Published on
17/06/2026 - 8:00 GMT+2
As the popularity of “coolcations” continues to rise amid another summer of above-average temperatures, a new travel index has ranked the best European destinations to beat the heat.
Travel app Polarsteps has launched its first “Summer Heat Escape Index”, analysing 25 European countries on everything from day and night temperatures to sea swimming conditions.
The research follows a Polarsteps survey conducted in April 2026, which found that 35% of British travellers had chosen a cooler destination for their summer holiday this year, with more than one in five making the switch for the first time.
