Why are so many against Europe in August??

I suspect because August is the traditional time when Europeans themselves take vacations.

What you didn't tell us us is what those guidebooks give as the reason(s) for not going in August.

August in Europe is high tourist season, a period when many Europeans are on vacation as well as tourists from other countries. The result is crowds.

Just that Europeans are on vacation and that the crowds are huge, huge, huge.

Go whenever you want to! Some folks have a free calendar and can research the absolute best time to go to a given place, and others of us are bound to things like school calendars and go whenever we have a decent block of time.

My first trip to Europe was in August of 1985, right after I had taken the bar exam. We did minimal planning and had little money. We started in Frankfort, drove the Rhine and Mosel, saw bits of Luxemborg, Brussels, Brugge, Antwerp and Amsterdam, then saw Paris and London. We had a fantastic time and didn't know that we "weren't supposed to be there" that month. Coming from the August heat of Texas, the weather felt delightfully cool. The only "August" problem we had was that my traveling companion worked for a major jewlery company and he had wanted to see a few diamond related things in Antwerp but couldn't.

Florence, Venice and Paris are not going to be closed. Go, and enjoy!

I'd go in Aug if it meant a few extra days. Yes, it will be hot, and there will be crowds, but less so maybe at the end of the month. And in Oct, it might rain.

Bigger crowds, that's all about it And in some cities , it's very humid..but it doesn't mind very much if you come from an humid place too

I agree there will probably be bigger crowds and in some cases, establishments such as restaurants may be closed.

Yes, it will be hot and humid and prices may even be higher (definitely check out that aspect of things).

But, if it gives you some extra days and the other "issues" aren't biggies I would go for it...after all, a lot of other people will be there, too.

Its pretty humid here in Nashville, TN in August, but we are used to it !

Paris didn't seem too crowded to me at the end of Aug and it felt kind of cool in the evenings and early mrning.

More than one reason, namely: huge crowds around beach and resort areas, hot weather, closed businesses, i.e. many restaurants. Since the late 30's when Europeans started getting paid (August) vacation benefits, it is the month when many Europeans families leave town for coastal destinations. It can work to the tourist advantage though. I know people that LOVE Paris and Rome in August; quieter they say. Not sure that's as true as it used to. One thing I know, I would not go to Southern Spain or Greece in August if you pay me.

For the places you named, crowds would be the primary issue, along with heat if that bothers you. For other places, there may be the issue of closures of certain sites, stores, restaurants. But, while it may affect some of your choices, I can't imagine running out of alternative things to do in Paris, Florence ans Venice!!!

There are 3 issues:

In much of europe it;s very hot in August and most people prefer to do 8 hours per day walking when it's not 95 and humid

Many europeans have pre-set August vacations - no choice - so everything is especially crowded then - it take much longer to do things and prices in resort areas are very high

In some major cities (Paris, Rome) etc some family run places do shut down for the month (they're on vacation) so you have fewer choices

October solves all of these problems - of which IMHO the first is by far the most serious given the lack of AC in much of europe.

This might not be an issue for you, but for us the 2 biggest reasons we don't go in August (aside from the hordes of tourists) are:

1. Air conditioning. In some restaurants & hotels it's inadequate for our needs or non-existant.

2. Restaurant closings. Dining is a big part of our travel and in Paris at least, the top starred restaurants close during August.

On the Riviera, August is high season and the hotel rates are almost double. For instance, one of our favorites, the Metropole in Beaulieu sur Mer charges 230 euros for a garden view room in October. The same room in August is 430 euros.

You know, I'm glad the guidebooks DON'T recommend going to Italy and France in August (if in fact that's the case) because they think that the majority of shops and restaurants are shut down, and all the locals have left the city to the tourists. In my experience, that's just not true. What you get is still a great selection of the local restaurants (the more expensive splashy ones do tend to take holidays in August-but in Italy, usually only a couple of weeks), most shops are open, and there's not necessarily hotter weather (weather in Europe is so unpredictable-last year in Rome, in August, the weather was delightful-about 85-90 degrees at the end of the month-so you really can't take it as a given that it will be insufferably hot-Venice, on the other hand, was downright cold for a few days after a hard rain fell during the same time period.

