Live Your Best Lives
Where do Europeans go on vacation this summer? You might not expect it! I'm Tito, the European regional manager for China-TravelNote. I studied in Spain for four years and traveled extensively throughout Europe.
The other day I was on an overseas forum and a guy from the US posted a question: "Where do Europeans go on vacation? We East Coast Americans go to Florida and the Caribbean, so what about you?" (A question from a "stupid American")
The comments section went ballistic.
Brits: "Every summer I have to head to southern Spain or the Portuguese coast to soak up the sun—it's full of familiar faces. "
Germans: "It's not a vacation until you snag a beach chair in Mallorca.
" Slovenians and Czechs: "Everyone's migrating to Croatia."
Northern Europeans: "We have to fly to southern Europe to see the sun, okay?"
July and August are actually Europe's collective holiday season. Offices close, beaches are packed, and even museum guides go to Sicily to soak up the sun. Beach loungers are hard to come by, and southern European airports are like the European Spring Festival travel rush.
I also saw a map labeled "Most Tourist Vacation Countries." A closer look revealed a dense grid of "SPAIN."
Indeed, even Southern Europeans have long since had enough of the sun, quietly heading off to Switzerland, Austria, and Germany for summer escapes... Meanwhile, some high-level players simply cross the Mediterranean and head straight for Africa: Morocco on the Sahara, Egypt on the Red Sea, and Kenya on the steppes—these are already familiar routes on European vacation maps.
Of course, we don’t have 30 days of annual leave like other people. Sometimes we have to rely on a combination of “legal leave + adjusted leave + leave + prayer” to get 5 consecutive days off... But this doesn’t stop us from choosing the right place and having fun better than anyone else!
Because in Italy, you only need to do two things: sunbathe and eat.
Don't laugh, this is the perfect vacation philosophy. Scandinavians come to escape the rain, the British come to bask in the sun, and Germans rush to grab the sea view B&Bs in Cinque Terre.
As for the Italians themselves? They've long since avoided the popular tourist spots and quietly snuck off to the mountains to drink espresso...
After all, this is a place where
✅ museums can give you trypophobia,
✅ street-side pizza is better than Michelin, and
✅ even cars drive like artists
.
If you were to take a European-style Italian vacation, how would we spend it?
✅ Stay on the islands of Venice, enjoying a singing gondola ride;
✅ Hike the Cinque Terre, walking the clifftop "Path of Love";
✅ Watch "The Birth of Venus" in Florence, and enjoy a T-bone steak for dinner;
✅ Lunch at a Tuscan winery with wine and a view—who wants to go to work anymore?
We not only check in, but also take a real vacation; it is not a quick tour, but an immersion in the thousand-year beauty of the Apennine Peninsula.
Europeans are divided in the summer. Some seek the sun (travel to southern Europe), while others seek to escape it (heading to Switzerland). After all, Switzerland is the perfect place for a cool, mountain retreat in the summer—jewel-like lakes, snow-capped mountains that never melt year-round, postcard-perfect scenery from train windows, and hiking trails so numerous they could circle the globe once and a half.
Add to that the Swiss saying, "A 2,500-meter pass? Just a weekend stroll."
So, every July and August, Italians escape to the Alps for a vacation.
It's Europe's answer to a high-end summer resort. If you're dreaming of a "Swiss vacation," we've arranged these experiences:
✅ Ride the cogwheel train up Mount Rigi to see the mountains, lakes, cattle, and sheep, followed by a one-hour hike;
✅ Choose from a zipline, go-kart, or scooter on the First Peak—a ride that's like playing Mario Kart Switzerland;
✅ Hike along Lake Lungern and stroll through the Lavaux vineyards for a relaxing "middle-class vacation" experience;
✅ From the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc, snap away the reflections of the snow-capped mountains and discover all the ways to ride Swiss trains.
✅ We'll take you to one of Europe's most beloved summer hotspots, known for its coolness and soothing atmosphere.
Bring your camera and get ready to change your phone wallpaper every day!
Ask, "Where do Europeans go in the summer?" The answer is, "To the beach." So which beach is the hottest? The answer is likely: Croatia! Croatia! Croatia!
Germany packs up its tents and drives its families, Czechs head straight to the Adriatic, and Slovenians even jokingly say, "Our coastline is so short, we rely on our neighbors for vacations."
Dubrovnik's Old Town is perpetually bathed in blue skies and blazing sunshine, the "Game of Thrones" filming locations have become a "selfie kingdom," and Zadar's Sea Organ is perpetually packed with people listening to the sound of the ocean.
If you haven't been to Croatia, it's hard to keep up with the buzz in the European holiday tabloids this summer.
If you also want to experience a "European-style coastal vacation", we have arranged the following:
✅ Stay in a 4-star hotel outside Dubrovnik, avoid the crowds in the morning to climb the city walls and stroll through the "King's Landing";
✅ Listen to the "Sea Organ" playing a natural musical in Zadar, and the sunset time is so beautiful that it makes people quiet;
✅ Drink coffee in the ruins of the ancient Roman palace in Split, sit on the 2,000-year-old stone and daydream;
✅ Roam the Adriatic coast, which is incredibly blue and as quiet as a painting.
Rather than "visiting tourist attractions", it was more like we stole a part of the Croatian people's daily life, leisurely enjoying the romantic slow pace of the Mediterranean in the sunshine.
