Whether it\u2019s swapping the streets of Madrid for walks along the windswept beaches of Galicia<\/a>, or foregoing Berlin in favour of a paddle along the shaded waterways of the Spreewald region<\/a>, these getaways offer more than just cooler weather. They are a chance to travel slowly and explore regions often overlooked by international visitors.<\/p>\n From Portugal\u2019s northern highlands to Greece\u2019s island escapes, here are seven spots where locals like to go when the heat cranks up.<\/p>\n Brittany, France While some Parisians head south-east in summer to cool off by Lake Annecy<\/a> in the Haute-Savoie, many choose to head west and beat the heat in Brittany<\/a>, where temperatures reach comfortable highs of about 22\u00b0C in August.<\/p>\n One of the area\u2019s biggest draws is Morbihan, where you can island-hop around the Gulf of Morbihan<\/a> \u2013 an almost entirely enclosed natural harbour \u2013 and explore its shoreline on foot or by bike. There are also the sandy beaches of the Rhuys Peninsula and the picturesque old town of Vannes to wander.<\/p>\n Further north, Pont-Aven is best known for\u202fits ties to the painter Paul Gauguin, who incorporated some of the picturesque town\u2019s many watermills into his works, some of which can be seen on display at the Mus\u00e9e de Pont-Aven.<\/a><\/p>\n How to do it:<\/strong> Brittany Ferries sails to Roscoff and St-Malo, both a couple of hours\u2019 drive from Vannes and Pont-Aven. On the outskirts of Vannes\u2019 historic centre, H\u00f4tel Oceania has room-only doubles from \u20ac71, oceaniahotels.com<\/a><\/p>\n Galicia, Spain \u201cWhen the summer heat sets in, many Madrile\u00f1os look north for a refreshing change of pace,\u201d says Manuel Butler, the director of the Spanish Tourist Office<\/a>. \u201cTwo of the most popular escapes are the regions of Galicia and the Basque Country, where lush green landscapes, rugged coastlines and a cooler Atlantic climate offer a different side of Spain.\u201d<\/p>\n Galicia, in Spain<\/a>\u2019s north-western corner, is home to the pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela and the city can get busy in summer, but if you fancy a spiritual experience of a different kind, head to Praia das Catedrais <\/a>(Beach of the Cathedrals) to admire the natural stone arches and caves.<\/p>\n And in nearby Corrubedo Natural Park<\/a> you can spot birds, admire the shifting sands of Galicia\u2019s largest dune and kick back on Ladeira beach.<\/p>\n How to do it: <\/strong>Fly to Santiago de Compostela with Ryanair or Vueling. Cabaninas de Bosque, about a 40-minute drive away in mountainous Outes, has tree-houses from \u20ac320 (\u00a3278) for two nights. They are air-conditioned and have their own terraces; some have hot tubs, cabanitasdelbosque.com<\/a><\/p>\n Abruzzo, Italy Lazio \u2013 the region that Rome calls home \u2013 has plenty of beaches for the city\u2019s day-trippers and long-weekenders, including Fregene, Santa Severa and Sabaudia. But when the mercury soars, many Roman holidaymakers also like to head for the hills.<\/p>\n \u201cRome\u2019s residents<\/a> like nature and try to escape the crowds; this is why many head to mountainous areas, including the nearby Abruzzo region<\/a>,\u201d says Angela Corrias, a journalist and travel designer based between Rome and Sardinia.<\/p>\n Majella National Park<\/a> protects a huge area of high mountains in the Abruzzo Apennines and is dotted with karst rock formations, caves and hidden hermitages. There is also a network of hiking routes, wildlife (keep an eye out for Appenine wolves) and a scenic railway.<\/p>\n How to do it:<\/strong> SloWays offers a self-guided Majella walking tour from \u00a3704pp including six nights\u2019 accommodation, breakfasts and some other meals, plus luggage transfers, route maps and insurance. Fly to Rome Fiumicino or Ciampino, from where it\u2019s two trains and a bus to Pretoro, where the tour starts, sloways.eu<\/a><\/p>\n Hydra, Greece With the Greek capital recording highs of 41\u00b0C this month, many Athenians are swapping the city for other parts of Greece, where the temperature is lower by even just a few degrees.<\/p>\n \u201cAs an Athenian, I usually return to my parents\u2019 home village for summer escapes,\u201d says Eleni\u202fSkarveli, the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation <\/a>UK & Ireland.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the Greek islands within two hours of Athens by speedboat \u2013 such as Andros, Kea, Tinos, Hydra and Spetses \u2013 are especially popular for long weekend getaways.\u201d<\/p>\n Hydra<\/a> is car- and bicycle-free, meaning that all exploring is done either on foot, by boat, while mules are often used to carry bags around the island.<\/p>\n Beaches tend to be rocky or pebbly, but are no less attractive for it; at Hydronetta, in the island\u2019s north, sunbathers recline on cement platforms atop craggy rocks, with steps down to the clear water and up to a beach bar.