7 Best Summer Destinations in Europe: Hidden Gems, Solo, Family, Couples Escapes & Adriatic Cruises

Originally published on April 24, 2026 | Last updated on April 24, 2026

Where in Europe are you traveling this summer? Are you looking for the best destinations in Europe for a spontaneous summer trip? This piece features a list of the seven best summer destinations in Europe for anyone planning a summer vacation in or around the continent. The list contained the best summer destinations, featured based on why you should choose that particular activity and place. Options range from booking a private tour as independent travelers, joining a pre-planned small group tour, and even solo options for those who prefer slow travel destinations around Europe.

For a balanced perspective, I have asked a select number of the most traveled people where in Europe they are headed this summer, and this is a well-tested list of the top summer destinations in Europe.

What you will learn about the seven European summer destinations revolves around:

• Reasons to visit European destinations for summer and beyond
• What’s special about traveling to Europe for summer vacations?
• What couples love about spending summer vacation in Europe
• What’s special about cruising in Europe

If you don’t find your favorite or the destinations among the list, don’t worry; you can submit it to us or mention it in the comment sections.

And if you are a brand, having more reasons to bring travelers to your destination, reach out for a feature!

Enjoy this piece until the next post, which will feature interesting facts about countries you’ve been dreaming of visiting.

Let’s get started with #1 destination.

#1 Granada, Spain: Best summer destinations in Europe For Couples

Adrienne Clement is headed to this best summer destination Spain can be proud of, not a solo traveler or a small group tour, exploring this part of Europe as part of her private couple trip.

What’s special about this European summer destination: Granada was the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain, and the architecture and culture still show that today. The Alhambra is a Moorish fortress that still stands and is the most visited tourist attraction in Spain.

Granada is one of the hubs for flamenco dance, and you can visit one of the cave bars in the Sacromonte neighbourhood to catch a show. Granada is also a haven for outdoor activities, and you can go hiking or even skiing (in the right season) in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Any excitement about visiting Granada for those traveling to Europe this summer? Or could  Granada be the best European summer destination for couples? Adrienne is most excited to visit the beautiful gardens of the Alhambra. With peacocks roaming, ornate fountains, and blossoming orange trees, this is her version of paradise.

How to follow Adrienne’s travels, head to @adrienneclement on Instagram.

#2 The Adriatic Sea is one of the Best summer Destinations for European Cruises.

Renata Castro is headed to the Adriatic this summer, joining a cruise with Virgin, and is so excited! On her European summer travel schedule are Rome, Athens, and Istanbul on an amazing Virgin Cruise. Rome is her flight entering Europe, but the main destination is the Virgin Cruise departing from Athens.

The cruising cost benefit and convenience are unbeatable. What excites her the most about these affordable summer destinations in Europe? This is her 9th cruise with Virgin, and they do a great job with the food, excursions, and stops. The experience on the ship is amazing, and I have been a FAN of cruising after doing a cruise with Virgin in Florida. I am particularly excited to go to Istanbul on an overnight stop, as well as Mykonos and Ephesus.

#3 Albania: Best yet Underrated Summer destinations in Europe

Courtney Muro, a travel writer, is traveling to Albania on a private couple trip.

What’s special about traveling to hidden summer destinations in Europe, like Albania: She’s tired of going to the Times Square of everywhere, the places where tourism has made every interaction transactional.  Albania is the opposite. It’s still under the radar enough that people are genuinely curious about you. They want to talk, they want to share their food, and they want to tell you about their town. That’s increasingly rare in Europe.

Albania also has a big ‘agrotourism’ scene right now, where you stay on vineyards and farms and do cooking classes, wine tastings, and actually hang out with the owners because you’re not at a multinational hotel chain, you’re at someone’s home.

We actually had free luxury stays that we turned down because we’re really craving the authentic connection of a polished, packaged experience. I’m so excited to be sitting at someone’s family table in their orchard. That’s the kind of travel I care about, and it’s getting harder to find in Western Europe.

Any excitement about visiting alternative European destinations to avoid crowds? The thing she is most excited about is going somewhere people are still a little afraid to go. That’s usually where the best travel happens — before the crowds, before the prices spike, before everyone’s seen it on Instagram. Albania feels like that right now.

