European summer—complete with no AC, an easy 10k daily steps, and a steady diet of peaches and rosé—is the dreamy vacation we all crave. But what do Europeans actually do in the summer? Spoiler alert: It’s not €1,000-a-night hotels, Pucci printed sets, truffle pasta, Aperol spritzes, back-to-back sightseeing, beach clubs, and parties. As someone who has spent every summer back in Europe, I was recently sitting around a table with loved ones in a garden in Biarritz, France (having done little more than exactly that for over a week), and the conversation turned to this overly aestheticized version of Euro summer, which got me thinking about how European summer is highly misunderstood and misrepresented. The reality? The real thing is slower, quieter, and deeply local. And maybe this obsession with the hyper-curated, influencer-fed version of summer isn’t just missing the point but eroding the ethos behind it entirely.
What is a European summer, really?
Growing up, European summer (much like elsewhere) meant school was out and life moved outdoors: lake swims, mountain hikes, long lunches in the garden, and no alarm clocks. It was a time to forget what day it was. So, when did summer become a marathon of strict itineraries and overbooked plans? I asked myself that recently—because I’ve become a victim of it, too. In much of Europe, though, summer still carries a deeper meaning. Entire offices shut down in August across many countries. In France and Italy, it’s estimated that around 50 percent of people take their annual leave during this time, with some businesses closing entirely. In France, there are even specific terms for vacationers—juilletistes and aoûtiens—depending on whether they holiday in July or August.
This cultural pause, though shifting with time, is still honored as a chance to reset: to escape the city heat, spend time with loved ones, and ease into a slower rhythm before fall. That’s the real Euro summer: not the commercialized White Lotus version packed with designer kaftans and yacht itineraries, but the unhurried joy of doing less and feeling more.
“… Not the commercialized White Lotus version packed with designer kaftans and yacht itineraries, but the unhurried joy of doing less and feeling more.”
What you don’t see as a tourist
There’s a predictable list of destinations that get slammed in peak season: the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Ibiza, Mallorca, Croatia, and Mykonos. Who can blame anyone for wanting a European escape? But here’s the reality: the heat is real, and AC is often minimal (according to Eurostat, fewer than 10 percent of homes in France and fewer than 5 percent in Germany are air-conditioned). While locals embrace the heat with long lunches, late dinners, and afternoon siestas, it’s not just the air-conditioned hotels or yachts where tourists differ.
A friend of mine, hotelier Clara Cortes, opened boutique hotel Íbara Ibiza last year. In just one season, she’s seen the full range of tourist behavior. On her days off, she’s not at a day club—you’ll find her diving into sea caves or enjoying long dinners with friends. “I accidentally went to one party last year,” she laughs. For her, Euro summer isn’t about going hard; it’s about choosing your moments. “I have plenty of guests I never even see,” she says. “They come back to their room at 6 a.m., miss breakfast, and are off to a beach club by noon. And I just think… how exhausting.” Her own family keeps it simple: quiet time on the outskirts of Madrid or in Marbella, one of Spain’s more low-key vacation spots.
When I asked Patrick, a friend in Mallorca, for a list of recs, he gave me two: the cala (a tiny cove) in front of his house and a restaurant he went to with family that weekend. “People come here and binge-drink,” he shrugged. “I might have two drinks a week, max.” Back in Biarritz, our days revolve around three-ingredient lunches—garden tomatoes, burrata, and basil, drizzled with olive oil and fresh black pepper. I know San Sebastián is a short drive away, and Bordeaux is just beyond that. But somehow, doing nothing in the garden feels like everything.
“Summer here isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less on purpose.”
How to have a real European summer
If you’re going to Europe this summer…
If you are lucky enough to find yourself on a trip to Europe this summer, there’s so much more to enjoy than what you’ve seen on Instagram. In other words, don’t be a tourist, unless you absolutely have to. Here are my tips for travelers:
- Read Don’t Be a Tourist in Paris by Vanessa Grall (she spends part of every summer outside the city with her family, and her point of view is refreshingly off-grid).
- Skip the big hotels and look for more boutique or local stays. You’ll spend less, sleep more, and have better conversations.
- Don’t always make reservations for your dinner—just walk around. A stranger at a boutique might point you to a tucked-away vermouth bar that becomes the highlight of your trip.
- Talk to people (this is the one travel tip that always works). You might meet a gallery keeper from Berlin who urges you into a dimly lit perfume shop, and next thing you know, you’re deep inside the velvet-lined maze of Arquinesia, a fragrance house you’ll never find in a guidebook (“Why do you need that guide anyway?” he asked me). Or maybe you’re pointed toward a vintage heaven inside L’Arca in Barcelona instead of the crowded shops. The locals know the best spots. Always.
- Go to the market. Pick up pâté and cherries. Bring a bottle of wine to the beach. Buy the colorful inflatable donut.
If you’re having a European summer at home…
After multiple conversations with friends across the continent, one theme kept emerging: Summer here isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less on purpose. It’s spending as much time outside as possible, whether in a garden or on a terrace café. It’s long conversations, simple meals, zero alarms, and logging off completely. Books (the physical kind) are a big hit, too. It’s the unglamorous, deeply human version of summer we’ve somehow forgotten, and the kind we probably need most.
European summer is more than an aesthetic (if it were, it would be completely uncurated); it’s really about spontaneity, slowing down, and presence over perfection. As the French say: sans se prendre la tête—don’t overthink it.
Angelika Pokovba, Contributing Writer
Angelika is an avid traveler and wellness enthusiast who currently lives in Tulum, Mexico, and speaks six languages. Her deep connection to nature influences all her decisions, driving her to explore unique destinations and discover hidden gems. From curating curiosities to delving into cosmologies, she finds inspiration in the world’s little-known wonders.
Feature graphic images credited to: Filipa Matos | Dupe, Elisa Morey | Dupe, Tatiana Castro | Dupe, Amy Heaton | Dupe
The post Why We’ve Gotten European Summer All Wrong appeared first on The Everygirl.
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