Americans flock to Europe in the summer. Here's where the Europeans go.
Mallorca and the Algarve make the list, but so do several summer escapes that remain relatively unfamiliar to U.S. travelers.
August is vacation season in Europe. School holidays, warm weather and long-standing summer traditions send millions of people to beaches, islands, lakes, mountains and resort towns across the continent.
If you're an American planning a European summer vacation , it might be worth following their lead. Europeans have these destinations in their own backyard, and many are long-established vacation favorites that remain relatively unfamiliar to some U.S. travelers.
Of course, Europe is a big continent, and there are many popular places to go. But here are some places Europeans love that have stuck out to me over my 15+ years of travel writing. Plus, why they're worth adding to your own travel list.
Istria, Croatia
On the Istrian Peninsula, Adriatic beaches meet vineyards and medieval towns.
(@ Didier Marti via Getty Images)Located across the northern Adriatic Sea from Venice, the heart-shaped Istrian Peninsula combines a beach vacation with many of the things travelers love about neighboring Italy. The coast is dotted with swimming spots and centuries-old towns like Rovinj and Porec. Inland, the landscape changes to vineyards, olive groves, truffle-producing forests and medieval hill towns like Motovun.
Narrow stone streets lead to waterfront restaurants within the old town centers. Cycling routes crisscross the peninsula, wineries and olive oil producers offer tastings and campgrounds complement the larger hotels.
Croatia has long been a favorite summer destination for Central Europeans, particularly those who can reach the Adriatic by car. Germans, Slovenians and Austrians were Croatia's three largest foreign tourism markets in 2025 , collectively accounting for more than 41 million overnight stays.
Lake Balaton, Hungary
Hungary has its own summer playground: Lake Balaton.
(Dronandy via Getty Images)Stretching nearly 50 miles across western Hungary, Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe and has served as the country's summer playground for generations.
Dozens of towns offer beaches and water sports, while the north shore rises into volcanic hills covered with vineyards. The Tihany Peninsula has hiking trails and panoramic views from its Benedictine abbey, and a roughly 130-mile cycling route circles the lake. Beach stands serve traditional snacks like langos, while the hills around Badacsony are among Hungary's historic wine-growing areas.
From the 1960s until the fall of the Berlin Wall, Balaton was a meeting place for friends and families divided between East and West Germany, since travelers from both countries could vacation in Hungary. Today, it remains one of Hungary's most important domestic vacation destinations and attracts vacationers from elsewhere in Europe.
Romagna Riviera, Italy
Generations of Italians have spent their summers on this stretch of the Adriatic.
(Simone Crespiatico via Getty Images)For many Americans, an Italian summer vacation brings to mind destinations like the Amalfi Coast. But generations of Italians have instead headed to Rimini, Riccione, Cesenatico and other beach towns along the Romagna Riviera on the Adriatic Sea.
The wide, sandy beaches are divided among "bagni," organized beach clubs that pair umbrellas and loungers with restaurants, changing rooms, playgrounds and beach sports. Rimini also has considerably more history than its resort-town reputation suggests. The Romans founded Ariminum in 268 B.C., and visitors can still walk beneath the Arch of Augustus and cross the ancient Tiberius Bridge.
Italians remain by far the largest tourism market in Emilia-Romagna, accounting for more than 9 million arrivals and 30 million overnight stays in 2025. The Romagna Riviera was the region's biggest tourism draw, recording more than 28 million overnight stays.
Mallorca, Spain
Famous for its beaches, Europeans also come to Mallorca for mountain villages and hiking trails.
(xavierarnau via Getty Images)Mallorca has the beaches and Mediterranean weather you'd expect from a Spanish island, but its appeal extends well beyond its resorts. The Serra de Tramuntana runs along the northwest coast, creating a dramatic landscape of limestone peaks, terraced hillsides and stone villages recognized by UNESCO as a cultural landscape.
