Polarsteps has published its first "Summer Heat Escape Index," ranking 25 European countries for travelers seeking cooler weather instead of hot beaches. The study, released after an April 2026 survey, comes as the coolcation trend keeps growing during another hotter-than-average summer. In that survey, 35% of Britons said they chose a cooler summer destination this year, and more than one-fifth did so for the first time.
Iceland came first with a score of 83.81 out of 100. Its average August daytime temperature is only 10.7 degrees Celsius, with 8.1 degrees at night. The country also has the lowest population density in Europe, legal free wild camping, and very cold sea water, including an average of 9.5 degrees near Akureyri in August.
Finland ranked second at 77.02, helped by the fact that nearly three-quarters of its territory is forested and August averages around 17 degrees. Norway placed third with 76.06, combining mild summer temperatures with Europe’s coldest sea water, including an average of 5.3 degrees in Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard. Sweden was fourth at 75.14, supported by its many forests and the public access right known as Allemansrätten.
The Baltic states took the next three positions, Estonia fifth, Latvia sixth and Lithuania seventh, underlining their rise as attractive alternatives for travelers who want pleasant summers without going as far as Scandinavia. Switzerland ranked eighth, followed by Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Polarsteps also said Europe’s Atlantic coast offers a good mix of warmth and refreshment because cold ocean currents keep sea temperatures low even in relatively warm countries. It cited Portsall in France at 15.1 degrees, A Guarda in Spain at 16.6 degrees and Viana do Castelo in Portugal at 16.6 degrees. The top ten list was completed by Switzerland, Ireland and the UK.
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