Top city trips for the summer
When visiting a city in the summer you have to consider the warm weather. Are you not the type for a long beach holiday and do you prefer to explore a new European city that is not blazing hot in summer? EUclaim has listed the top five cities suitable for a summer visit.
Trondheim, Norway
The temperature during summer in Trondheim varies between 12 to 20 degrees in the daytime, making this city the perfect escape from the hot and humid weather in the south of Europe, as well as the crowds! It is also the best time of the year to explore the beauty and tranquility of Norway and the surroundings of Trondheim. The city may be small, but its character is formed by the more than 30.000 students living in it. The most famous sights of Trondheim are Erkebispegården, the Nidaros-domchurch and Bymarka. Bymarka is the most popular area for hiking, great views and outdoor camping in log cabins. The city Centre of Trondheim is very cozy and great for doing some shopping! Most shops in Trondheim sell one of a kind and unique items that will remind you of the beautiful city for years to come. Besides shopping, we highly recommend taking a canoe trip on the Nidelvarivier. Most of the restaurants in Trondheim serve meals created with the local resources and flavours, accompanied by a locally brewed beer.
Flying to Trondheim
You can fly directly to Trondheim from London Gatwick Airport with Norwegian. The flight takes about two and a half hours.
Riga, Latvia
When you come to think of it, the republic of Latvia did not exist until 1991 and therefor it is a young free state that was dominated by the soviets and Nazis for many years. Since its indepence was declared in 1991, the country made a swift turn for modernization without losing its heritage and character. Though the city is labelled by its history, Riga is one of the coziest cities in eastern Europe and definitely worth a visit! The colourful houses in narrow streets, the old Dom of Riga and the Freedom monument all embody the character of a city that has known little more than war over the past hundred years. Visit the occupancy museum and get to know more about what formed Riga into the city it is today, the open-air museum gives you a unique insight into the history of Latvia completed with folk dancing and old buildings. Don’t hesitate to converse with the people of Latvia, for they have unbroken spirits and the most beautiful stories to tell about their country. Life in the city of Riga is not expensive, the people are friendly and the climate is very reasonable with its 20 to 25 degrees during daytime in summer.
Flying to Riga
You can fly to Riga departing from both London Luton and London Stansted Airport. Wizz Air operates flights from London Luton and Ryanair operates flights from London Stansted Airport.
Reykjavik, Iceland
When visiting Reykjavik in Iceland, it is as if you are entering a whole other world. This country, surrounded by water and ice, is one of the happiest countries in the world according to the world happiness report. The capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, is small and cozy and home to the most delicious fish restaurants and nice boutques. When visiting Reykjavik, we urge you to visit the largest church of Iceland, Hallgrímskirkja. This church also offers you a beautiful view over the Icelandic coast and Reykjavik itself. The street to be is Laugavegur, where all the shops and cafés are located. For exploring Reykjavik, you need approximately two days. When visiting the capital of Iceland we strongly recommend you to combine this with the golden circle route, showing you the most beautiful sights of Iceland.
Flying to Reykjavik
Flying to Reykjavik is the easiest way to travel to Iceland. Both London, Edinburgh and Glasgow offer direct flights to the capital of Iceland. easyJet, Wizz Air and Icelandair operate flights from London airports. From Glasgow Airport you can fly with Icelandair to Reykjavik and from Edinburgh with easyJet. The flight takes little over two hours.
Helsinki, Finland
Summertime is excellent for visiting Helsinki, as the winters can get very, very cold. Summers in Finland can be quite cool with temperatures between 15 and 22 degrees usually. The Domchurch of Helsinki is the image of the city. The Domchurch is a Lutheran church is being kept by the Bishop of Helsinki. Another church that is like no other really, is the Rock church of Temppeliaukio. This church was build in a rock and is located in a neighbourhood a little outside of the city center. Visit the harbor of Helsinki and do not forget to do the Finnish thing there is, visiting a Sauna! Löyly Sauna is located right by the water of the Baltic Sea, used by visitors to cool off during a Sauna visit. For good food after an hour in the sauna we recommend the most urban food market: Old Market Hall. In the Old Market Hall you can enjoy the nicest Finnish delicacies and pastries and warm up with a good cup of coffee or schnapps.
If you are a true fan of classical music, do not forget to visit the monument of the famous Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius in the Sibelius Park.
Flying to Helsinki
You can fly from London, Manchester and Edinburgh to the capital of Finland, Helsinki. Finnair, CityJet and Norwegian operate flights on a daily basis.
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Summertime in Amsterdam is one of the most fun seasons to visit this amazing city. Festivals are going on all over the city; the cozy streets of Amsterdam are filled with terraces and people enjoying every streak of sun that hits their faces. Take the opportunity to hire a small boat and tour the Amsterdam canals, which is by far the best way to see this vibrant city. Go on a bike ride, visit the Anne Frank Museum and enjoy the culture at Museumplein. For food we can recommend herring tasting from a traditional herring cart and visiting the foodhall in ‘the hallen’. Avoid the famous Kalverstraat and go shopping in the more iconic and unique nine streets, called ‘negen straatjes’. Tired after a day of shopping? Hop into the Jordaan for a taste of the real Dutch bitterballen and a good glass of beer whilst learning about the Dutch iconic music of André Hazes and other Dutch folky singers.
Flying to Amsterdam
The United Kingdom has many flight connections direct to Amsterdam. Almost all UK airports are connected to the Captial of the Netherlands. Among others, easyJet, KLM, British Airways and flybe fly from the UK to Amsterdam.
Which one of these summer city trips is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
