Four or Five nights in European City in AUGUST

Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Northern Germany (which has some towns on the UNESCO list) Luebeck, Quedlinberg, Potsdam.
Your choices are endless.

The European school vacations have started by now, adding to the general high tourist season crush. I'd consider Scotland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden or even St. Petersburg.

Different countries have different school vacation schedules. They are not all the same Europe wide. Germany for example, staggers its school vacations through-out the summer. So, Berlin may be having its summer break the end of May on into June, Cologne in July and Bavaria the middle of August on up into Sept.
It is good to check the holiday schedules of any country you wish to visit.

In August, the further north you go, the better.

Everyone vacations in August so the crowds are the biggest of the year.

August can also be really hot in the southern countries.

I would pick something in Scandinavia and enjoy the long days, comfortable weather and (relatively) smaller crowds.

What are your interests? Gardens, art, history...??? That would help us make more pertinent suggesstions. Personally, I'd go to London or Inverness or Oslo or Salzburg. All beautiful with lots to do and all a bit cooler than Spain, Italy or Greece.

Thank for the suggestions everyone. Our interests are art, history, music, and architecture. We like to be outdoors and walk/hike also. I was thinking that we might visit Edinburgh - they do have a month long festival that apparently is more like a collection of various festivals in August, but have heard that the crowds are managable. I am also interested in the Alto Adige region of Italy, perhaps hiking in the Italian Alps.

We usually travel to Europe once a year in October, so we have to be realisic about how much heat we can handle. I am currently researching temps in a few areas, but it does appear that August can vary wildly, so we will go with the odds. Thanks again.

Hi Nancy,

The dates you listed are normally very hot in Italy, Greece, and southern France, sometimes extremely so.

The bulk of my trips in Europe were spent between July-August or most of August. Don't let the crowds deter you....I didn't, even though there were places swamped with tourists, which were my destinations too. Let your interests determine your choice of a city. You can bet that Prague will be inundated with tourists from June on.

Hi Nancy. Given your interests, and the short amount of time for your travel (4 or 5 nights), I recommend : go to England.

Edinburgh is a beautiful city with lots of things to do and easy day trips into the country. It would be ideal, but I've never been there in August.

London would work really well too. Four or five nights would give you plenty of time to see the sites, though there is no way you will see everything. If you want to get out of the city, there are numerous day trips that are easy to do.

Hi Nancy,

You mentioned an interest in the Alta Adige region of Italy. We've been a number of times to the Dolomites, although mostly in October. Anyway, 4 or 5 nights would be perfect for this area. A perfect mix of stunning mountains, postcard perfect alpine villages, charming old towns (and magnificent drives with up close Dolomite scebery on the passes, if you'll have a car). Also, cable cars will take you up into the mountains for hikes and walks among the Dolomites.

This cable car up to the Seiser Alm is one of our favorites for walking in the Dolomites.

www.alpedisiusi-seiseralm.com/index.html

We like basing in La Villa, Alta Badia at the Ciasa Montanara.

www.altabadia.com

www.montanara.it

The old town of Brixen/Bressanone is our favorite in the area. While there we loved the Diocesan Museum Brixen.

www.brixen.org

The old towns of Sterzing/Vipiteno and Bruneck/Brunico are worthwhile also.

www.sterzing.com/en/home.html

www.bruneck.it/WELCOME/welcome.html

Hope helps and gives some insight into what we consider one of the most beautiful area's in Europe.

Paul

Hi again,

I just wanted to add that we find flying into Munich to be very convenient to see the Dolomites. About 3 hours away.

If you are interested in Scotland- I'd suggest Inverness over Edinburgh in August. The Festival is a BIG event and Edinburgh can be very crowded then. Inverness has lots to do= Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns, Loch Ness and Drumnadrochit, the firth, distilleries, day trips to Isle of Sky and Ellean Donnan castle, Great Glen or Glen Coe, Armandell Gardens and other gardens, you can even do a day trip to Orkney. It is not as hot, not as crowded and they even host Highland Games near the end of July/first of August.

I was/am also looking for a cooler destination in July and am seriously considering Krakow and Warsaw. I admit to being surprised at how interesting they sound once I got some information. I am hoping they won't be as crowded as the Scandanavian cities surely will be.

Vilnius was also recommended, though I can't get there for logistical reasons.