How to Beat the Summer Heat in Europe

Europe can be a sweltering beast during the month of July. While thermometers in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands can often top out at whopping degrees, we don't see any reason why an upcoming trip to Europe—even in the heat—can't be an exceptional summertime experience. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the sites and stay cool at the same time.

To that end, we're offering a handful of expert tips on how to beat the heat in a few of our favorite Context cities:  

Art, Art, Art

Other than (hopefully) your hotel room, you'll find that museums are some of the only reliably air-conditioned buildings on the continent. We're biased, of course (as far as we're concerned, every day is a museum day), but the opportunity to take in the treasures of the western world while escaping the sun's scorch is our definition of a win-win.

Be sure to opt for skip-the-line or pre-purchased tickets to get into the A/C as soon as possible, lest you melt in the ticket line. Take a look at our Centre Pompidou Tour: Crash Course, Prado Skip the Line Tour, and Rijksmuseum Skip the Line Tour to see these marvels in the company of an art historian. 

Speaking of A/C and cooler temperatures, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Edinburgh are the perfect cities in Europe to visit if you're looking for a reprieve from the blazing sun. 

Chilly Sweets 

As any American visitor who's asked for ice water in Paris can attest, Europeans spend most of the year regarding ice with a mixture of suspicion and disdain. (We jest—the gap between Americans and Europeans here is a fascinating one, linked to differences in historical infrastructure, cultural norms and value perceptions, and culinary history ... but that's for another time).

However, during summer, Europe becomes a veritable land of icy treats, offering cooling combinations of frozen fruit, juice, chocolate, and cream. Cruise the banks of the Tiber for a grattacheccha, a Roman specialty made of crushed ice, fruit syrup, and fruit toppings; make sure to stop for one of Madrid or Barcelona's fresh fruit polos helados (popsicles); or check out Berlin's deliciously under-hyped ice cream scene. 

Go Underground

While the New York subway tunnels swelter, Europe seems to have gotten their underground situation better sorted—the thick, often Roman, walls in many European capitals keep underground sites and activities cool in even the most blazing of aboveground weather.

Explore the layered past lives—and refreshingly damp underground walls—of a city firsthand with our tours like Underground Rome, Ancient Naples Above and Underground, or a late afternoon exploration of Athens' Acropolis.

Revel in the Sunset

Evenings in Europe are magical no matter the weather, but that's particularly true as summer afternoons cool slightly and roll into amber-lit evening hours, ripe for a passeggiata or aperitif. Stroll and sip in the company of a culinary historian on our Venice Aperitivo Tour, or an evening tour of Milan's Navigli neighborhood.

A place always changes on a romantic summer night stroll. Such is the case for Florence, a city made for evening meanderings and late-night musings. 

And if you'd prefer your museum jaunt in the cooler, quieter, and more pensive hours of the night, there's a number of art institutions that offer evening times during the summer:

Musée d'Orsay Tour: Crash Course

• Open until 9:45pm on Thursdays

British Museum Tour: Crash Course

• Open until 8:30pm on Fridays

Vatican Highlights Tour: Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums with Skip-the-Line Tickets (especially great since the Vatican Museums don't have air conditioning)

• Open until 10:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays

Louvre Museum Tour: Crash Course

• Open until 9:45pm on Fridays

Catch a Movie

One universal truth we've discovered is this: never, ever underestimate the allure of a movie theater on a hot day. In Italy, Spain, and Germany, where movies are often dubbed, be sure to check the schedule beforehand—most theaters will have a couple of features running in their original language (with the bonus of subtitles in Italian, Spanish, or German, for those of you wanting to brush up). A few of many reliable options for original language cinema are: Intrastevere in Rome, Cinestar in Berlin, and Cine Doré in Madrid. 

Take a Dip 

Floating in the city fountains isn't always kosher, but if you pack your suit, an afternoon at a public pool can both offer respite from the sun's scorch and give you a lesson in lazing like the locals. Don't miss the beautifully curved wooden pavilion of Amsterdam's Noorderparkbad, voted Europe's most beautiful public pool, or your chance to paddle in Berlin's Badeschiff, a floating pool with a breathtaking view of the city center, drinks, and an area for kids.

And of course: in addition to our tips above, the usual advice for surviving steamy temperatures—always carry a water bottle, seek out shade and A/C, curb strenuous activities during the hottest parts of the day—apply, especially to tour activities like ours. Long live summer.

Cool off with a Context Seminar

Too sweaty to travel right now? Avoid the heat altogether and head to Europe from your living room with Context online seminars and courses. Plan your perfect itinerary — from what to eat to museums to tour to monuments to inspire — all with the guidance of a scholarly expert ready to dive deep.