If you go ‘somewhere hot’ during the school hols…

[Analysisandparalysis]

…do you actually enjoy it?

I’ve spoken to various friends about this and observed comments on social media with so many people complaining about the ‘crazy heat’ when holidaying in places like Greece, southern Spain, Italy, Turkey etc.. Even my sibling messaged me this week from the Canaries saying it was over 40c by their apartment and that they were having to stay inside, the kids felt sick etc..

For the past few years I have actively avoided travelling abroad during the summer, with the exception of Brittany as the heat is just bonkers and I don’t enjoy that level of intensity, the kids moan and we all come exhausted from such poor sleep quality.

Why do people put themselves through it, if the heat is so awful?!

I think it depends what you go on holiday for, southern Europe has some amazing archeology, architecture and culture that you can’t replicate. If going for pool and beach time then we wouldn’t do that in August.

we have plans for Sweden next summer and Canada the summer afterwards. Summer is when the kids are off school for the longest so when we can travel.

There does seem to have been folk complaining about the heat the last couple of summers. I wouldn't do the Canaries or southern Europe over the summer hols, May & Oct half term are plenty warm enough for me!

Yes I have, it was lovely! Temps of mid 20s and heated pool. What’s not to like?

Im with you OP. I know some adults like the heat but there are so many posts on here about children struggling with high temps on holiday.

Yes I have, it was lovely! Temps of mid 20s and heated pool. What’s not to like?

Im with you OP. I know some adults like the heat but there are so many posts on here about children struggling with high temps on holiday.

I love the heat if I am on holiday in it — either abroad or in my garden I don’t care. Not so keen on working when it’s hot - tiring, people get fractious, it’s hard to get your workwear right, etc. I never complain about the heat here - we don’t get enough of it in my opinion (in central Scotland anyway).

It all depends on how you holiday. Sightseeing in 35°C plus is horrible, queuing and standing and sweating. Hanging out by the pool in the shade is lovely. And you have to embrace siesta and late dinners and keeping the rooms dark and cool.
My ideal is to sight see in spring and autumn, lazy and swim in the summer heat and watch the snow and eat in the winter.

I've been looking at cooler parts/seasons for hot countries. The Mexican highlands look interesting, and I already know that some seasons at higher altitudes in East African can be positively chilly (and if you go to the beach, you'll likely get A/C there also).

@bendmeoverbackwardsprivate schools may have long half term holidays but in the state system, if you need 2.5 weeks only the summer holidays are an option.

I would 100% recommend Norway @Analysisandparalysis. We went in August a few years ago and it was gorgeous. Mixed weather, lots of sunny days with temperatures in the low 20s but also some rain which doesn't bother us. Plus the most stunning scenery we've ever seen. We're going to Germany next week for our summer break.

I don't holiday in Southern Europe at all in the summer months. We don't like sunbathing and would rather be out and about sightseeing which would be horrendous in 30c heat or higher. We are actually thinking about a visit to Crete next year or the year after to visit some of the ancient sites but need to do some investigating what time of year would be best considering we're limited with school dates. Perhaps Easter holidays.

We've never bothered as I think I'd strangle the kids if all they did was moan about the heat and argue (as they do here!) when we'd spent ££££'s

We have however booked two weeks away next summer, we went for the Canaries as weather tends to be less extreme (I know they are just coming out of a heatwave) and all the kids are strong swimmers now so we can take advantage of the pools / beaches and swim parks to keep cool.

I agree being away is a different type of heat and hopefully your accommodation is set up to cope with it. Good air con and pools are much more common in European holiday destinations.

I've been to Vegas in August (45c everyday) but all the hotels and public spaces can cater for such temperatures. It was much more manageable than 33c in London!

We avoid very hot countries in the summer holidays simply because we don't really enjoy holidays centred around the pool or beach and prefer to be out exploring or sight seeing. We tend to do a hot holiday and relax in the winter / spring when the UK is raining and dark and then do our active summer holiday somewhere that interests us.

I love the heat! But we go to Thailand and sightsee in March/April when it’s 35-39c on average. We all cope fine in the heat. This is with DS. He’s been going since was 18m.

We went to Majorca in May and the pool was too cold for us.

People go to hot countries in the summer because the summer here is unpredictable

I love it. The kind of heat where you can sense the heat when you breathe and where you feel warm all the time. Love it.

Don't even mind it at home doing tip runs and chores. I was very happy with the 34degrees yesterday.

Not a choice that I would make either. I find Easter in Southern Europe warm enough.

We went to Spain for some sun, last October and it rained 3 days out of 5!
We have been to Cyprus in April before (Easter hols) and got fairly mixed weather, with quite a bit of sun but the outdoor pool was cold

Personally I love it but for smaller kids it’s really difficult, makes for a miserable time for all if it’s burning hot unless you have loads of space.

We've holidayed in the UK for the past two years but had to unavoidably holiday in the Med this summer. Won't be back in July and August any time soon even with air con. Far too hot to do anything but sit in the shade/sun/pool on rotation which for two weeks was dull. I'm by no stretch of imagination the sort of person who goes running on holiday but it was so hot and humid even a wander around the local very pretty town centre was off-putting. I like a balance of pool time and doing more interesting stuff and I'm also fair skinned so whether I'm in the UK or the Med have to be careful in the sun.

It wasn’t the heat that bothered me so much but how crowded everywhere was.
From the airport, to the beach, to the restaurants, to the streets wall to wall people everywhere. Taxis in short supply, public transport packed dangerously full and being turned away as no reservation. Never experienced so much of the above before as I have this summer.

Where were you? Sounds awful.

Mallorca

Yeah I've never really got on with Majorca. Had friends who lived there so visited a good few times the 2 years they were there. Ironically almost always had rain when we went (have been in May x2 and June and late September x2 so not particularly out of season).

I hate heat above 30°. A beach/pool holiday would have me dying of boredom by day 2 so we always go UK or Northern/Central Europe.

Dd and family have just had a brilliant week in Corfu, maybe not quite as hot there, but lovely warm sea, which was one of the reasons for going south.

I find the heat on holiday easier to manage than at home as it is dry heat and not humid like the UK. That said we always stay in an air conditioned villa on a cliff with a pool and lovely sea breeze which makes things much more bearable. I have been much more uncomfortable coming home and dealing with hot weather in a non air-conditioned house.