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Escape (or embrace) the cold: The best holiday destinations for July
Our monthly series tells you which cities and countries to visit when to enjoy the best weather, events and festivals – as well as steering clear of crowds.
Have an urge to escape the daily grind this July? Here are the countries and cities sure to spark your spirit of adventure.
COUNTRIES
FRENCH POLYNESIA
Impossibly beautiful: Moorea in French Polynesia.Credit: iStock
Why you should go: When you can’t face the alarm clock and commute for one more day, flee to the ultimate Pacific islands, where jagged mountains rear from impossibly blue lagoons, atolls are topped by jaunty palm trees, and the ocean is filled with turtles, manta rays and a kaleidoscope of fish. July falls in the balmy dry season, and there are 14 islands to choose from, with Bora Bora and Moorea perhaps the most beautiful.
Don’t miss: If you really want to get cast away and can sacrifice fancy overwater bungalows and resort facilities, then head to lovely Huahine, which is scarcely developed and moves at a languid pace. The island is outrageously beautiful and you’ll have nothing to do all day but snorkel, snooze, strum your ukulele and eat mangoes. See tahititourisme.com
IRELAND
Connemara is rich in scenery and culture.Credit: iStock
Why you should go: July and August are the warmest months to visit Ireland, and light lingers long into the evenings, prolonging the chance to admire its magnificent landscapes. Galway, which is surrounded by fabulous scenery and considered Ireland’s most charming city, hosts its multidisciplinary International Arts Festival, Ireland’s biggest celebration of the arts, involving hundreds of artists and performers.
Don’t miss: The remote, west-coast region of Connemara, with its moors, mountains and deeply indented coastline, rich in Irish culture and literary heritage. The picturesque seaside town of Clifden is a good base for exploring what Oscar Wilde called the “savage beauty” of the countryside and coastline. See ireland.com
ICELAND
Dettifoss waterfall is a splendid sight.Credit: iStock
Why you should go: While you aren’t going to avoid the crowds (or expense) in the most visited destinations around the Golden Circle circuit, high summer in Iceland provides by far the best weather and warmth, and is ideal for hiking. You won’t see any more peculiar, other-worldly landscapes than here: lava fields, volcanoes, glaciers, jagged coastlines and thundering waterfalls combine in an awesome display of brutal nature.
Don’t miss: Make sure you do more than the southwest tourist circuit. Get into remote and spectacular northern Iceland, where mountains meet dramatic coastal rock formations and fjords nibble deep into the landscape. Dettifoss waterfall is a splendid sight. Akureyri makes for a good base. See visiticeland.com
CHILE
The Andes are not far from Chile’s capital, Santiago.Credit: iStock
Why you should go: It’s winter in Chile, and you can combine a visit to capital city Santiago with a spot of skiing. The country’s two best resorts, Portillo and Valle Nevado, are nearby, and if you want to get more adventurous than you can ski Volcan Osorno further afield – it isn’t every day you can boast you’ve skied down a volcano.
Don’t miss: Portillo, an exclusive ski resort two hours northeast of Santiago, notable for steep terrain, excellent off-piste skiing and a spectacular Andes setting. Short snow storms are often followed by bluebird days that provide the best of powder skiing. Less expert skiers can enjoy long, well-groomed runs, while a good ski school gets beginners on their feet. See chile.travel
NEW CALEDONIA
New Caledonia in July is perfect: Not too hot, not too cold.Credit: iStock
Why you should go: As the winter chill sets in across much of Australia, just a short flight away this French territory enjoys Goldilocks weather: not too hot for getting about, yet warm enough for beach lounging. Fish-filled lagoons, big-game fishing, bird spotting and hiking peninsulas and interior mountains are among varied activities. For an even more low-key escape, head to the outlying Loyalty Islands.
