10 coolcations ideas for food lovers to escape the heat

Trakai Castle in the middle of a lake, linked by a bridge

Summer is much-loved for good reason – that ‘holiday’ feeling, long lazy days by the beach, the promise of a cold beer, cocktail or mocktail at the end of a warm day, balmy nights where there’s no need for a jacket ‘just in case’. But as climate change wreaks havoc on global temperatures, many regions are now getting excessively hot in the traditional summer season, and continuing to experience warm ‘summer’ temperatures well into September, October and even November.

Enter the coolcation. If you switch on your USB fan as soon as the mercury passes 25˚C (tops), your European breaks may need a change of direction; think mountains, lakes and forests. From the beaches of a Scottish peninsula to the mountains of Italy, these are some of our favourite 'coolcation' locations to discover.

For more travel inspiration, check out 10 unmissable European road trips for food lovers and 8 breathtaking train journeys across the world.

10 best coolcation travel ideas

Greenland

With glaciers, fjords, icebergs and the northern lights it’s unsurprising that the world’s largest island has a cooler climate. For staggering views, Ilulissat Icefjord – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is a must with its enormous icebergs and whale watching in nearby Disko Bay.

The colourful capital of Nuuk is a great way to engage with the contemporary and historic: Greenland National Museum and Archives, and Nuuk Art Museum explore Greenlandic traditions and Inuit culture, while shops sell Arctic fashions, crafts and jewellery.

Also visit Nuuk to sample Greenlandic and Arctic cuisines. Traditional dishes centre on meats such as seal, whale and reindeer, which are dried, fermented or smoked (try the national dish, suaasat, a thick soup often made using seal meat). There’s also an emphasis on fresh seafood and fish but Greenlandic cuisine is ever-evolving – local berries and Arctic thyme are increasingly used, and fusion dishes can show up in the form of lamb with crowberries, for example.

At Nuuk’s Hotel Hans Egede, Sarfalik Fisk & Skaldyr is a great place to try Greenland’s seafood and creative meat options – think butter-poached wolffish with pumpkin and soy, rolled snow crab with radish and buttermilk, and gravad reindeer with peas and horseradish. Or head to Nuuk Fjord where Inuit-owned Restaurant Inuk offers an eclectic menu of reindeer burgers, salmon ravioli, seafood platters with whale blubber, scallops and dried fish, and steamed redfish sourced from local hunters and fishermen.

Colourful houses at sunset in the capital of Greenland, Nuuk.

Zagori, Greece

The cool mountain air of the Zagori region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a world away from Greek island life. Located in the Pindus Mountains in Epirus, northwestern Greece, it’s home to VikosAoös National Park and the impressive Vikos Gorge, which was carved out by the Voïdomátis river – one of Europe’s cleanest – over half a million years. With its temperate climate it’s made for activities like rafting, cycling and hiking, so you can take in its stone bridges and views of the river and gorge. Or wander the cobbled streets of its 46 stone villages (known collectively as Zagorohoria), including Vitsa, Elafotopos and Monodendri. Forage for mushrooms and stop at cafés or restaurants to try local dishes such as cashew, mushroom or lentil pie (pies are king here), plus fresh eel and meat and herby butter bean stews.

Aristi Mountain Resort + Villas is a leader in sustainable hospitality with its on-site farm, organic vegetable garden and greenhouse which focus on the seasonal. Rocket, broccoli and spinach are winter specials, while tomatoes, coriander and peppers grow from spring to autumn. The changing menu features dishes like pork with celeriac cream, apples and aronia berry sauce; local pasta with broccoli, lime and bukovo chilli flakes; and pan-seared trout with lemony white bean stew and grilled spring onions. If you’re inspired, take a cooking lesson so you can replicate at home.

Azores Archipelago, Portugal

Found about 870 miles west of mainland Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean, this archipelago of nine islands has a temperate climate that’s ideal for outdoor pursuits – with a landscape of volcanoes, geysers, lakes and lagoons it’s wonderfully scenic.

For divers, Formigas and Dollabarat Bank on Santa Maria Island are renowned as some of Europe’s top dive spots, while São Jorge is a good bet for hiking, canyoning and canoeing, and is known for its eponymous cheese. Thank the mild, sometimes subtropical climate for the food here – lush landscapes and rich volcanic soil allow fruits, vegetables and grasses to flourish. Local pineapples and passion fruits are sweet – try Kima, a popular passion fruit soft drink – and milks and cheeses creamy. The Azores is home to Europe’s only tea plantation too – Gorreana tea is brewed using the naturally heated waters of the Chã das Caldeiras geysers.