<\/p>\n Alternatively, take a boat to the tiny nearby island of Agios Nikolaos and spend the day at its beautiful curve of pebble beach.<\/p>\n In Hydra Town, Hydraic architecture includes whitewashed houses and mansions that reflect the island\u2019s prosperity in the 18th century, with references to both classic Greek and Mediterranean styles. Some have been converted into public institutions, including the National Historical Museum.<\/a><\/p>\n How to do it: <\/strong>High-speed ferries take 90 minutes from Piraeus, near Athens. Accommodation leans towards self-catering, such as Lisa\u2019s Traditional House. The pretty, two-bedroom house with a courtyard garden costs from \u00a3312 a night via booking.com<\/p>\n Norte, Portugal \u201cMost people try to make the most of summer by hitting the beach \u2013 but if you\u2019re looking to escape the heat, your best bet is to head to the mountains,\u201d says Lisbon-based travel writer Joana Taborda. She suggests Ger\u00eas and Viana do Castelo<\/a>, both in the Norte region, where \u201cthe temperatures are cooler for most of the year\u201d.<\/p>\n Peneda-Ger\u00eas National Park<\/a>, to give it its full name, is Portugal\u2019s only national park, criss-crossed with walking trails that take in the peaks, valleys and forest.<\/p>\n There are also waterfalls, as well as popular river beaches \u2013 with organised facilities \u2013 and lakes in which you can take a dip, plus remote, rural villages.<\/p>\n The beautiful riverside city of Viana do Castelo<\/a>, meanwhile, is an enticing mishmash of medieval old town, 19th-century boulevards, rococo palaces and the hilltop, neo-Byzantine Santa Luzia church \u2013 plus plenty of beaches within easy reach.<\/p>\n How to do it:<\/strong> Caminos offers a 10-night Discover North Portugal self-drive tour, taking in Ger\u00eas and Viana do Castelo, as well as the Douro Valley, from \u00a31,200pp including car hire and accommodation with breakfast, caminos.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n Spreewald, Germany About an hour\u2019s drive south of Berlin, the Spreewald<\/a> is a lush, Unesco Biosphere Reserve that has been described as a \u201cGreen Venice\u201d.<\/p>\n City residents escape here in the summer to meander around its 1,000km labyrinth of waterways by boat and look out for wildlife including otters, cranes and dragonflies.<\/p>\n Motorised boats are frowned upon, so barges and gondolas are the way to go, with water tours from L\u00fcbbenau<\/a> travelling into the Hochwald forest, at the region\u2019s heart, perhaps stopping at an isolated restaurant along the way.<\/p>\n Alternatively, you can hire a boat, or rent a bike to explore.<\/p>\n How to do it:<\/strong> The train from Berlin to L\u00fcbbenau takes around an hour. Hotelanlage Starick offers basic doubles from \u20ac119 (\u00a3103), spreewald-starick.de<\/a><\/p>\n Black Sea region, Turkey Flanked by mountains on one side and the sea on the other, Turkey\u2019s northern Black Sea region is a favourite summer escape for inhabitants of Istanbul that\u2019s steeped in history and local traditions. And, with summer highs of about 26\u00b0C, it is a cooler and more verdant alternative to the Mediterranean coast, which tends to be several degrees hotter.<\/p>\n Four hours\u2019 drive east of Istanbul, the city of Bolu is one of the region\u2019s westernmost areas and serves as the jumping-off point for Yedig\u00f6ller National Park, with its lush forests, seven lakes and wilderness campsites, as well as hiking and biking trails. Forest-backed beaches are a couple of hours north.<\/p>\n Also nearby are the handsome mountain town of Mudurnu and spring-fed Lake Abant, surrounded by fir and pine trees. Down in the valley, meanwhile, is G\u00f6yn\u00fck \u2013 an Ottoman town full of handsome period architecture and dotted with centuries-old plane trees.<\/p>\n![\"France,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259745820.jpg\")
The wooden homes of Morbihan, Vannes
\n(Photo: Hiroshi Higuchi\/Getty\/The Image Bank RF\/Hiroshi Higuchi)<\/p>\n![\"Cathedrals](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259745966.jpg\")
Praia das Catedrais in Ribadeo (Photo: IMAG3S\/Getty\/iStock Editorial)<\/p>\n![\"Pacentro](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259745893.jpg\")
The medieval village of Pacentro in the province of L\u2019Aquila, Abruzzo (Photo: Piero M. Bianchi\/Getty\/Moment RF)<\/p>\n![\"Strolling](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259745840.jpg\")
The lanes of Hydra (Photo: Thanasis Zovoilis\/Getty\/Digital Vision)<\/p>\n![\"Sanctuary](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259757408.jpg\")
The Sanctuary of Saint Lucia (Photo: Carmen Martinez Torron\/Getty\/Moment RF)<\/p>\n![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259746037.jpg\")
Enjoy Germany\u2019s waterways (Photo: Westend61\/Getty\/Westend61\/Malte J\u00e4ger)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_259757448.jpg\")
A lake in Yedigoller National Park (Photo: flyparade\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n