Where to stay in Europe for one month in August?

A delightful dilemma. As I interpret your plan, you are looking for a travel base for weekend adventures while maintaining a "residence" during the week. This home base should, in my opinion, be small enough so that you can feel knowledgeable about your surroundings, diverse enough to offer daily local adventures and well connected to public transportation for weekend travels. Taking into account your wishes, my suggestion would be Copenhagen. Far enough north to beat the summer heat, Less expensive than Amsterdam and better rail connected. I'd look into renting an apartment, there.
Easy access to Scandinavian regions, close to central European destinations and nice local vibe for the week.

If the train isnt essential look for cities that are discount airline hubs. I spend a lot of time in a city not on your list with less than $75 and less than 2 hour direct connections to most every corner of Europe.

Otherwise my vote is Salzburg.

Just remember, August is the month when everyone in Europe takes vacation. I can't think of a worse time to travel there.

Munich and Vienna are in the middle but Munich has more nonstop flights.

Not too hot or overrun with tourists... Not in Europe in August after the pandemic. Look at the weather history for Europe over the last few years... France, Germany and points south have been brutally hot. Air conditioning although not rare is much less common than in the US, particularly in smaller cities/towns. I am not sure why you mention weekend trips since you will be there for a month and weekends will be the most crowded for travel. Everyone will be in the mountains or on the seashore in August. Copenhagen is good, but is more than a day's train ride from almost everywhere, so there will be crowded flights and busy airports. Munich will be hot and filled with tourists as will Vienna, Salzburg, Prague, etc. My suggestion would be an air conditioned flat in Berlin. Access to everywhere, lots to do locally and trains/planes in all directions. Have fun!

I think it may depend on whether you are strongly committed to only taking the train because, unless you're willing to take 6-8+ hours to get to your 'other countries' for weekend visits, you will be limited in your options no matter where you stay, especially if you are staying somewhere a bit cooler and less crowded in August (like northern tier cities of Germany, Poland, Scandinavia, etc). If you're willing to take short plane trips for those weekends in 'other countries' that opens up many more options.

To the poster who said they would advise never to do this in August, I say "why not?" I have spent all or part of August in several places in Europe from France to Italy to Greece to Ireland and I have never found it horrible - no worse than July for heat and/or crowds. And I've never found any inconvenience due to Europeans 'all' being on vacation in August. So, if that's when you can go, then go!

If you don't mind the heat (i don't, even though it can be a nuisance and stifling), , then I would say going in August is good but July is even better.

Staying in Munich is good from a logistic standpoint, it's a train hub for both day and night trains plus direction-wise too, whether going to Croatia, Italy, the Czech Rep. Berlin, Hamburg, Budapest,

August is when a lot of people go on vacation for a few weeks, but so is July, and to a lesser extent June and September. Statistics show that 50% never go away. So stores will be open no matter where you go. And most Europeans head toward the water mountains and south.

So are we saying that if the time you can travel is August, that you shouldn't travel; sounds a bit ...... nvm.
I live in a very hot part of Texas, so I shouldn't go some place a tiny bit cooler in Europe (yea, I know, Texas has better air conditioning but I dont spend my trips sitting inside so not a big issue).
It will be more crowded in August, well, yup and the point is that all those people who are traveling in August that made it crowded are doing it wrong somehow?
Where? What ever gives you the best connections to where you want to go (train and plane)

I agree that the Salzburg area would be great as a centralized location. We once stayed in a beautiful farm house about 3 miles from town and took the city bus into the city.

Munich is 2 hours away--as is the incredibly beautiful Innsbruck and The Alps. Vienna is a straight train ride to the east. Cesky Krumlov and Prague are to the northeast and would be a good trip for 3-4 days. I'm thinking that trains go to Budapest from Salzburg without going through Vienna. That location has it all, and every city mentioned is simply fantastic.

We've been to all these cities numerous times, and I never tire of Bavaria and Austria.

Taking Munich as a hub in August is a good idea. Like in many big cities easy to travel in every direction by train/plane but most important is that Munich will make it possible to easily feel like a local.

Spending the evening in a beer garden or sitting with all the others in the English Garden will never get boring. Strolling the neighbood and sitting in a cafe is great. Buying your grocery at one of the many markets and eating it in a beer garden will be fun.

It is really like mentioned in this linked articcle
"In summer, Munich transforms itself into a paradise of greenery and water. The clocks tick differently, the cars drive more slowly, priorities change – if you come to visit now, you can be sure that you will fall in love"
https://www.munich.travel/en/topics/urban-districts/summer-in-munich

Get yourself an apartment in a district like
Haidhausen - https://www.munich.travel/en/topics/urban-districts/hood-love-munich/hood-love-french-quarter-live-and-let-live
Maxvorstadt - https://www.munich.travel/en/topics/urban-districts/districts-of-munich/maxvorstadt-the-cultural-heart-of-munich
Lehel - https://www.munich.travel/en/topics/urban-districts/districts-of-munich/districts-lehel
South-Schwabing - https://www.munich.travel/en/topics/urban-districts/districts-of-munich/from-artists-and-writers
Glockenbach - https://www.munich.travel/en/topics/urban-districts/districts-of-munich/glockenbachviertel-and-gaertnerplatz-trendy-and-nightlife-neighborhood
and deep dive into the Munich's summer vibes. But I would avoid staying close to the central station because it is simply ugly. Always good to stay either near the Isar river or the English Garden.