The locals who ARE left, tend to be in a much more relaxed state, there's far less traffic (it's the traffic that can really wear on you in Rome, particularly). In Venice-it's quite crowded with tourists in August, but otherwise it's pretty much the same as it is in low season-some restaurants are closed at the end of the month-but I noticed the ones that were, opened back up before the end of August-just before the start of the Venice Film Festival - around Aug. 30th or so.

I fell back in love with Paris some years ago after going back for a visit in August-everyone I encountered was just so incredibly pleasant-I now think it the best time of year to visit-everything you want to see is still open-you just don't have to fight quite so hard to see it. The Left Bank/Latin Quarter scene in August was just hopping-I remember being quite surprised to see how lively it was. Rome's nightlife areas same-Trastevere was packed at the end of August.

If you are most interested in cultural events, you probably do need to go at a different time of year. The cultural season for many events generally ends in July or sooner, and doesn't start back up until mid-Sept.-October timeframe. (However the Arena in Verona, Italy stages its spectacular opera productions until the end of August).

One big advantage of traveling during this time period: hotel rates go way down on most establishments-making it easier to stay at a 4 star than a 2 star, for example.

Depending on where you visit, a lot of local businesses are closed as the owners and their families are on vacation. Elche, Spain is a favorite place of mine and I have spent a lot of time there, none more boring than August. We went out one day and there were 2 restaurants (as in nicer places) open in the whole city. Driving was nice because there were no cars because no one was there. A veritable ghost town.

Then we would drive to the beach, which is about 20 minutes away. Nowhere to park, tons of people (except at the nude beaches which, by virtue of practice, tend to keep the population down). . . not my idea of super fun.

That is Spain, which is a main tourist destination, so my view is a bit skewed (other cities I have spent August include Alicante and Málaga, both main destinations). There are lots of people and it is really really hot. That said, I still love my Augusts!

3 words

hot
crowded
expensive

Quite the contrary, Europa. Check the hotel rates for the big 3 in Italy and Paris in August-they almost always offer signficant discounts during this time period.

Hotels in big cities are cheaper in August, though. Everyone wants to go out of them

that would make sense. thanks

I think it's hot and crowded, too, so I visit northern places, which are at least not as hot.

But next year my son graduates high school, and then, as God is my witness, I'll never see Europe in August again, as God is my witness (apologies to Margaret Mitchell).

I've made several trips in August, I never understand what people have against it. And one trip included both Venice and Paris which people make the big deal about/against. It was hot, and I would spring for air con in your hotel, but besides that, no complaints to share.

I am unsure about other countries but I know Italy in August is not as nice as the other months. It is busy, hot, and a lot of places are closed due to the italians traveling. I run a business in Italy and the managers all take vacations to USA for the entire month of August.

I disagree, Bergamo Girl-I was just in Rome, Venice and Florence last August and the weather was surprisingly delightful-particularly in Rome-you can't make blanket predictions about European weather patterns-it's constantly changing.

And is it not a contradiction to say that it is "busy" yet a lot of places are closed?

Granted, businesses not catering to the tourist trade in Italy DO shut down in August-but I can state for a fact that there were a plethora of great restaurants to choose from that were open and ready for business during that time period-in addition to getting great rates on hotel rooms and especially, apartments.

Going to Italy in August would be a very different experience than going in October because much of Italy shuts down for the entire month!Stores and restaurants post signs stating in vacanza. Towns are quiet, not bustling as they would otherwise be. Until you get to the seaside where you will find all those people who were not back in town. Conversely, October is perfect. Lovely weather, truffle season, all the shops and restaurants open, way way fewer bugs, humidity, etc.

Wow...so this is going to be a hard decision to make! I appreciate all the different views...keep 'em coming!

Overall, I would prefer not to travel in August at all, but sometimes I just have to because of business committments.

Although I often have to be in the cities on business in August, I stay away from them for pleasure (excessive heat and humidity, which is WHY the locals vacate Rome and Paris in August). I head for the hills or the coast. The downside is that hotels can be expensive and hard to find and the resorts can be crowded.