Each island has its own culinary speciality. Wine lovers will be intrigued by Pico Island’s black basalt vineyards which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while on São Miguel, the town of Lagoa das Furnas is known for cozido das furnas, a meat and vegetable stew cooked underground using volcanic heat. Just outside the capital of Ponta Delgada is the solarpowered Solar Branco Eco Estate, which prides itself on achieving zero food waste and using specialised software to track energy use. Food is grown on site or sourced locally – sushi with an Azorean touch is a winner. If you’re a gin lover, you’re in for a treat too, as the owner makes his own.

Vilnius, Lithuania

Summer temperatures in the Baltics rarely reach scorching so visit the region for a cooler city break. Lithuania’s capital Vilnius boasts a city centre that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site – wander through the cobbled streets, baroque and nouveau architecture, atmospheric cafés and creative shops – and the first weekend of September welcomes the Vilnius City Fiesta, which sees music, food stalls and other entertainment take over the city.

Comfort food is synonymous with Lithuanian cuisine – think cepelinai (potato dumplings with ground meat) and kepta duona (fried rye bread) but there’s much more here. Šaltibarš čiai, a vivid beetroot soup made with kefir, cucumber and dill, is so famous it’s celebrated every year at the Pink Soup Fest.

If you enjoy Michelin-starred dining, family-run Ertlio Namas serves a nine-part tasting dinner inspired by the Lithuanian cuisine of the Middle Ages, with dishes such as leek basket with pike; quail with turnips, jerusalem artichokes and asparagus; and candy with krupnikas (local honey spirit).

With its own restaurant specialising in seasonal dishes, Hotel Pacai serves fusion cuisine and sources most ingredients from local farms – try ratatouille with tzatziki sorbet or beef tartare with Korean kimchi, Japanese tamari and Lithuanian cured bacon. Recognised as the European Green Capital 2025, it’s perhaps unsurprising that nature is right on the doorstep of Vilnius, with miles of cycle paths and walking trails to discover. It’s also a good base for a visit to Trakai, a historic town located about 40 minutes away by train that’s known for its 14th-century Trakai Island Castle and lakes, including Lake Galve, which you can also cycle around.

The Kintyre Peninsula, west of Glasgow, Scotland

One of Scotland’s prettiest peninsulas, Kintyre on the west coast is a place of wide, white-sand beaches, eye-popping views and comfortable autumnal temperatures. For road-trippers, the Kintyre 66 (K66) winds through all six of Kintyre’s regions including Campbeltown, one of Argyll’s largest towns. Walkers have the long-distance Kintyre Way, castle ruins aplenty, and scenic excursions to Argyll’s islands including the white-sand beaches of the Isle of Gigha, the most southerly of the Hebridean islands. Surrounded by water (the Atlantic, Kilbrannan Sound, West Loch Tarbert and Loch Fyne), this is a land of fishing towns and harbours – little wonder it’s a seafood paradise.

There’s an actual Seafood Trail on Kintyre and Gigha which takes in some of the best spots around the region’s bays, coves and islands for freshly caught produce. If self-catering, Prentice Seafood is a must for fresh crabs, clams, scallops and more, while neighbouring Skipness has the wonderful Skipness Castle Seafood Cabin for seafood platters and fresh mussels. On Gigha, the highlight is the Boathouse Café Bar at Ardminish Bay for island-reared halibut and Gigha oysters. And of course, there’s whisky. Campbeltown was once the ‘whisky capital of the world’ with 34 distilleries; now there are three, but an increasing number of gin distilleries like Kintyre Gin Distillery at Torrisdale near Campbeltown make a good stop for a tasting and tour. Check out our guide to the best Scottish whisky distilleries to discover more.

Beach surrounded by sea on the Isle of Gigha — Isle of Gigha. Credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Egilsstaðir, East Iceland

Iceland always has a reason for a season, be it midnight sun, northern lights (Aurora Borealis) or winter wonderland vibes. For a twist on Reykjavik, head to East Iceland. Its largest town Egilsstaðir is a direct flight from the capital and a good base for hikers, bikers and birdwatchers to explore the East Fjords and Vatnajökull National Park post-summer. The region prides itself on hyper-local food, including Icelandic lamb, wild mushrooms and dairy products such as the yogurt-like skyr, much loved by Icelanders and a common feature at breakfast with fresh berries and local honey.

A popular Egilsstaðir spot is Nielsen Restaurant, known for its refreshing takes on traditional ingredients such as reindeer tataki and reindeer terrine – co-owner Kari was a former head chef at Iceland’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, Dill, in Reykjavík. At the family-run Lake Hotel (the town’s oldest) on Lake Lagarfljót, emphasis is again on local; Arctic char, lobster, skyr, wild berries, and much of it from their own farm or nearby Vallanes Farm, Iceland’s first organic farm.

