Help me find a not too hot holiday for me and teen boys in Europe in July

[thesugarbumfairy]

I'd prefer to go by train, and not drive. But those are preferences and not set in stone. Flights if taken would preferably be from Stansted or Luton. Possibly East Midlands or Gatwick.

My dates are between 20th July and 3rd August because the rest of August has already been baggsied by my team at work - but for no more than a week. Also don't want too hot - a nice 24 degrees is my ideal :) . Obviously most places will be touristy on these dates so will have to suck it up.

I'd prefer to rent a villa/apartment type place that has to have at least 2 bedrooms. The kids are 14 and 17. One is up for anything. The other rarely ventures outside. We need wifi or they will not cope.

I would like it to be relaxing but with a bit of sightseeing and some activities. I recently took DS2 to Switzerland. It was non stop and was an adventure but I needed a rest afterwards!

I don't necessarily need beach but I'd like a pool at least. I would prefer countryside but I think the boys might like a town. Gawd.

I can go up to £4k probably. Obviously I'd prefer to spend half of that!

I just don't know where to start. I was looking at France by Eurostar but I'm still flummoxed.

Can anyone throw some ideas at me?

There are plenty of apartments and houses to rent too in Saalbach.

Another place to consider is Annecy in France but this might be too hot unless you stay up in the mountains. Bus transport around the lake and in the valleys is good (and free in July and August if I remember correctly) so the teens could access things independently whilst you chill in a nice place with a pool. There was a nice lodge/chalet site in the hills above the lake with a pool that was reasonably priced but I can't remember the name of it, sorry.

en.lac-annecy.com/campsite/le-belvedere-annecy/

This gives some options. A lot of the camp sites have lodges or chalets to hire.

We drove but I think Geneva is the nearest airport and there are buses to Annecy from there. You don't really need a car when you get there as there are buses for day trips out.

@Turmerictolly The busses and cable cars in and around Saalbach-Hinterglemm are free if you stay in any accommodation that offers the "Joker Card" which also includes the open-air pool, museum and a few other attractions. The UK package holiday companies all use accommodation that provides this free card.

Not read other answers but how about Slovenia - Lake Bled or Bohinj in particular. Doesn't tend to get as hot as other places in Europe. I would suggest the Italian Lakes as well but last couple of years they have been incredibly hot in summer. Other options could be Normandy or Brittany - though weather can be temperamental.

My picks OP would be seefeld in Austria -,lovely waterpark and only 15 minutes on train into Innsbruck (flight into Innsbruck or Munich(and then train) or Garmisch in Bavaria (flight into Munich and train) - the mountain is called The Wank - endless hours of amusement for your boys!! Nice big town - very pretty, lots of facilities - we stayed in an apartment at the old Olympic Games hotel- The Dorint - fab indoor pool !

My other suggestion is Copenhagen- we lived there so I know it well- tons of outdoorsy stuff, great coastal trainline with 2 big theme parks- Bakken is set in woods and is very Hansel and Gretal- it also has a white sand beach all up the coast with beach bars and DJs in summer. Plus the oreson bridge over to Malmo. It's not cheap for eating and drinking but tons of amazing apartments or AirBNBs and won't cost more than £2.2k - which gives you more money for food and drink!! The wifi is also amazing ! Public transport is fab and you can get about a lot without a car, both the rock and pop museum and the Viking museum in Roskilde will probably suit ( Roskilde is lovely too)

https://www.copenhill.dk/en

This for instance is a huge recycling plant with a dry ski run or hike on the outside ( with bar and cafe of course)

Great for teens

And this is a really really cool open air food village that you get to on the boat- DJs, live music etc-

It was always about 23 and mainly sunny in the summer and way less rain than UK

https://reffen.dk/en/?gadsource=1&gbraid=0AAAAAofkxREEDBCe33AmbY5fOrG2r70y&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3ZayBhDRARIsAPWzx8oT6mgaoVZYQYaFjgRNnq1lcV6DNKv3SHtfwl4FVtMV9wak34yeXzMaAgp0EALwwwcB

.

Which beach?

Europa Park is now doable by train from the UK. I have not been yet I have been planning for next year. It looks incredible and is the world’s best theme park with luxury hotels and also a huge water park and spa complex with night time dinner shows. Teen age me would have lost his mind if my mum had took me!!

Just an update. Many thanks for everyones help. I just booked flights to Slovenia for a week at the end of July. Now i will have to start a new post for that 😁