However, I have enjoyed July/August trips to Northern Spain (Asturias & Cantabria), the mountains of the French & SPanish Basque regions (wonderfully cool), the Italian Dolomites, Piedmont (in the moutains around Aosta), Haute Savoie (around Annecy). This August I will spend 6 days in Galicia Spain but am having a really difficult time finding hotels!

Haven't read the thread so I apologize if these reasons have been amply covered:

1. most everyone in Europe also vacations in August. You want to go when everything is open and the waiters are on the job rather than in the Maldives.

2. hot, and either no airconditioning, anemic airconditioning, or unreliable airconditioning.

I've gone to Italy during the last 2 weeks of August for the past 3 years... it's the only time my husband feels comfortable taking 2 weeks off at one time AND we get that extra padding from the Labor Day weekend.

The only time the heat bothered me was in Pompeii and Rome. Even with the heat of the day, I sometimes find that I need a sweater in the evenings in many places, including Venice and Tuscany. If the heat doesn't get to you in Tennesee, then it probably won't get to you in Italy.

The crowds can be bad in the cities, but they never truly bothered us except in Piazza San Marco, Venice, and around the Duomo in Florence. Once you get away from the piazza, Venice is extremely pleasant, though. Also, make sure you make reservations for certain things in Florence and Venice, such as the Uffizi in Florence and the basillica in Venice... this allows you to bypass the long lines.

I've only encountered a few restaurants closed during our visits, and have never encountered a closure of any museums, churches or tourist spots.

Pros: More time for your trip. Some hotels will offer substantial discounts.

Cons: Much higher airfares, Hot, no (or ineffective) air conditioning, huge crowds in most places, many (but not so many you wouldn't still have choices) restaurants/shops are closed.

If I had my choice I'd not travel anywhere in Europe (except for Edinburgh for the festivals) in August. But even in August you can have a wonderful trip.

It's so hot and humid here in Castellon where I live..that I don't mind to travel most places in August
Just don't think on Southern Italy (just Rome on the final days of the month), Southern Spain or Greece. The rest is ok for me

Crowded.

My sister in law and her family now live in England. Her children are in school eleven months out of twelve. So they have August off. Her husband has five weeks of paid vacation. The same as most salaried people in Europe.

So if most people have five weeks of vacation and the children are out of school during only during August then most of your vacation is taken in August.

In researching my recent trip to Paris I found that a lot of the nice restaurants would be closed in the month of August.

We were also in Venice and Tuscanny last July and it was just unbearable, even in the evening. Very hot and humid. Not enjoyable at all. If you have the option of going in October when the weather is cooler, why would you consider hot and humid August?
I recently retired, so we did a trip to Paris in early May and said we would never go again in the months of June, July or August. Just too crowded and uncomfortable. Paris was 65-70 degrees and very pleasant. I can't see any reason why anyone would want to go in August.

<< My sister in law and her family now live in England. Her children are in school eleven months out of twelve. >>
Do her children go to "Dotheboys Hall" by any chance.

State School children in England & Wales will have 2 weeks at Christmas, 1 week in February, 2 weeks at Easter, 1 week at the end of May, 6-7 weeks July / August & a week at the end of October which adds up to about 3 months. Simialr amoutns of time apply to Scotland but the May through October dates are different

DinPa-there's a world of difference, particularly in Venice, between July and the last two weeks of August. Most Venetians told me (and they were right) that the humidity is much less then, and I would probably not need air conditioning-it was cool several days in August last year-but July (almost always is) very hot and humid.

GirlTravel and dinpa -- I experienced some cooler days in Venice in late August 2 years ago. And also in Tuscany last year... we had to buy sweatshirts during our 2 weeks there because we had several cooler days. I've also heard that July is usually worse than late August.

Thanks Amarena, I'm out here trying to tell people this, but they've got it in their heads that one month is just like the other-Venice is a coastal city, and the temps. are affected greatly by the sea. Like you, I froze and had to layer up in Venice when I first arrived after a hard rain last August, and then, it warmed up nicely to around 84 or so.

TG -- we are the crusaders of ITALY IN AUGUST!! But maybe we shouldn't be, because then it might get more crowded!

oops! I meant GT (GirlTravel), not TG!!

A-my thought exactly!