Interested in following Courtney travels, head to @thehautebohemian on Instagram

#4 Slovenia: Less Crowded Destinations to Visit in Europe in Summer

Marcus Cent is headed to Slovenia, one of the best European destinations for slow travel.

What he likes about traveling to slow travel destinations is the freedom to explore on his own schedule. The best experiences are those you have by accident!

What’s special about traveling to Slovenia for summer vacations? The country is full of surprises. The coastal town of Piran is a timeless little resort town that comes alive in the summer. The Adriatic is perfect between July and September. Venture inland to experience the charm of the capital, Ljubljana, and don’t miss unique attractions such as the waterfalls around the Julian Alps region.  

Any excitement about visiting this European destination with history and architecture: It won’t be his first visit, but it’s a country he never gets tired of exploring. One of the true gems of Europe.

#5 Norway’s Arctic Coast is on the list of the Best Coastal Towns in Europe in Summer.

Claire Ward, together with her husband (plus a few of our friends and family with strong enough stomachs), is headed to one of the coolest Arctic destinations in Northern Norway for sailing trips and more.

Their journey actually starts in Inverness on the East Coast of Scotland, before making its way to the Arctic Circle via Norway’s Fjord Coast. Not by foot, plane, or car, but instead, under sail. Not just any sail, but the sail of Orlanda – our 1985 Hallberg-Rassy.

What’s special about ski and sail experiences during summer in Europe?

For a few years now, they’ve had a dream to ski in the Lofoten Islands, where they have heard that the mountains start almost from the shoreline, the fresh seafood is second to none, and the nature is still wild.

Of course, sailing the North Sea in February isn’t many people’s dream – so they made the decision to leave in July and take their time to meander up the Fjord Coast.

Any excitement about visiting Norway’s Arctic Coast: Going by Boat

One of the beautiful things about travelling by boat is that the journey, although not without challenge, is every bit as good, if not better than the destination itself. They’re excited to be truly immersed in Norwegian culture and discover the towns, villages, and communities that are perhaps a little more ‘off the beaten path’.

Go here if interested in following Claire’s travels

#6 Switzerland: Best Summer Destinations in Europe for Trekking Junkies

Emily Pennington is headed to Grindelwald, Switzerland, for summer solo travel.

She is SO excited to share her summer travel plans, as she’s returning to beautiful Switzerland on a personal trip to go inn-to-inn trekking. Emily is a trekking junkie and a veteran travel writer, always looking to highlight fun, unique angles.

What’s special about traveling to Grindelwald, Switzerland, in summer: it’s FAR less crowded than other summertime Swiss haunts, like Zermatt or the French Chamonix, but every bit as scenic. Sky-high peaks and icy blue glaciers sprout up everywhere surrounding the adorable mountain hamlet of Grindelwald.

As such, the inn-to-inn hiking routes I’ll be taking this August are much less crowded and tough to book than the overtouristed Tour du Mont Blanc, and she’ll be munching on fresh pastries and fondue as she treks around on verdant mountain trails.

Any excitement about visiting Grindelwald for summer trips?  She’s only ever traveled to the Grindelwald area in the winter, for its world-class skiing, so returning in the summer to witness impossibly green valleys and trek on craggy peaks will be completely amazing in a new way.

Interested in what Europe Summer looks like through Emily’s travels, head to @BrazenBackpacker on Instagram.

#7 Hungary’s Gorgeous Summer Destinations in Europe

If you are wondering where to travel in Europe this summer, Blanka Molnar, a seasoned traveler,  is happy to recommend Hungary and Turkey, where she is traveling with family, solo, and not on a group tour.

What’s special about visiting Hungary in summer for solo or family trips: Hungary is where I am originally from, and every year, I am excited to travel there. Budapest and Hungary are gorgeous, with lots of possibilities (nature, sightseeing, solo and family-friendly activities). Everybody finds something to do.  

Excited about visiting or flying over Budapest?  Yes, always. She loves it when her plane flies over Budapest, and she notices the main sights like Citadella, Parliament, Heroes’ Square, and of course the Danube (Blanka used to be a tour guide in Budapest during her university years), and then lands at the Liszt Ferenc airport.

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