I was going to call this blog ‘top 5 places to visit this summer’ but it’s not certain if we will be free by THIS summer. This list is the 5 places i’d love to visit in any particular summer but will also be just as good destinations in the autumn. So here are my Top 5 European ‘Summery’ Places to Visit (when this is all over!)

5. Lake Bled, Slovenia

Taking the 5th spot is Lake Bled in Slovenia. One of the most common start points if you aren’t staying on the lake is the Slovenian Capital, Ljubljana.

We visited Lake Bled last year in the autumn on our backpacking trip while using Ljubljana as a base to visit a few other places. The weather was grim on the day we went which hindered our experience and is might be why it has ranked so far down on my list. If you are visiting in colder months, I wrote a post with all my suggestions for a Wintry Adventure to Lake Bled.

However, the weather did put a dampen on things as there was low cloud cover and we couldn’t see the beautiful mountains that surround the lake. It was also a very quiet place while we were there so it might be more lively in the summer. Nonetheless, it would be a really cool place to visit and you should definitely spend some time exploring other places in Slovenia like The Postojna Caves!

4. Zagreb, Croatia

Our runner up in fourth place is Zagreb. The Croatian Capital is a really beautiful place, and not as visited as its coastal city of Dubrovnik (which is in no way a negative point!!). We visited last year on our backpacking trip, which you can read all about in Our Zagreb Adventures post.

Zagreb is perfect for anyone who likes hearty food, good beer and picturesque panoramic views over the city. We had some great sunshine while we were there which really made our time there so I can only imagine what it would be like in the summer!

The streets are littered with cute restaurants and bars all with outdoor seating. It would make a perfect weekend away spot! And of course, there is this perfect photo spot!!

3. Tallinn, Estonia

Taking third place is the Capital of Estonia, Tallinn. If you’ve never heard of Tallinn or don’t know where in the world Estonia is, then you need to add this city to your radar!

If you are wanting to go somewhere that will provide nice food and drinks, a little bit of sightseeing but you want to avoid the noisy babble of tourists you will find on the med, Tallinn is where you should book next! Trust me!!

Not to mention, the Estonian capital is full of incredibly rich cultures and heartbreaking recent history which is so important for us to educate ourselves on.

2. The Italian Lakes

Sitting at number two and a very close contender are the Italian Lakes. I have been spending my days in lock down daydreaming about olives and rose wine sitting at the waters edge as the sun sets.

Garda was a beautiful place and I cannot recommend it enough. Perhaps one of the best things about it was the fact that its predominantly an ‘older persons’ destination, so it was really chilled out and relaxing. Not to mention that every town around the lake is just beautiful!

I haven’t visited the other places like lake Como but, I have heard just as amazing things. Has anyone visited both to tell me which is better?

1. Malta

Malta takes the top spot as its is probably the first place me and my family will be booking to go in September (its now October 2020 and covid is getting worse, so maybe next September?). I’ve said this before in other posts, but Malta is where the Italians go on holiday. If that doesn’t convince you that you have to visit, I don’t know what will.

Malta has everything you could possibly want in a destination, fantastic day trips, incredible weather, beautiful scenery, plentiful food and drink and last but not least, friendly and welcoming people. Malta is a must visit.

And that is everywhere on my list. Have you visited any of these? Did I miss anywhere? Where are you planning to visit? Let me know in the comments!

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