Summer is the most popular time of year to go on a trip and a summer break can be spent in any country around the world, depending on what you’re looking for and how you like to travel. If you prefer spending your summers lying on a beach sipping cocktails or putting on a backpack and travelling around different countries in one trip, then there are a huge number of places to visit around the world.
Europe
Europe is one of the most beautiful continents to travel in the summer months. With some countries peaking at over 30 degrees, and others sitting at more comfortable mid 20s, there is always plenty to do in Europe. Some of the best city breaks can be found in countries like Italy, Hungary, France, Spain and more.
If you’re looking for a good city break for the summer then exploring Rome is one of the best you can go for. Although there will be a lot of tourists during the peak season, the city is one of the most beautiful on the continent. Surrounded by ruins, you’ll walk through a living museum of incredible architecture, as well as having the chance to visit the smallest and holiest country in the world – the Vatican City. With monuments and things to see including the Trevi fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum and much more, there’s an abundance of things to do to keep you busy. If you are feeling a little more adventurous and want to explore a little bit more of Italy, Florence, Venice, Naples and Pompeii are all within easy reach of the city.
Most people won’t think of Eastern Europe as a good place to visit in the summer, but those who have been there will prove them wrong. Budapest, in Hungary, is gradually becoming more and more of a tourist destination. With the country’s haunting history depicted in the House of Terror and the Hungarian Parliament Building, the relaxation of the thermal baths and spas, the splendour of the Great Market Hall, Matthias Church and its incredible views over the Danube River, the shoes on the Danube and much more, there’s a lot to see and explore when visiting Budapest. The best way to visit Budapest is as part of a trip around Europe. With Romania, Slovakia, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia and Serbia all bordering Hungary, it’s easy to jump on a train or a bus to explore the other countries.
Croatia alone is a beautiful country that would make the perfect summer break averaging in the mid-high 20s. There’s so much to see in Croatia including an abundance of National Parks including the Plitivice lakes. Four main resorts in Croatia include Dubrovnik, Zagreb (the country’s capital), Split and Pula. Whether you want to lie on a beach and soak up the sun, explore waterfalls, party at festivals or discover Roman ruins, Croatia has it all.
North, Central and South America
If you’re looking for more of a long-haul trip for your summer break then the Americas are always a great place to start. Florida is one of the main tourist destinations in America, with Orlando providing Disneyland and other attractions. A short trip from Florida is the Caribbean, so you can truly relax on the beach and sip cocktails to the sound of steel drums and the waves crashing.
Belize and Mexico are two incredible places to visit in the summer months. Although temperatures can be stifling, sometimes hitting around 35 C, but with incredible beaches, swimming with sea turtles and dolphins, and a multitude of Mayan and Aztec temples to discover, as well as grand rainforests, these countries have it all. In Mexico, the main resorts include Playa del Carmen and Cancun which have plenty of beaches for water sports and bars to keep everyone happy. In addition to the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlán and El Castillo, Chichen Itza (an Aztec museum and a Mayan temple) there are various adventure parks and other attractions such as the Xplor Adventure Park and Xcaret Park.
Guadalupe Valley in Mexico is also a main attraction and is every wine lover’s must go trip, particularly in August during the Harvest Festival. The festival is a 21-day event including a lavish feast, wine tastings, live music and cultural blessings and is one of the most popular events in the country.
Canada
Canada is another beautiful country to visit in the summer. With magnificent mountains and landscapes it is an incredible country year round, but in the summer months, particularly on the east coast of Canada, the summer is the best time of year for whale watching. One particular part on the east coast of Canada is Labrador and the island of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic. Here, humpback whales feed near the shore and 10,000 year old icebergs float by fishing villages. The Vikings first landed on the island and you can see the sod hut village they created which is now L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site.
Asia
Asia is a beautiful continent to visit late or early on in the year, but during the summer months they experience their monsoon season making it a bit harder to travel around. However in most of Borneo particularly in Southern and Eastern Sabah and in Sarawak, the summer months are relatively dry with temperatures averaging around 29 C with longer sunshine hours and less cloud cover. This gives a great window of opportunity to explore the Danum Valley and Kinabatangan River. As well as being home to some beautiful places of worship, such as the Tua Pek Kong Temple and the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, it is also a good chance to visit its beaches and bio-diverse rainforest home to orang-utans and clouded leopards.