For a more remote adventure, head to the Wilderness Centre, about 30 miles/50 kilometres southwest of town, for Icelandic horse-riding, jeep adventures and hikes. The owners have recreated traditional farm buildings for accommodation, revamped a smoke hut to smoke meat, and serve meals created from passed-down family recipes using local produce such as lamb and rhubarb grown on their fields.

People horseback riding through wilderness in Iceland

Trentino-Alto Adige, northern Italy

In the Dolomites is the self-governing border province of Trentino-Alto Adige (or Trentino-South Tyrol) where residents typically speak Italian, German and the Ladin dialect. It’s a sublime region for hiking in summer and autumn before the winter sports/ski season begins, and foodwise, it’s an intriguing fusion of Italian, Austrian, Mediterranean and Alpine. Think hearty meaty stews (Germanic) with polenta (Italian), broths with dumplings; spinach and cheese-flavoured strangolapreti and bread dumplings, canederli. Pasta is, of course, always on the menu from spätzle, fresh egg pasta, which has Germanic roots, to casunziei, beetroot-filled ravioli with poppy seeds, and schlutzkrapfen, half-moon pasta parcels of spinach and ricotta. Speck, a popular Italian salumi, is a Trentino favourite, and the region produces 200+ cheeses; try Alta Badia, reminiscent of Swiss Gruyere, and fruity Vinschger.

Trentino is also known for its lake fish; try the many spots on Caldonazzo and Levico lakes, a half-hour drive from Trento. Autumn sees the wine harvest; South Tyrol is home to three indigenous grape varietals with 99% of wines enjoying DOC classification. Take an e-bike to explore the Giro del Vino 50, a 55km circuit with 50 wineries and distilleries along the route.

Lake surrounded by mountains, water showing the reflection of surrounding scenery — Credit: Trentino Sviluppo SpA

Helsinki, Finland

As the midnight sun slowly sets, autumn becomes a beautiful time of year to visit the Finnish capital. It’s ‘ruska’, when the leaves change colour, and the city is a sea of fiery golds, reds and yellow. And just outside the city, Nuuksio National Park is perfect for hiking and foraging for wild herbs, mushrooms and bilberries, and for enjoying the colours of ruska. A word of warning: while everyone has the right to forage, guided tours are recommended if you’re planning on mushroom-picking…

Try classic dishes like creamy Finnish salmon soup with dark rye bread, marinated herring and river fish, poronkäristys which is stewed venison with mash and berries, and lihapullat, meatballs from ground pork, beer or even elk. Autumn also welcomes the 300-year-old Helsinki Baltic Herring Market, an atmospheric event that captures the country’s maritime heritage. At Natura restaurant in the city centre, the focus is on seasonality, ethically produced and locally sourced produce, sometimes from their own farm, with good vegan and vegetarian options. Think truffle pancakes with mushrooms, and roasted trout from Kotka on the east coast. For a post-walk coffee, Helsinki has no shortage of inviting cafés and bakeries. Try Tintin The Café for its flaky almond croissants, cinnamon buns and homemade sourdough – you can also book a breadmaking workshop to learn the secrets yourself.

View of Haukkalampi in Summer, Nuuksio National Park, Espoo, Finland — Nuuksio National Park

Bourgogne-Franche Comté, France

In eastern France, bordering Switzerland and the Jura mountains, the eastern Franche Comté region is something of a pilgrimage for lovers of nutty Comté cheese. It pairs particularly well with a Jura wine or melted in a fondue or raclette in a cooler climate that feels quite Alpine.

But the giant cheese wheels are just one gourmet attraction of this under-visited, lesser-known part of France where the deep forests and valleys are ideal for hiking and biking. There’s fresh cherry jam from the orchards in Fougerolles, Morbier cheese with its ash-grey line, smoky, garlic and cumin-flavoured saucisse de Montbéliard, the oldest sausage in France (first recorded in the 14th century), and Bresi, a smoked salt beef made in Franche Comté since the Middle Ages. The region even has a protected signature chicken dish, poulet de Bresse.

Wine-wise, try the golden ‘vin de paille’ (‘straw wine’) and ‘yellow wine’, aged in the barrel with yeast; alternatively, trace the Franco-Swiss Absinthe Trail past fields of herbs and smuggling locations. The region’s pine forests and meadows are a playground for bees, resulting in fragrant pine and acacia honey. In the picturesque old town of Besançon, a local favourite is the unpretentious Le 76 which serves classic French dishes with a gentle twist; salmon fillet in yellow wine, vol-au-vent with wild mushrooms. You can pick up local produce from cheese to jams in Besançon’s farmers’ market on Place de la Révolution or browse the more upscale stalls inside the Musee de Beaux Art.