Where to go in August?
33 destinations at their best in August, with what to think about before you leave.
- London What to pack for a trip to London? London can be visited year-round, but April to September offers the longest days and the most pleasant weather.
- Amsterdam What to pack for a trip to Amsterdam? Spring (tulips, lively canals) and summer offer the best conditions; winter is cold and rainy but the city stays open.
- Berlin What to pack for a trip to Berlin? Berlin's summer is lively, sunny, and ideal for enjoying green spaces and cultural life; winter is cold and dark.
- Chamonix-Mont-Blanc What to pack for a trip to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc? Chamonix peaks in winter for skiing (December to March) and in summer (July–August) for hiking and Mont Blanc; spring and autumn bring avalanche risk and unstable conditions.
- Singapore What to pack for a trip to Singapore? Singapore can be visited year-round in its equatorial climate, but the driest periods are February–March and June–August.
- Zermatt What to pack for a trip to Zermatt? Zermatt offers year-round glacier skiing, but the peak winter season (December–April) and summer season (July–August) offer the best conditions; late spring and autumn are quiet with many closures.
- Château de Chambord What to pack for Château de Chambord? Château de Chambord is open year-round, but the park and estate are at their best from spring to autumn; winter is cold and outdoor activities are limited.
- Dublin What to pack for a trip to Dublin? The Irish summer offers the longest days and mildest temperatures; winter is cold, rainy and windy.
- Edinburgh What to pack for a trip to Edinburgh? Summer is the mildest and brightest season, ideal for visiting the old town and the Highlands; winter is cold, dark and very windy.
- Europa-Park What to pack for Europa-Park? Europa-Park runs its main season from April to November with most attractions available; it typically closes from January to March.
- Nice What to pack for a trip to Nice? Nice enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot sunny summers perfect for the beach, and very pleasant spring and autumn; January–February are mild but windy and unsuitable for swimming.
- Perú What to pack for a trip to Perú? Peru's dry season (May to September) is the ideal time to visit Machu Picchu and the Andes; the rainy season from January to March makes trails slippery and some sites inaccessible.
- Tivoli What to pack for Tivoli? Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen typically opens from April to October, with a Christmas season in November–December; it is closed January–March.
- Bordeaux What to pack for a trip to Bordeaux? Spring through autumn allows visitors to enjoy the vineyards, the Garonne, and the architectural heritage; the grape harvest in September–October is a highlight.
- Marseille What to pack for a trip to Marseille? Marseille shines from May to September with sunshine, swimmable sea, and accessible calanques; winter is windy (mistral) and unsuitable for swimming.
- Puy du Fou What to pack for Puy du Fou? Puy du Fou is open from April to early November; the major night shows such as La Cinéscénie take place mainly in summer, offering the best experience from June to September.
- Reykjavík What to pack for a trip to Reykjavík? The Icelandic summer (June–August) brings near-permanent daylight, mild temperatures and access to natural landscapes; in January–February, intense cold, storms and polar night severely limit activities.
- Biarritz What to pack for a trip to Biarritz? The beach season runs from June to September, with a swimmable Atlantic and pleasant Basque sunshine; winter is mild but windy and dull.
- Lyon What to pack for a trip to Lyon? Lyon enjoys a pleasant continental climate from April to October; the Festival of Lights in December is also a highlight.
- Parc Astérix What to pack for Parc Astérix? Parc Astérix opens from early April and closes in November, with a partial reopening for the end-of-year holidays; the full summer season ensures all attractions are available.
- PortAventura Park What to pack for PortAventura Park? PortAventura operates mainly from March to January with partial winter closures; the summer high season (June–September) gives the best access to all attractions under the Costa Daurada sunshine.
- Strasbourg What to pack for a trip to Strasbourg? Pleasant in spring and summer for its canals and old town, Strasbourg is also a prime destination in November–December for one of Europe's oldest Christmas markets.
- ZooParc de Beauval What to pack for ZooParc de Beauval? The zoo is open year-round, but March to October provides the best experience: mild temperatures, long days, and more active animals compared to the cold winter months.
- Annecy What to pack for a trip to Annecy? The lake is swimmable from June to September and the Alpine scenery is at its best from spring through autumn.
- Efteling What to pack for Efteling? The park is fully open from April to October with all attractions; it also offers a winter season (Winterefteling) but with a reduced programme.
- Futuroscope What to pack for Futuroscope? The park is fully open from spring to autumn; in winter, the offering is reduced and the park may close on weekdays.
- Saint-Malo What to pack for a trip to Saint-Malo? Saint-Malo is ideal from May to September: swimmable sea, lively ramparts and spectacular high tides; winter is windy, beaches are deserted and many restaurants close off-season.
- Honfleur What to pack for a trip to Honfleur? Norman spring and summer offer the best weather to enjoy the old harbour and nearby beaches; winter is cold, grey and rainy.
- Le Mans What to pack for a trip to Le Mans? Le Mans is best visited from May to September; the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June is the highlight of the year.
- Nantes What to pack for a trip to Nantes? Nantes' oceanic climate is most pleasant from April to September, with mild temperatures and enough sunshine to enjoy the city and its outdoor attractions.
- Riquewihr What to pack for a trip to Riquewihr? Riquewihr is beautiful in summer for the Alsace Wine Route and in November–December for its famous Christmas market; January–February are cold and the village sees little activity off-season.
- Nigloland What to pack for Nigloland? Nigloland is open from early April to early November; outside this period the park is closed, and the summer season offers the greatest number of operating attractions.
