Golden sand, crystalline waters, palm trees, but also green landscapes and historic buildings… What do you search for in a perfect summer holiday destination? Of course this is different for everybody but the most of us can say that we do love a bit of sunshine instead of rainy days during our vacation. In order to help you plan your ideal holiday we’ve prepared a list with the 10 best summer holiday destinations for this year!
10 summer holiday destinations
Tenerife
We start our list of the best summer holiday destinations with the beautiful Tenerife. It is one of the famous Canary Islands that are the result of volcanic activities. On Tenerife there still is volcano located which you can visit: El Teide. Because the volcano is sleeping, you can visit this place surrounded by a stunning natural park. Tenerife also has those unique black beaches such as Los Gigantes Beach and Jardín Beach, due to its volcanic origin. Discover more about the beautiful places you can visit on Tenerife.
Korcûla, Croacia
Korcûla is an island located in the southwest of Croatia, which is known for its dense forest. It is also known as ‘Little Dubrovnik’ because of its interesting old town with sights such as the St Mark’s Cathedral that dominates the square in Korcûla’s heart; or the remaining towers and city walls built to protect the city from pirates. In addition, the island has many small beaches: rocky, sandy and pebble beaches; and hidden coves with clear waters, perfect for scuba diving.
Have a look at these holiday homes and villas on Korcûla island!
Malta
Think of Medieval narrow streets, a beautiful cathedral and city walls located in the smallest capital of Europe: Valletta. You can see Valletta is 1 or 2 days, but it will definitely be worth it; like you’ve travelled back to the Middle Ages. In terms of beaches, you will not find many long sandy beaches with many tourists, but rocky beaches or bays. In addition, Malta is known for being one of the best places for scuba diving and snorkelling. This one of the best summer holiday destinations also has little islands with beautiful sights such as The Blue Lagoon on Comino, the colour of the water is amazing!
Amsterdam
The capital of the Netherlands always is a great holiday destination, but if you don’t like rain so much, the best season to visit Amsterdam will be summer. It doesn’t matter what kind of tourist you are, in Amsterdam there are so many things to do; the most important thing to do is visiting the canals in order to admire the typical and small houses that reflect in the waters. The best way to do this is with the most popular attraction of Amsterdam: the Amsterdam Canal Cruise. This way, you will learn all about the history of this famous city and also see the most beautiful sights.
For shopping, you should visit the famous streets such as the Kalverstraat en the P.C. Hoofdstraat. In addition, Amsterdam also has some beautiful parks like the Vondelpark, the Beatrixpark or the Rembrandtpark.
San Francisco
Also, San Francisco is one of the best summer holiday destinations since during this period, you’ll find the warmest temperatures, but also the most festivities. One of the most popular attractions in San Francisco is San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), but also The Golden Gate Bridge, one of the world’s most famous landmarks. Another popular sight is the Alcatraz prison which you can visit from Pier 39. In addition, don’t forget to visit Union Square that’s filled with some of the City’s oldest buildings, historical landmarks and a beautiful architecture.
Sardinia, Italy
Sardinia is known for its beautiful coast with stunning beaches and the offer of water sports such as snorkelling and scuba diving. Because of its many attractions it is also a great summer holiday destination for families. Discover some of its best beaches located on the Emerald Coast with amazing blue waters – don’t worry, the whole island is home to amazing beaches. Also, visit the capital of the island Cagliari where you can see the beautiful Cattedrale di Santa Maria, once of Gothic style and now covered by a baroque decor, located on Piazza Palazzo.
Sicily, Italy
Also Sicily is an Italian island, the biggest island of Europe. Like Sardinia, it has a lot of stunning beaches with white sand and crystal clear waters. In addition, there is a lot of history and culture discover, including in the capital of the island: Palermo. Sicily has been conquered by a lot of different cultures in the past which we see in all its historic buildings: the Cathedral of Palermo, the Palace of Zisa or the Teatro Massimo. In addition, the Sicilian province of Catania is home to the largest active volcano of Europe: Mount Etna. If you are a real adventurer, you can hike to some of the craters where you will be amazed by the unique natural landscape.
Ireland
Visiting the most beautiful green landscapes can be closer than we think. Ireland is a country rich in unique and stunning natural places, and one of the most important one is The Cliffs of Moher, one of the most photographed sights in all of Ireland. You should also see the Skellig Michael, it is home to a 6th century monastery. It is located 12 kilometres off the coast and standing 200 metres above sea level. In addition, we cannot forget to mention the capital of Ireland: Dublin. A lively city with many things to do such as drinking a Guinness in the Temple Bar, shopping in O’Connell street, visiting Trinity College and enjoying its green parks.
Porto, Portugal
Last but not least: Porto. Admire the beauty of this city from the Ponte Dom Luis I bridge, stroll through the Ribeira district and try one of the best port wines. The centre of Porto is like an open air museum with tiled houses in abundance: the ‘Azujelos’, the hand-painted tiles. The oldest district of the city is Ribeira, with small and narrow streets and many cosy places to have a great dinner. The tower that you can see from everywhere in the city is the famous Torre dos Clérigos, also a popular viewpoint to contemplate the city and its surroundings. Visiting Porto with your family? Discover the city by bike and see all the highlights of Porto in one day!
Have you planned your summer holiday yet? Choose one of these best summer holiday destinations and let’s enjoy the most beautiful beaches, old towns and natural parks of the world!