I will let you know when I get back. I am going the first week in August to France. I cannot imagine it being any more hot or humid than Virginia in the summer. We are going to be 94 F on Saturday, 95 on Sunday and 96 on Monday, and the humidity will be sky high, and I cant imagine France being that hot. Of course, I have never been there so I really don't know. I am about to find out

namtrag - one BIG difference, when it is 95 in VA you can go inside an air conditioned bldg if need be. No such option (well, almost none) in France/Europe.

Don't get me wrong - I go to Europe in the summer - but a/c makes a huge difference . . . .

For Germany, August will be a perfect month. Best chance to catch good weather, less traffic on the Autobahn, no crowds.

Switzerland is terrific in August, too. (If you leave out August 2005, that is.)

School starts mid August.

Weather in France can vary so much that it makes it difficult (for me anyway) to pack.

First half of August in Bavaria is mostly okay, in the 2nd half temperatures usually drop.

We will be traveling to Germany, Switzerland and France in August ... and have found that the hotels are cheaper!

I would recommend Scandinavia in August: Scandinavians have already taken their vacations in July and at the end of June (Midsummer is a big thing there), the weather is more stable, pleasantly warm (70s, sometimes upper 60s), the gardens are at their prime... however if you venture to northern Norway some of the mountain overpasses close already in the middle of August. I was once caught in a sudden snowstorm in early September and it was in southern Norway. The big, plump pillows of snow looked so unreal on fresh, green birch leaves.

Just to flip this around a little bit...I think August is a bad time to visit the US, yet many take a holiday there that month. Florida in hurricane season anyone? Monsoon rains or wildfires out west? How about the heat and humidity of the northeast? Living in Texas I have to agree with Missypie. I am looking forward to my August trip to Paris, especially since I am neither childless nor retired and must travel in the summer or winter anyway!

Time is more important than the weather! Hot; wear less. Cold; wear more. AC is expensive and expensive to run; Europeans opt for simpler comfort means. Years ago, Chicagoans slept on roofs or travelled to Northern Wisconsin. If physical comfort is a priority...October.

We live travelling in spring and fall, with October being our favorite, since weather is still nice enough in most places, and all the family groups are out of the picture. We never leave vacation in summer, since we don't enjoy hot or humid weather, and the crowds that occur in the summer months. I imagine it's worse in Europe than in the US during the summer since most vacation at the same time, the land mass is much smaller and supports more people than the US, and a lot of places don't offer air conditioning. We have also heard of a lot of closures in August due to the continental vacation ritual. Cities should be open and running. Guess it depends on your tolerance of the problems mentioned by others in this post.

Keep in mind that there's a big difference between living in a hot, humid area and being a tourist in a hot, humid area. It's much easier to deal with heat and humidity as a resident than as a tourist.

But, as pointed out many times on this forum, if you must visit hot, humid places at their weather-worst, there are ways to ease the impact of the heat and humidity.

>It's much easier to deal with heat and humidity as a resident than as a tourist.
Why would that be?

Wow- the concensus seems to be anywhere but southern Italy- just where we're headed in August.
It's a matter of a good airfare for me. Crazy to brave the Amalfi coast for the first time? The Veneto? Is that the most humid area? I'm getting very nervous! We don't have much heat or humidity where I live in the SF Bay Area. The perfect summer destination if you don't like heat!

logos999-

just guessing, but I think Rufus meant that perhaps a person who resides in a place with hot/humid weather is usually living in a house and/or working in an office with air conditioning.

A tourist is out and about most of the day, often outdoors and therefore more uncomfortable than the person who's working comfortably in their office.

The bay area always seems freezing cold in the summer to me....bring on the heat and humidity!

We spent 3 weeks in Paris last August. We found more to see and places to eat than we had time for (even though some restaurants were closed), fine weather and less crowds in terms of transportation, etc. It was an absolutely fine time to be there.

We had three nights in Madrid in late August 2005, and the temperature got up as high as 100F or so. But it was not so bad, because we had a lovely 4* hotel with great air conditioning. And the hotel was for a cheap price as well.

London and Amsterdam were fine in August 2005 in all respects.