Don’t miss: The capital Noumea is set on a blue lagoon, emerald hillsides and white beaches on bays shaded by flame trees and jacarandas. The modest town is blessed with a clash of cultures. Think French flair and posh nosh matched with a languid Pacific lifestyle and vibrant native Kanak culture. See newcaledonia.travel
CITIES
DARWIN, AUSTRALIA
Darwin’s Waterfront Precinct.Credit: iStock
Why you should go: Temperatures remain toasty but the Top End’s stifling humidity is greatly reduced in July, making this a great time for shivering southerners to trek north for a short break – or longer one to visit Kakadu National Park. Kick back at Darwin Waterfront Precinct, wander the Botanic Gardens and East Point Reserve, and eat your way through multi-ethnic cuisines at Mindil Beach Sunset Market.
Don’t miss: Two small but excellent museums, the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT for natural history and art (plus an absorbing account of 1974’s Cyclone Tracy), and the RFDS Tourist Facility for the stories of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Darwin’s WWII bombing, imagined through high-tech virtual reality. See northernterritory.com
MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND
Worth exploring: Chillon CastleCredit: iStock
Why you should go: Dipping its toes in Lake Geneva, backed by vineyards and gazing towards the French Alps, Montreux is lovely year-round but in July comes alive as its world-famous, three-week Montreux Jazz Festival sees the world’s top jazz, blues and rock artists take to various stages.
Don’t miss: The European aristocracy came here in the nineteenth century to enjoy Montreux’s balmy microclimate and lake scenery. Do the same on the lovely, flower-flanked promenades that lead in about 40 minutes towards Chillon Castle, whose medieval turrets are backed by fanged mountains. The 13th-century castle is an explore-worthy labyrinth of banqueting halls, hidey-holes and ramparts. See montreuxriviera.com
BERLIN, GERMANY
Berlin comes alive in the northern summer.Credit: iStock
Why you should go: Berliners love the outdoor life, and July is the perfect time for kicking back in parks, bar terraces, beer gardens and on the deck chairs that dot the riverbanks. Street parties, open-air concerts and festival enliven the city. The long summer evenings (it isn’t dark until after 10pm) encourage café hopping, and the capital’s infamous nightlife never seems to stop.
Don’t miss: The vast Tiergarten, a huge green space that encompasses meadows, lakes, meandering paths and swathes of lawn. With over 20 kilometres of leafy walks, it’s a relaxing breather between bouts of city life and museum visiting. The park is also scattered with monuments; clamber up Victory Column for fine views. See visitberlin.de
QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND
Queenstown is at its best in July.
Why you should go: One of the world’s most scenic ski destinations is at its best in July. Queenstown is surrounded by great ski fields such as Coronet Peak, Treble Cone and The Remarkables. If you see skiing as an enjoyment rather than a fitness challenge, you’ll love the undulating terrain, variety of runs, and options for sunny, scenic lunches.
Don’t miss: The drive along Lake Wakatipu to the Dart River between panoramic peaks is magical, but the journey upriver by jet boat is even more spectacular. The river’s glacial waters gleam and swirl, crystal-clear waterfalls tumble down rock faces, and snow-peaks jostle in 360-degree splendour. See queenstownnz.co.nz
AARHUS, DENMARK
ARoS art gallery is topped by a coloured glass ring with 360-degree rainbow views over the city.Credit: iStock
Why you should go: Denmark’s second-largest city has a centre compact enough to walk almost everywhere, and particularly buzzes in summer, when dizzying temperatures (think 20 degrees) have people, flowers and festivals springing out all over. In recent years, Aarhus has been grabbing attention as an emerging city-break destination for lovers of art and food. It supplies the dolce vita, Danish style.
Don’t miss: There’s plenty to see, culture wise. ARoS art gallery is topped by a coloured glass ring with 360-degree rainbow views over the city. Viking history is showcased at Moesgård Museum with its famous Bog Man, while the outstanding Den Gamle By is an open-air museum of meticulously restored historical buildings. See visitaarhus.com
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