Seven cool European beach towns you’ll want to book for next summer

From Belgian beach clubs to Estonia’s secret spa coast, Chris Haslam selects the new summer not-hotspots on Europe’s emerging northern riviera

The blistering summer of 2026 is drawing to a close. In the UK, the Met Office has played down talk of a sixth heatwave, noting that while temperatures in the south may stay above average into September, the longer-range outlook points to unsettled, wetter weather. France has declared “la fin de l’épisode caniculaire,” with cooler, more changeable conditions on the way. Greece is seeing 31–34C and thunderstorm warnings, while fire risk has dropped. Spain and Turkey, however, remain locked in extreme heat, with Alicante recently hitting 42C and coastal wildfire alerts still in force.