August is when half of Europe goes on holiday at the same time. The math is unforgiving. Where this works in your favor is in the destinations the big-city traffic ignores. Portugal's wild west coast, Scotland's Western Isles in their three sunny weeks, the Baltic beaches of Lithuania and Estonia, the northern Spanish coast around Asturias and Galicia. All of these are at their actual summer peak in August, and they are not packed.
The weather, the water, the feel
Atlantic Portugal 26 C air, 18 to 19 C water on the west coast, 23 C on the Algarve. Baltic 25 C air, 20 C water. Northern Spain 22 to 25 C air, 19 C water. Scottish islands 18 C air with surprise heatwaves. Mediterranean still hot at 30 C plus.
Comporta and the Alentejo coast in Portugal have wild Atlantic beaches with surf and pine forest behind. The Baltic dunes of Nida in Lithuania are some of the largest in Europe. Galician beaches like Praia das Catedrais are dramatic and uncrowded. The Outer Hebrides have white-sand beaches that look Caribbean and feel Arctic.
Five destinations on the shortlist
Atlantic
Portugal
26 C / 79 F
Comporta, west Algarve, Costa Vicentina cliffs.
Mediterranean
Spain
31 C / 88 F
Costa Brava coves, Menorca, Cabo de Gata.
Aegean
Greece
30 C / 86 F
Folegandros, Donousa, Schinoussa. The quiet Cyclades.
Adriatic
Italy
29 C / 84 F
Marche, Abruzzo Costa dei Trabocchi, Tremiti islands.
Baltic
Lithuania
23 C / 73 F
Nida and the Curonian Spit, Palanga pine beaches.
Insider planning tips
- Portugal's west coast has dangerous Atlantic currents. Swim where lifeguards are present.
- Greek smaller Cyclades have one boat in and one boat out a day. Plan tightly.
- Spain's Costa Brava cove parking fills by 9 a.m. Bike or walk in from villages.
- Italian August holiday weekend, Ferragosto on August 15, is the busiest single day. Skip travel that day.
Where to stay
Comporta has expensive resorts but Carvalhal and Pego have small guesthouses behind the dunes. Galician casas rurales in the Rias Baixas region around Combarro are cheap and excellent. Greek small Cyclades have a handful of pensions and they fill, so book early. Italian beach pensioni on the Costa dei Trabocchi between Vasto and Pescara are unfashionable and lovely. Lithuanian Nida has wooden cottage rentals you book through the tourism board.
Final word
August needs imagination. The familiar places are full. The secondary places are at their peak and quietly perfect.