Hikers can explore sections of the long-distance GR221 trail, cyclists can tackle winding mountain roads and swimmers can seek out small coves tucked between rocky outcrops. Villages like Deia and Valldemossa offer a quieter alternative to the major resorts, while Palma combines restaurants and nightlife with a historic center dominated by its enormous Gothic cathedral.
Mallorca has been a European vacation favorite for decades. Germany and the United Kingdom are traditionally two of the largest tourism markets , alongside travelers from mainland Spain.
Black Sea Coast, Bulgaria
The warm water, ancient ruins and protected nature make the Black Sea Coast well worth exploring.
(Valentyna Tymchenko via Getty Images)Bulgaria's Black Sea coast remains relatively off the radar for American travelers, but its popularity among Europeans is growing. Bulgaria already receives large numbers of visitors from Romania, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic and Britain, while recent growth has been particularly strong from Romania and Germany.
All are drawn to the country's sandy beaches, warm summer water, historic towns, nature parks, affordable seaside resorts and Bulgarian culture. The sprawling coast lends itself well to a road trip, since driving it over the course of a week takes one through vastly different atmospheres and ecosystems. Varna combines beaches with Roman ruins, museums, restaurants and waterfront parks.
Farther south, Sunny Beach is the country's unabashed mass-market resort, while nearby Nessebar squeezes ancient ruins, cobblestone lanes and medieval Orthodox churches onto a UNESCO-listed peninsula. Sozopol mixes beaches and traditional wooden houses with a history dating back to ancient Greek colonists. Continue south toward the Turkish border, and the development thins out around Strandzha Nature Park and beaches like Veleka.
The Algarve, Portugal
The Algarve is one of Europe's classic summer escapes.
(Alexander Spatari via Getty Images)Portugal's southern coastline is carved into golden cliffs, sea caves, rock arches and sandy coves, making the Algarve one of Europe's most beautiful beach destinations.
Around Lagos, walking trails trace the cliffs above Ponta da Piedade, while kayaks and boats explore caves and beaches from the water. Head west, and the coastline becomes wilder as you approach Sagres and Cape St. Vincent, with surfers gravitating toward the exposed Atlantic beaches. To the east, Tavira offers a whitewashed historic center, while nearby Ria Formosa Natural Park protects a sprawling system of barrier islands, salt marshes and tidal flats that can be explored by boat, kayak, or on foot.
Along the way, stop at a traditional tasca, a casual Portuguese restaurant, for grilled sardines, octopus or cataplana, an Algarve specialty of seafood cooked in a copper pot. Portuguese wine, of course, is also worth exploring.
While Portugal has been growing with the American market, Europeans still account for much of the Algarve's tourism. Britain is traditionally its largest international market , with Germany, Ireland, France and the Netherlands also important sources of visitors, alongside domestic travelers.
Northern Sweden
Some Europeans are heading north for cooler weather on their summer vacations.
(LOJ5407 via Getty Images)Northern Sweden represents something different from every other destination on this list — and potentially a glimpse at where European summer travel is heading.
Instead of escaping for Mediterranean sunshine, travelers are increasingly heading north in search of comfortable temperatures, wilderness and extraordinarily long summer days. According to Scandinavian Airlines , summer bookings to Luleå and Umeå from Spain, Italy and France rose 50% to 60% from 2024 to 2025.
Around Luleå, more than 1,300 islands scatter across the Bothnian Bay, creating an archipelago that can be explored by boat, kayak and bicycle. Umeå offers a more urban base, with museums, restaurants and a cultural scene surrounded by forests and rivers.
Farther north, Kiruna and Abisko provide access to the mountains of Swedish Lapland, where visitors can hike sections of the 280-mile Kungsleden, fish and paddle mountain lakes well into the night.
Kiruna is especially interesting: the city is in the midst of a remarkable decades-long relocation prompted by ground instability from its enormous iron-ore mine. In August 2025, its historic wooden church was transported intact along a roughly three-mile route to a new site near the relocated city center. Around Jokkmokk, travelers can also learn about Sami culture and explore the immense Laponia UNESCO World Heritage Site.
