Need more travel inspiration?
Whether you’re looking for a simple family day out, or want to be inspired by somewhere special, check out all the travel posts from the blog here.
* This is a collaborative post*