In the eyes of Europeans, summer doesn't necessarily mean lying on the beach. Sometimes, rather than basking in the sun, they want to walk on the cobblestone streets, drink a beer in the Baroque Square, and listen to the "dong dong dong" sound of the astronomical clock under the clock tower in the old town.
As a result, the Czech Republic and Austria, a "Central European artistic couple," have become a summer favorite for countless Europeans. Czechs proudly proclaim, "Wine is cheaper than water in our country!" Austrians smile back, "Come stay in the Lake District for a while—even the queens come here for summer vacation."
The Hallstatt, St. Wolfgang, and Calais town combination, in particular, almost always makes the list of European vacation inspirations.
So, if you're also planning a "European-style Central European vacation," how would we spend it?
✅ Spend a night in the Czech town of CK, taking photos of the Painted Tower by day and enjoying a cave barbecue at night;
✅ Stay in the heart of Prague's Old Town, taking in the castle, the Astronomical Clock, and Charles Bridge. ✅
Ride a vintage steam train up the mountains of Austria's Lake District for views beyond the poetic realm;
✅ Hear the birdsong and admire the fragrance of flowers in Mirabell Gardens, visiting filming locations from "The Sound of Music" along the way;
✅ Experience Habsburg court life at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna;
✅ A small town and vineyards in the Danube Valley—just the right amount of artistic flair.
The key words for this trip are: "relaxing, beautiful, and full of stories." Instead of rushing to see the sights, every step is like stepping into a medieval landscape.
Every July and August, while the world flocks to the beach, a group of "awake" Europeans go against the tide and head north to Norway.
It's not that they don't love the sun, but they know how to avoid getting a sunburned nose and aroused nerves.
As a result, fjords, forests, Viking villages and old fishing ports became their summer resorts, and the Norwegians themselves were not idle either - although they could not see the aurora at their doorstep in the summer, they went to the mountains to catch elves (and hike) and dry apples (and tourists) in the summer.
If you follow us to the same destination, you'll get more than just a quick tour:
✅ We'll arrange a ride through the canyon on one of the "World's Top Ten Trains" and explore the secrets of the fjords on a RIB boat;
✅ Climb to the summit of Pulpit Rock to witness the 600-meter drop;
✅ Dine on seafood in Bergen, drink fruit wine in an orchard, and herd sheep on a Viking farm...
This summer, let coolness and romance flow into your photo album.
Some people go on vacation just to "lie down and do nothing", but others go on vacation to witness with their own eyes the familiar dialogue they heard as children:
"Welcome to the animal world of Africa."
Every July and August, Europeans are either sunbathing in the Sahara or chasing zebras on off-road vehicles in Kenya.
Why? Because the world's most romantic and wild spectacle—the wildebeest migration—takes place right here. Enjoy a hot air balloon soaring over the grasslands at dawn, a Sundowner on the savannah at sunset, the roar of the Big Five before your eyes, and the excited "guide" shouting, "Look! Cheetah!" in your ears.
Compared to crowded Mediterranean beaches, this is a truly "wild vacation."
What would it be like to vacation in Kenya with us?
✅ Spend three consecutive nights in the Masai Mara Reserve, capturing the Great Migration with a telephoto lens;
✅ Experience the Maasai tribe's war dance, chat about cattle, and listen to them describe the stars;
✅ Cruise into Lake Naivasha and watch flamingos fly off the pink shoreline;
✅ Drive off-road to the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro and watch elephants pass by beneath the snow-capped peaks;
✅ Spend the evening drinking wine on the grasslands, gazing at the Milky Way and listening to the roars of lions nearby.
This is the most natural and instinctive way to vacation on earth. It is not only about seeing animals, but also like returning to the dreams of our ancestors.
Imagine this - you have just finished looking at the golden mask of the pharaoh in the Louvre, and the French grandmother next to you smiled and said, "Oh, my grandson is in Egypt this week."
Europeans go on vacation not just to bask in the sun, they are also keen to have a conversation with time.
Taking selfies in front of the pyramids, drinking in the Nile, snorkeling in the Red Sea... This is the birthplace of civilization and a prime destination for vacations.
Egypt is more than just the pyramids.
It's a journey that begins in 3000 BC, through tombs, temples, ancient capitals, and deserts. Every step feels like entering the back door of a history museum.
What can you expect to experience on our Egypt adventure?
✅ Start at the Pyramids of Cairo and journey south to Abu Simbel, where you'll witness the wonders of the temples carved by the pharaohs for love.
✅ Ride a horse-drawn carriage through the temples of Luxor, explore the ancient tombs of the Valley of the Kings, and step into the very setting of "Tomb Raider."
✅ Snorkel in the Red Sea to encounter colorful corals and dolphins, or go sandboarding in the desert. ✅
Climb aboard a felucca and cruise the Nile River to witness a romantic sunset.
✅ Visit Luxor Temple at night, where the illuminated colonnades will make you feel like you're the star of an archaeology film.
So, how are you spending your vacation this year?
Did you already squeeze in May Day and are looking forward to the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday?
Or do you still have your annual leave and don't know where to spend it?
Europeans have already sunbathed in Mallorca, hiked in Switzerland, and sipped tea in the Sahara.
We've also scouted out their favorite vacation spots for you—
just pick one, pack up, and go!
