Experts advise visiting these four cities in early summer – before the peak crowds arrive.
June in Europe traditionally marks the beginning of a stormy tourist season, when the streets and beaches of the most popular cities are gradually filled with crowds of tourists and covered with hellish heat. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly difficult to choose a potential place for your next vacation.
Lonely Planet, the world’s largest travel platform, has unveiled a list of 12 places in the world worth visiting in June 2025 – four of them in Europe.
1. Gdansk, Poland-for exploring the rich history. For more than a thousand years, this Baltic city at the mouth of the Vistula River has been in the purview of the Bohemians, the Teutonic Knights, the Hanseatic League and the Prussians, all of whom have left a magnificent mark on the city’s history and architecture. Meanwhile, in Sopot, which together with Gdansk and Gdynia forms the Trumiasto agglomeration, tourists can expect sandy beaches, lively bars and night clubs, where in June it is still quite calm before the arrival of the densest crowds of tourists in the height of summer.
2. Aveiro and Coimbra, Portugal-for city holidays. Portugal’s brightest minds have been studying in Coimbra for more than seven centuries since its venerable hilltop university opened in 1290. By June, however, the young people are leaving, leaving the cobblestone streets filled with the stirring tones of the city’s characteristic fado style of music. Beach – goers can also sunbathe, swim, or even surf in Praia de San Jacinto or Praia da Costa Nova before a lot of tourists arrive in July.
3. Sicily, Italy – for a gastronomic trip. The largest Mediterranean island is a real cultural crossroads: ancient Greeks and Arabs, medieval Normans, Spanish and English conquerors, colonizers and other visitors-all left their traces here. This cultural mix also influences the island’s distinctive cuisine, where traditional Italian dishes echo African motifs.
4. Shetland Islands, Scotland-for hiking. Closer to Bergen than to Edinburgh, more than 100 Shetland Islands in the North Atlantic have a distinct Nordic flavor – in fact, they were Norwegian before 1469. Arriving in June, when the sun is barely setting, you can stroll through the windswept hills and coast, discover huge seabird colonies, and explore 5,000 years of human activity on the islands. Well, if the weather hits hard, you can always go to the museum of the vibrant capital of Lerwick or to one of its tempting bars.