- Walibi Rhône-Alpes What to pack for Walibi Rhône-Alpes? Walibi Rhône-Alpes is an outdoor theme park open mainly from April to October; it is closed in winter except for occasional special events.
✔ Best avoided in August
- Musée du Louvre — The Louvre is open year-round but July–August brings extreme queues due to peak Parisian tourism; visiting outside school holidays makes for a far more pleasant experience.
- New York City — Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–November) offer ideal weather in New York; summer is hot and humid, making intensive sightseeing uncomfortable.
- Paris — Paris is at its best in spring and early autumn: mild temperatures, flattering light and fewer crowds; July–August bring mass tourism that overwhelms major sites and public transport.
- Château de Versailles — The gardens are in full bloom in spring and autumn, while July–August brings overwhelming crowds and stifling heat.
- Roma — Rome is ideal in spring and autumn: pleasant temperatures around 20 °C and moderate crowds; July–August are stifling (over 35 °C) and mass tourism makes visiting major sites exhausting.
- Tokyo — Spring (cherry blossoms in March–April) and autumn (foliage in October–November) are the best seasons; summer is hot, humid and affected by the rainy season.
- Italia — Spring and autumn are the best seasons for visiting Italian art cities, coasts and countryside; summer is stifling in major cities and overcrowded on the coasts.
- Venezia — Spring and autumn offer pleasant weather and manageable crowds; summer is overwhelmingly hot and busy, while winter brings frequent acqua alta flooding.
- Barcelona — Spring and autumn offer a pleasant climate for visiting Barcelona; July and August are very hot, crowded, and expensive.
- Disneyland Paris — Spring and autumn combine shorter queues with pleasant weather; July–August should be avoided due to peak crowds.
- España — Spring and autumn are ideal for exploring Spanish cities and coasts; summer brings scorching heat inland and overcrowded beaches on the coast.
- Istanbul — Spring and early autumn bring mild temperatures and little rain for visiting mosques and the Bosphorus; summer is hot and crowded, winter cold and wet.
- Madrid — Madrid is ideal in spring and autumn; July and August regularly exceed 35°C, making sightseeing exhausting.
- Mont-Saint-Michel — Spring and autumn allow a visit with far fewer crowds; July and August bring massive tourist numbers that detract from the experience.
- Athenes — Spring and autumn offer a mild climate ideal for visiting the Acropolis; July and August are scorchingly hot and extremely crowded.
- Dubai — From November to March, temperatures range between 20 and 28 °C; from June to September, heat regularly exceeds 42 °C with high humidity.
- Bangkok — The dry season (November to March) is the best time to visit Bangkok; the monsoon (May to October) brings torrential rain and flooding.
- Japon — Spring (cherry blossoms) and autumn (fall foliage) offer the best conditions; July and August are hot, humid, and crowded.
- Maldives — The dry season from November to April guarantees clear skies and calm seas; June to August is the heart of the southwest monsoon with heavy rain and swell.
- Marrakech — Spring and autumn offer ideal temperatures (20–28°C); July and August are stifling, with peaks above 40°C in the medina.
- Praha — Prague is at its best in spring and early autumn: pleasant temperatures and thinner crowds; winter is cold and grey, and the July–August tourist peak overwhelms the old town.
- Grece — Spring and autumn offer pleasant conditions for visiting archaeological sites and islands; July–August brings overwhelming heat and tourist crowds.
- Courchevel — The resort operates from December to April, with reliable snow cover thanks to its high altitude reaching 3,200 m.
- Lisboa — Spring and autumn offer mild, sunny weather; July and August are very hot (35°C+) and overcrowded.
- Portugal — Spring and autumn are the best seasons in Portugal: pleasant heat, swimmable sea and less crowded sites; July–August are very hot (often over 35 °C inland) and extremely busy along the Algarve coast.
- Sevilla — Spring is ideal with Semana Santa and the Feria; summers are oppressively hot, regularly exceeding 40 °C.
- Val d'Isère — At 1 850 m base with peaks at 3 456 m, Val d'Isère has reliable snow from December to April and hosts World Cup ski races.
- Val Thorens — Europe's highest resort at 2 300 m, Val Thorens guarantees exceptional snow cover from December to April and can open as early as November.
- Thailande — The dry season from November to March brings clear skies and manageable heat; the monsoon from May to October brings heavy rains and localised flooding.
- Argentina — The Southern Hemisphere reverses the seasons: the austral summer (November to March) is the best time to visit Patagonia, Buenos Aires, and the Mendoza vineyards.
- Corse — Spring and autumn offer ideal conditions for hiking and swimming, without the overcrowding and excessive heat of summer.
- Ischgl — The resort opens in mid-November and closes at the end of April; its summit altitude of 2,872 m ensures reliable snow throughout the season.
- Sankt Anton am Arlberg — One of Austria's premier ski resorts, the slopes are reliably snow-covered from December to April thanks to elevations reaching 2 800 m.
- Sölden — Sölden has glaciers enabling skiing from October, but the full resort operates reliably from December to April above 3 000 m.
- Tignes — Thanks to the Grande Motte glacier (3 456 m), Tignes offers one of France's longest ski seasons, from December to May.
- Avoriaz — Avoriaz (1,800 m, Portes du Soleil ski area) is reliably snow-covered from December to April thanks to its altitude and north-facing aspect.
- Carcassonne — Spring and autumn offer a mild climate to visit the medieval citadel; July and August are stifling and the site is overwhelmed with tourists.
- Arc 1800 — Arc 1800 is a high-altitude resort (ski area up to 3,226 m); the ski domain is open and reliably snow-covered from December to April.