An escape from the heat

Cool in July

Average daily high of 23°C or less across June, July and August — somewhere you can walk all day at the height of summer.

29 destinations

Aerial view of London at sunset: Tower Bridge, the River Thames and the skyline of the City

United Kingdom23°C in July

Sydney Harbour seen from above Circular Quay, with the white sails of the Opera House, ferries cutting wakes across the water and the CBD skyline behind

Australia19°C in July

The Golden Gate Bridge spanning the strait from the Marin headlands, with San Francisco visible across the water

United States19°C in July

Close-up of crispy battered fish and chips with a lemon wedge, ketchup and tartar sauce on a blue plate

Ireland19°C in July

Colourful gabled townhouses and moored wooden boats along the Nyhavn canal in Copenhagen under an evening sky

Denmark21°C in July

Golden-hour view over Edinburgh rooftops from Calton Hill, with the Balmoral clock tower and the Scott Monument in silhouette

United Kingdom19°C in July

The monumental triumphal arch and curved colonnades of Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels under a blue sky with scattered clouds

Belgium22°C in July

Aerial view of Cape Town with the flat summit of Table Mountain behind the city, the round stadium at Green Point and surf breaking on the coastline

South Africa18°C in July

Close-up of a thick grilled steak with a charred crust being carved on a wooden board, its interior rosy medium rare

Argentina17°C in July

The stone terraces and ruins of Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu peak rising behind, wisps of cloud drifting across the surrounding Andes

Peru21°C in July

The wave-shaped glass crown of the Elbphilharmonie concert hall at sunset, Hamburg

Germany22°C in July

The red-brick turreted castle on the edge of the Minnewater in Bruges, its lakeside terrace set with white parasols and diners beneath bare spring trees and a wide, cloud-streaked sky.

Belgium22°C in July

Moroccan couscous topped with caramelized onions, carrots, and vegetables served in a traditional patterned ceramic dish

Morocco22°C in July

The Johannesburg skyline under a cloudy sky, with the Hillbrow Tower rising above apartment blocks and a curving road below

South Africa17°C in July

The high-rise skyline of Lima's Miraflores district on green clifftops above the Pacific Ocean, with waves rolling toward the Costa Verde below

Peru20°C in July

Aerial view over Santiago's leafy eastern districts, residential towers and a green golf course backed by the dry peaks of the Andean foothills

Chile16°C in July

Vancouver's downtown skyline and Coal Harbour marina reflected in calm water under scattered clouds

Canada21°C in July

The sweeping Georgian facade of the Royal Crescent in Bath, fronted by a wide green lawn under a dramatic cloudy sky.

United Kingdom21°C in July

The towers of York Minster rising above the medieval city walls and rooftops on a sunny morning.

United Kingdom21°C in July

Red-brick buildings, curving tram tracks and office towers in central Manchester, seen from above.

United Kingdom20°C in July

A full British fried breakfast on a pub table — sausage, bacon, fried egg, black pudding, baked beans, vine tomatoes and hash brown — served with two glasses of lager

United Kingdom19°C in July

Crowds strolling along a bustling pedestrian shopping street in Glasgow city centre, lined with grand Victorian buildings.

United Kingdom19°C in July

The grand Portland-stone facade and green copper domes of Belfast City Hall under a moody sky.

United Kingdom19°C in July

Colourful pub fronts, flags and strolling visitors on a lively pedestrian street in Galway's Latin Quarter.

Ireland19°C in July

The tilted yellow Cube Houses (Kubuswoningen) in Rotterdam

Netherlands22°C in July

Gravensteen, the moated medieval Castle of the Counts in Ghent, at dusk

Belgium23°C in July

The colourful pointed wooden facades of Bryggen wharf in Bergen glowing at dusk, reflected in the harbour beneath mist-covered mountains.

Norway19°C in July

A stack of pancakes at a Queenstown cafe under a spoonful of plum compote and crushed nuts, with coconut yoghurt, a slice of orange, a small jug of syrup and an iced coffee on the scrubbed wooden table.

New Zealand9°C in July

Auckland's skyline and Sky Tower at dusk, reflected perfectly in the still water of Viaduct Harbour with moored boats and a lit footbridge

New Zealand15°C in July

Every destination here qualifies on the basis stated above, and each one is somewhere we have published guides for. Back to the full atlas.