These are Europe's next summer hotspots, according to Time Out editors

In summer 2024, it seemed like everyone and their chic pooch headed to the sun-soaked shores of Marseille for their European summer holiday. Our social feeds were flooded with scenes of the city's vintage and vinyl shops, the dreamy turquoise waters of the Calanques and the graffiti-covered streets of Cours Julien. And before that, it was all about Albania: in 2022 and 2023, the Balkan country saw a sudden influx of festival-goers and beach-hoppers, earning it the moniker of 'the new Croatia'.
So, where will be the Euro Summer hotspot of 2025? As Time Out's travel editors and writers, we have a few ideas. From a stylish Belgian city to an Italian coolcation, these are the European destinations that'll be all over your FYPs this summer. Trust us.
Europe's summer 2025 hotspots
Antwerp
'It can't be just my For You page that's been slowly but surely interspersed with shots of Antwerp lately. With stylish bakeries (Tinsel, Andy and Funk); funky-looking craft beer and natural wine bars (Beerlovers Bar and Amber Bottle Shop); gem-filled vintage stores (Pardaf) and striking arts spaces (the MAS and the Museum of Contemporary Art), this Belgian city could well be this year's answer to Copenhagen, Rotterdam or Berlin.'— Liv Kelly, writer for Time Out Travel
Balkan cities
'Balkan beach destinations have been popular (mostly with bargain holiday hunters and festivalgoers) for a while now, but the hype is heading inland. Trendy architecture heads are leading the way to the likes of Kosovo, Tirana and Skopje – the latter, in particular, is a brutalist paradise. Expect your social feeds to be crammed with whacky Macedonian concrete structures this summer.'— Ed Cunningham, UK and London news editor
Biarritz
'Move over, Marseille – Biarritz, a breezy seaside city over on France's Basque coast, is fast becoming the country's go-to coastal getaway. Named the best place to live in France this year for its exceptional quality of life, I've since heard of more than a few people holidaying (and even moving to) Biarritz, eager to soak up its world-class waves, chic bars and gourmet food scene. It's only a 45-minute drive from San Sebastian, so you could even pop over the border and cover two beachy Basque cities in one trip.'— Grace Beard, travel editor
Girona
'We named it one of Europe's best city breaks this year and now we're seeing it all over socials – Girona is most definitely on the up. Cyclists have been heading to the small Spanish city for years thanks to the area's varied terrain, well-maintained roads and favourable climate, but there's a lot for the Lycra-averse to enjoy too. Around 100km north of Barcelona, Girona's known for its impressive medieval architecture, historic Jewish quarter and excellent food scene. It's a popular day trip from Barcelona, with fast trains from Barcelona-Sants getting you to the city in under 40 minutes. But a longer visit allows you to explore the province's many picturesque towns as well as the secluded coves and fishing villages of the Costa Brava.'— Olivia Simpson, former translations editor
The Dolomites
'Mountain holidays are on the up – they featured as one of Pinterest's biggest trends of 2025 – and clued-up travellers seeking a high-altitude summer trip are zeroing in on northeast Italy. The Dolomite region of the Alps has so much going for it: incredible scenery, outdoor adventures, a dense cluster of picture-perfect wellness hotels, and the unique culture and cuisine of the German-speaking South Tyrolean region – not to mention direct flights from across Europe with regional 'boutique airline' SkyAlps. It's a more-than-worthy alternative to the hectic crowds (and blazing summer temperatures) of Italy's more famous cities and beaches'.— James Manning, EMEA content director
Tbilisi
' Both BA and EasyJet have just launched direct flight routes from London to Tbilisi – and if London meme account @socks_house_meeting is anything to go by, the UK's techno-loving mullet heads will be flocking to the Georgian capital this summer like it's the new Berlin. Throw in a fantastic festival and theatre scene, a hodgepodge of supremely photogenic buildings, and several glasses of cheap, delicious Georgian wine, and you have the perfect summer city break.'— GB
Naples
' Naples is by no stretch of the imagination a hidden gem, but it is slowly, slowly becoming the Marseille of Italy. Let me explain: Naples has the same gritty, 'I'm too cool for Rome' reputation, fewer tourists than its ridiculously famous Italian neighbours, and it's still really affordable for a city break. And that goes for its food, too – expect to get one of those fresh, doughy Neapolitan pizzas for €5-10, anywhere in the city. It's also the cheapest place on the continent for an Aperol Spritz, travel guides editor

