Best Summer Holiday Destinations — Top Picks for July & August
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The best destinations for the main summer holidays, ranked by July comfort scores. All entries average at least 25°C in July with reliable sunshine.
1. Nice
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 28.5°C
Nice averages 28.5°C in July with 14.3 hours of sunshine a day and only 10.5mm of rain — 10/10.
2. Sofia
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 28.6°C
Sofia averages 28.6°C in July with 14.1 hours of sunshine a day and only 33.0mm of rain — 10/10.
3. Marseille
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 28.4°C
Marseille averages 28.4°C in July with 14.0 hours of sunshine a day and only 4.0mm of rain — 10/10.
4. Rome
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 33.7°C
Rome averages 33.7°C in July with 13.9 hours of sunshine a day and only 10.9mm of rain — 10/10.
5. Madrid
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 35.0°C
Madrid averages 35.0°C in July with 13.9 hours of sunshine a day and only 3.2mm of rain — 10/10.
6. Florence
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 32.7°C
Florence averages 32.7°C in July with 13.9 hours of sunshine a day and only 22.8mm of rain — 10/10.
7. Valletta
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 31.2°C
Valletta averages 31.2°C in July with 13.9 hours of sunshine a day and only 1.6mm of rain — 10/10.
8. Naples
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 30.7°C
Naples averages 30.7°C in July with 13.9 hours of sunshine a day and only 11.8mm of rain — 10/10.
9. Rhodes
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 34.0°C
Rhodes averages 34.0°C in July with 13.9 hours of sunshine a day and only 0.0mm of rain — 10/10.
10. Corfu
Best months: All year · July rating: 10/10 · Average high: 32.4°C
Corfu averages 32.4°C in July with 13.9 hours of sunshine a day and only 3.1mm of rain — 10/10.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is hot in July and August?
Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean all deliver 28°C+ highs in July and August. The best European beach destinations for summer include Santorini, Dubrovnik, the Algarve and the Canary Islands — all scoring 8+/10 in July.
What is the best family summer holiday destination?
For families, the safest bets in summer are destinations with consistently warm, dry weather and calm seas: Majorca, Crete, Cyprus, Malta and the Algarve all score highly and are easy to reach from the UK.
Last updated:
Climate data sourced from Open-Meteo (open source, open data licence). Monthly averages calculated from 2020–2023 historical data. Weather can be unpredictable — always check a live forecast before travelling.