I wouldn't want to visit somewhere like Rome or Paris in August without staying in a nice, airy, air-conditioned room. I am fine with a closet-size space in the winter, spring, or fall, but I'd find that unbearable on a hot, humid day and night.

we live in Italy, and we always go on vacation in august because, as mentioned before, that's the month that most businesses close and Italians can take their vacations. I think a really nice benefit of going to Italy in August (instead of, say, October) is that you get to visit the beaches. I would say that it's better, and less crowded, to go in June or July, but August is still summer. and still perfect beach weather.

Also, many cities have begun to take initiatives to make people stay within the city, rather than all taking that mass August exodus. I know Bologna has activities now for summer, and the town I live in, Macerata, is actually the MOST fun in August, when opera season, town markets, and jazz concerts in the squares take over an otherwise non-touristy, non-populated town.

The main problem for us is that many shops and restaurants take their ferie (vacation) in august, and therefore some of our favorite restaurants remain closed. Still, as cities become more popular August destinations (in comparison to, say, beaches and mountain towns), more restaurants in our town, at least, are taking their 2 weeks vacation a bit later--around late September.

Anyway, this year there is a good chance WE'LL be in Venice in August too--never been during that month, but hopefully it will be nice!

>chepar
Right, I think this interpretation only applies to people from the US.

logos999,

I kind of agree with you about the heat/humidity. I've lived in Florida for 30+ years and haven't gotten "used" to the heat and humidity yet! There's nothing like getting into an air conditioned(?) car that's been sitting in the Florida sun for more than 15 minutes and have it take 20 minutes to get below surface-of-the-sun temperature.

In Florida's case, I think the tourists handle it better than I do.

logos--mostly applies to people from countries with good air conditioning, but it also applies to other countries as well.

Locals usually are experienced in making lifestlye adjustments to help them through hot and humid periods--closing down in the heat of the afternoon, staying indoors with little physical activity.

Tourists will often feel that they must press on no matter the weather as their time is limited--and they have a point. It was really hot in Amsterdam when we were there last week--so we could have sat in the shade and had some cool drinks through the afteroon, but how many chances would we have to see the Van Gogh Museum? So we went to the museum instead.

>closing down in the heat of the afternoon, staying indoors with little physical activity.
What about the thing called work? Wonder what my boss would say , commuting, doing the laundry, shopping, housework etc..., while tourists can stay in one place relaxing and enjoying themselves. Not at all obvious to me why locals have it "better" and can avoid hot weather.

logos999: I think the main point is someone from the very hot/humid parts of the United States (Florida, the Eastern seaboard, Texas, etc.) or from plain old hot places (like Arizona and Nevada) are generally very spoiled. We have a/c'd homes, a/c'd offices, a/c'd stores/malls, very well a/c'd cars. And not the often under powered a/c in many places in Europe - but full powered forced air units that blow a gale and practically freeze your tail off.

So many people in the States basically are in cold air all summer - except for construction workers, and those sorts of outdoor jobs. They dash from their a/c'd house to the a/c'd car to the a/c'd Macy's down the street, or to their a/c'd office.

And except when they are on vacation or out by the pool or maybe playing softball - many are just not out in the heat so much.

But on holiday in Europe we either don't have a/c in the hotel or if we do it might not be as efficient as we're used to. And many sites are not a/c'd or are out of doors.

That is why it is easier for some of us to cope w/ August heat at home than when on holiday

I agree with janisj.

I just read an article by some important health agency in Italy the other day. The article stated it was "not healthy" for people to go from cool a/c rooms out into the hot summer weather and so most places only have the a/c set so that it is about 4 or 5 degrees cooler than the temperture outside.

Not what we are use to in the states.

I often get very cold in a/c places including supermarkets here where I live (Sacramento Valley). There is too much of an extreme between the outdoors and the indoor a/c places.

But in Italy at least August can be brutal IMO between the heat and humidty. The only time in my life I almost passed out was in Florence although that was during a very hot and humid late June rather than August.

Being in the mountains, such as the Dolomites is extremely delightful. But I can't handle the cities in August. But we are all different of course.

bulldawgz, only you can decide which will be the best time for you to travel. Only you know how you can handle extreme heat and humidity which you will probably have in August. Best wishes to you regarding your decision.