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Spectator

4 hours ago

• Spectator

The cult of the farmer's market

Farmer's markets are a very cheeky wheeze and we all know it. Their promise – getting back to peasants' basics of veg yanked from the ground – carries a hefty premium compared to supermarket food, which actual peasants have to buy. Indeed, supermarket food, from veg and fruit to eggs and cheese and bread, is generally two or three times cheaper and tastes just as good. But it seems that we are already in a world so dystopian that only the rich want – and can afford – soily spinach sold loose on a table. Certainly, the rich will queue for sorrel and strawberries, yoghurt and kimchi, raw milk, chicken and sourdough. Especially the sourdough. Carbs used to be bad, but now the queue outside places such as Lannan in Edinburgh is so long that the bakery has had to employ bouncers to control it. At the mouth of the Queens Park farmers' market in north-west London – one of the most Instagrammed north of the river – is Don't Tell Dad, a sprawling café with sourdough loaves and circular candied hazelnut croissants. These generate queues along the pretty cobbled road that are so off-putting that I will only go when it's pouring with rain and nobody's out. The sourdough at Dusty Knuckle in Hackney has to be booked well in advance. Pastry and bread is the treat that leavens the purchase of greens; so very many greens. My thinking about markets has been shaped by travel. I have realised I hate foreign food markets. I always went because the internet said I had to and because the cosmopolitan middle-class milieu I inhabit has a reverence for local produce that is hard to override, even with cynicism and empty pockets. The worst of my life were the markets in Sicily and Jerusalem. Palermo left me traumatised; tourists are baited and mocked as they timorously look at this or that vendor's mound of veg. I came away with some tiny bag of exotic olives for €10 that should have cost €1, feeling a pathetic fool. I have even seen native Italian speakers ripped off in Sicilian markets. Sellers demand that customers speak the dialect or else face bald exploitation. It seems a bad sales strategy. And yet, so slavishly do we want what these scoundrels are selling – or rather what they represent – that it doesn't seem to do them much harm. Compared to the incomprehensible shouts of Mediterranean hawkers, the English farmers' market is, of course, a blessed relief. At least I speak the language and don't have to conjure the price of a third of a kilo of sardines while a greasy man is shouting at me. There is no shouting, no bargaining and no vernacular. Many of the people at the stalls aren't even English. The other great insult of the market, the sheer cost, has lessened over the past few years. Since the cost of living has shot up, the gap between the prices of greenery, eggs and fruit at the farmers' and the supermarket has narrowed. On my most recent visit to the former, I fell for a rather wilted bunch of coriander for £2 (compared to 90p in Waitrose), and £2 for a small bunch of spinach, but the strawberries – decking every table as far as the eye could see – were quite good value, at two punnets for £5. These velvety strawbs were superior by far to Waitrose's best organic efforts at £4 (an admittedly slightly heavier punnet). I have always found the idea of seasonal cooking imprisoning Then there are the health considerations. As I have got older, and pore over articles and videos about microplastics and forever chemicals, the farmers' market has a new appeal. If I buy my vegetables in brown paper bags and eat things that haven't been sprayed too much, perhaps they will be better for me. I have always found the idea of seasonal cooking imprisoning; surely one of the glories of late modern capitalism is that we have become free of nature's strictures, and can eat pineapple and avocado and coconuts all year round. Why should I limit myself to courgette and asparagus in spring, tomatoes in August and apples in autumn? Why go gaga over gooseberries for two weeks in June? It's like going to bed when the sun sets and getting up when it rises. No thank you. Seasonal veg remains of little interest to me (is there really a difference in taste between a Spanish courgette in January and a Kentish one in May?), but seasonal fruit, I now admit, is delicious, even if it's of the provincial English type. Once you accept the homegrown tastes of dark red stone-fruit after the exotica that our globalised palates are used to, you can begin to enjoy the fruits, if not the cost, of shopping at the farmers' market.

