European tourists worn down by recurrent heat waves are currently snubbing Mediterranean destinations for northern climes in hopes of cooler temperatures, but it remains to be seen whether it is just a fad or a durable shift in the tourism market.
With temperatures in the European summer regularly climbing up towards 40 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), cool has become cool.
This year, visitors "have been telling me that they have escaped the heat in southern parts of Europe," said Terje Viblom Pedersen, a guide who offers tours in southeastern Sweden.
"They are just amazed" by the daytime high temperatures under 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and sea breezes, as well as the lack of crowds compared to tourist hotspots in southern Europe.
Two French tourists, Daniel and Florence Gastaldi, joined Pedersen for a tour of Stockholm's Old Town.