>freeze your tail off.
We're having this 10 months a year, no A/C needed. The 2 warmer months people actually enjoy a little warmer weather. It's over so quickly, why would you want to "freeze you tail off" during that period. It's not even really hot and humid in summer compared to places like Singapore, Southern China, Australia or Miami. It's in fact very moderatly warm, nothing compared to the 40+C degrees found in most of the arab states in summer. I've spent two weeks in Italy in august every year for more than a decade and loved it, not a thought about needing A/C. A getaway from the rain for a few days... It must be Americans who hate summer

Like I said before, it can't be any hotter there than in the Southeast US. I have hosted French teenagers a couple of times, and they came for 3 weeks in July. They had never felt heat like this, occasionally, perhaps, but not day after day. I am looking forward to going to France in August to get away from the heat here in Virginia. A lot of times we don't even get under 80 as our low in August.

revisiting the heat issue: it is supposed to be 96 in Paris today. When we go in about 10 days, it's supposed to be mid 80's high, mid 60's low.

The difference is there heat index according to the Weather Channel website is 92, actual temp is 96. Here in Va, actual is 97, heat index is 107.

I am not saying it would be comfortable in Paris today, but it looks like they have much lower humidity than we do.

Believe me, Paris can be just as humid as anywhere in Virginia where I am also baking at the moment

We leave in a bit over a week for our trip to Germany, Switzerland and France and I've been keeping an eye out on the weather over there. I too live in Northern Virginia and am baking in the heat.

We can only hope that it breaks a little before we all go. The normal high in Paris in Aug according to the Weather Channel is the mid to upper 70's

Enjoy your trip. I'll return to my contention that the United States, heck North America, this time of year has variable and generally unfavorable weather conditions. We too are looking forward to our visti to France next month. One thing I have learned living in Texas is when it comes to weather, as with the stock market, experiencing the average is the exception rather than the rule.

ALL Europeans have the month of August off for vacationing, and usually travel to somewhere where it's warm. All of the beaches and areas with nice climates will be saturated by European Families. Labor Day should be a good bet, and will probably be less-expensive if you plan for Sept - Oct., rather than Augusttrying to go early. Stay-away from August if you can. It will be a crowded nightmare for the month of August! Try out Spain in the fall! It's beautiful, and Bordeaux is the bordering town to Northrn Spain. You could go on to San Sebastian Spain after you visit Bordeaux, France. Check it out, and have a great trip!

amy

One important thing to remember. It's terribly HOT & Humid in August in France & Italy. I was in France one August, and thought I was going to die of the stinch! Remember not too many Europeans wear deodorant, nor do they shower daily, and with air conditioning not being a European priority, you're going to get a "WHIF-Full" anywhere you go. It's nicer in the fall, kids are back in school, and you won't run into family vacationers before starts. Do the Fall Route most definitely!

Oh, give us a break about the deodorant. Most tourists do not smell like roses.

August 2006 was the coldest August in more than 20 years in France. In any case, August is one of the best times to visit Paris, and it is the second cheapest month for hotels after February.

Amy smells like a troll to me

"ALL Europeans have the month of August off for vacationing"

Nonsense. Complete and utter hogwash.

I don't know that many people are against European August travel in an absolute sense. But August does have some disadvantages that some other months do not have. As do January and February.

August disadvantages:

It tends to be a hotter month than most. You can take some actions to reduce the impact, but generally it is more likely to be unpleasantly warm and humid than in May or June in much of Europe.

Many residents do have a portion of the month off increasing the number of European tourists.

Of course, we do a lot of our travel in the late June to mid-August timeframe as Mrs. Fly is a schoolteacher. So sometimes we just have to deal with it if there's a place we really want to visit.

Update: After 'watching' the weather for many months and nothing that the weather over in Europe was hot, hot, hot (june/july '06) my husband and I anticipated a very warm trip for our upcoming trip at the end of July/ beginning of August '06.

Wrong. In Germany and Switzerland it was very chilly and rainy ... so much so that I had to buy a warm, long sleeve pullover and wore pants just about everyday (I threw those pants out after the trip).

One sad thing about travel in August is that many cities do not have operatic or orchestral or theatrical performances, at least not on the scale that they do in other months.

Amy's just trolling, ignore her.

I'd go for a longer holiday in August if I were you.