Daily Mirror

5 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

EasyJet rules for visiting major holiday hotspots in Europe this summer

easyJet states that post-Brexit, Brits travelling to the EU will need to ensure their travel documents meet certain requirements - specifically when it comes to their passport's validity If you are one of the many sun-seeking Brits preparing for a European holiday, there are some rules that you should know. easyJet has shared its guidance for those travelling to certain countries in the EU to ensure all passengers have a smooth flight. Under the ' travel documents and information' section of its website, easyJet states that passengers 'need to have some form of identification on both domestic and international flights'. Below are the specific guidelines for travel to Spain, Portugal, Greece and France. ‌ Spain Under post-Brexit regulations, easyJet confirms UK passport holders travelling to the EU (except Ireland), or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican City or Switzerland need to meet certain passport criteria. ‌ UK passport holders travelling to Spain must have a passport that is valid for 'at least three months after the day you plan to depart from the EU or above countries'. Additionally, passports 'must be no more than 10 years' old on the date of travel to the EU or above countries'. According to the UK government's latest guidance, those with a full British citizen passport from the UK can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Spain, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Portugal easyJet passengers flying to Portugal are also reminded that entry is permitted for a maximum stay of 90 days in a 180-day period without a visa. Portugal follows Schengen area rules as well, meaning your passport's validity must fall within the prescribed 10-year and three-month rules. Your passport must have a 'date of issue' less than 10 years before the date you arrive and have an 'expiry date' at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue). easyJet also states that extra documents are required for children entering or leaving Portugal without a parent or guardian. According to the airline: 'Children aged 17 and under, must carry written authorization to be able to travel to and from Portugal if they are travelling without their parent or legal guardian.' ‌ easyJet's guidance continues: 'The letter must include the details of the adult who will be responsible for them during their stay in Portugal. For full information about the requirements please see the web pages of the Government of Portugal and the Government of the United Kingdom . Greece Given that Greece is also part of the Schengen area, easyJet passengers that are UK passport holders are subject to the same passport and visa regulations as those travelling to Spain and Portugal. ‌ Meaning that those with a full British passport will also be able to travel without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Additionally, the UK government website advises that even if you are visiting multiple countries 'your total stay in the Schengen area must be no more than 90 days in every 180 days. 'It does not matter how many countries you visit. The 180-day period keeps 'rolling',' the website confirms. Additionally, if you are considering adding on a trip to Cyprus on your Greece journey, remember that Cyprus is not in the Schengen area. That said, the UK government confirms that British passport holders can stay up to 90 days in a 180-day period in Cyprus without a visa. More importantly, any time you spend in the Schengen area does not affect the number of days you can spend in Cyprus. France France, also being part of the Schengen region, does not require British passport holders to travel with a visa for stays under 90 days. Non-EU passport holders travelling to the Schengen area are once again obliged to ensure that their passport is valid for at least three months from the date of their departure from the Schengen member country, according to the UK government website. Though this requirement does not apply to holders of a Schengen issued residence permit or long-term visas.

Daily Mirror

6 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

Tiny UK seaside village crowned for having Britain's most beautiful beach

A quaint seaside village that has recently welcomed a £150,000 upgrade has been praised for its pristine golden sand beach that stretches out for as far as the naked eye can see A charming seaside village has been cast into the spotlight, after its 2.2 mile soft-sand beach was named as the best in Britain. Sandwiched in between rolling hills of lush countryside and azure waters lies the often overlooked village of Hoklham. Touted as the 'jewel' of the North Norfolk Coast, this coastal gem is home to an impressive 25,000 acre estate which features perfectly manicured gardens and the grand Holkham Hall - an 18th century Palladian house, home to the Earl of Leicester. ‌ Nearby, you'll find Holkham National Nature Reserve, which is home to large flocks of wintering birds and is an important site for breeding Little Terns, Ringed Plover, and Oystercatchers. "During the winter large flocks of shorebirds can be found along the shore edge and on the developing saltmarsh in Holkham Bay," Visit North Norfolk explained. But it's Holkham's incredible coastline that really sets it aparts from the rest. Stretching out for as long as the naked eye can see, and sheltered by soaring pinewoods, this pristine beach makes you feel like you're a 'million miles away from civilisation'. It's no wonder it recently came at the top of TimeOut's league tables for the best UK beach. "Holkham would be flooded with visitors if it were just that little bit closer to London – or, like, anywhere," the publication hailed. "It's surrounded by a massive nature reserve of pinewoods and salt marsh, full of orchids, sea lavender and rare birds "The beach itself is an enormous sandy stretch dotted with dunes, and it's at least a half-hour's walk from the car park to the shoreline, meaning you see nothing but nature and sea. Oh, and maybe the odd film crew: Holkham has deservedly starred in many a movie (Shakespeare in Love, for one)." Earlier this year, work began on the boardwalk at Holkham beach - which runs from the beach car park through the forest and onto a viewing platform overlooking the sand, to make the nature reserve more accessible. Costing £150,000, the upgrade will allow wheelchair users and families with pushchairs to enjoy the area. Dr Katy Owen, protected landscapes manager at Norfolk County Council, said: "We want more people to be able to experience the sound of the wind whistling through the pine woods, smell the salty sea air and experience Holkham Bay with as few barriers as possible... The boardwalk is the culmination of many years of collaborative work with the estate, and some time ago we recognised the need to upgrade the current facility." ‌ Located some 130 miles from London, driving to Holkham from the Big Smoke takes around three hours and 36 minutes. Alternatively, you can jump on a direct train from Kings Cross over to Kings Lynn, which takes around one hour and 45 minutes. Once in Norfolk, you'll need to catch the 36 Coastliner bus towards Wells-next-the-Sea and get off at Victoria. Then, you're just a minute's walk away from the stunning sand dunes and sea breeze. If you're flexible with dates, you can grab single adult fares for as little as £18. Accommodation in Holkham is limited due to its small size, but The Victoria hotel offers 20 individually decorated rooms across two historical buildings. A weekend's stay (Friday, 18-21 July) in a deluxe double room named the Hare Clump will set you back £330 per night. This is based on two people sharing. If that's too out your budget, the hotel's smallest room - called Honk's Pit - cost £210 per night over the exact same dates. All prices include breakfast. *Prices based on Trainline listings at the time of writing.