Yes August is hot in much of Europe and yes, many Europeans take their summer holidays in August however the vast majority of them spend most of the time in and around water. I suspect your plans are not to spend your time lying around the pool or on the beach but rather exploring the area, this is not fun in the brutal heat.

I've spent time in Munich during a heatwave in June and stayed in an AirBnB without any air conditioning and it was miserable. The various lakes nearby are great for spending time during the heat but they will be very busy in August.

I wouldn't recommend Mallorca without a car, trying to explore the island by public transport will be frustrating.

For city exploring in August I would look at the Scandinavian countries or the Baltic coast.

For August, I would avoid tourist places like the South of France, coastal Spain (including the Baleric Islands) and Greece.

Personally, I would never want to stay in ONE place for a month. Consider splitting your time in half and use two places. You seem to be interested in Central Europe. You might do Munich for two weeks (visit Nuremberg, Berchtesgaden, Augsburg, Garmisch, Fussen and Salzburg. Then do Berlin or Prague. If you did Vienna, you could see Budapest, which is wonderful.

Amsterdam is good for Netherlands and Belgium, but NOT for a day trip to Norway and Sweden, If you want Norway and Sweden, consider taking a cruise up the coast of Norway were you visit the many fantastic fjords. You will be lodged on the ship and eat your means there. Copenhagen is great for a city to stay for several days.

From posts on this forum, it appears that a lot of people consider doing something like this. Honestly, I don't think it's a great idea for most people unless they have a serious reason for needing to plant themselves in just one or two places--such as that they will be working remotely or traveling with one or more young children.

I don't like the idea of hopping on a plane or train to spend just two or three nights in a rather distant destination--especially a major city, because such places usually have enough sights to keep me occupied for four to seven days (or more). There are usually also interesting smaller towns nearby that would be worth a look. I'd rather base in multiple places like that and take shorter side trips by train or bus to surrounding small towns that are probably worth just a one-day visit. Transportation time and costs would probably be lower, and I would get to see more of the countries I chose.

I specifically would not recommend basing in Amsterdam (whose lodging costs are very high, incidentally) to see Norway and Sweden. Those are countries with widely spread sights. To see them well you need to spend time, not just fly in for a weekend. They are not really accessible from Amsterdam by train. The travel time looks like it would be 18 to 25 hours each way. Even Copenhagen is over 10 hours from Amsterdam by train.

Be sure you know how long it will really take you to make the side trips you want to take. Don't forget the time required to get from your lodgings to the train station if you set up camp in a large city.

I'm a huge fan of parking oneself for a month at a destination - the familiarity and routine you can gain of that city is priceless however, the weekend destinations you have scoped out are far afield. Too me, with a month at your beckoning, your trip may be better suited to 6 destinations x 5 days each or 5 destinations x 6 days each.

Good Luck in your planning and your trip, wherever you decide.

Yes, Amsterdam lodging can be expensive, but affordable places are available.

We stayed a week in Amsterdam in a GREAT location near the Anne Frank House and downtown.
It was a walkup to the second floor to check in and for breakfast, but our room was on the first floor (in Europe, the second floor in the US).
We paid about $1000 for the entire week and breakfast was included. If you stay outside the city, you will incur transportation costs.

Considering that heat and crowds are pretty much everywhere in Europe in August except for places in the North, I might lean toward Paris. It's central for easy train access to other countries - England, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg - not to mention all the various regions of France itself. If your 'other countries' are farther afield than that Paris also has two ariports with plenty of budget (and legacy) airlines to choose from for short flights within Europe. I did stay in an apartment for a month in August several years ago. Fortunately the heat was not horrendous that year, only a couple of 90+ degree days, mostly in the 70's and 80's. And when it's really hot there are always the many many museums, river trips, parks and forests, etc and of course it's nice if your apartment has A/C. Crowds are crowds in Europe in the summer, you find ways to minimize or avoid them and I had no trouble doing that. I also found no real problems with many Parisians leaving on vacation in August - yes some small shops/cafes were closed for periods during the month, but everything else was business as usual and the markets were wonderful.

Just thought I'd throw that out there if you're really looking for something central with easy train access to other places.

Since you are experienced travelers and well traveled in Europe, then I am assuming you know exactly what to expect in the summer, ie. heat, noise and crowds. There are crowds and then there are crowds, just depends on one's tolerance level as to what you're willing to cope with.

Between the heat which can be stifling and just plainly oppressive, I find the excessive crowds more bothersome, if at all. As to the heat I don't pay extra for AC; if it's there, all the better. If it's not there, I'll still take it anyway relative to other more pressing and important factors.

I've been in Munich, Berlin, Paris in July and August, have stayed in those cities when it was a broiler. Forget the AC if your final decision is in Austria or Germany, unless your accommodation is exceptional in whatever sense of the word. Your ultimate decision on which city will be based on your travel style, luxury/comfort level as experienced travelers. Like you I don't rent a car either, absolutely not an option, and use only public transport.

songman2000,

The chronotrains.com website maps out estimates about how far one can go in 5 hours on a train.

What's also nice about Munich is proximity to the mountains. Then again, if you're thinking about spending most of your time in the mountains, you might as well head straight into the Alps, and go from there.

I don't see the point of having a hub city when you list more than 10 places you want to visit (which are separated by vast distances and will require at least a one or two night stay) and you only have about 30 nights. IMO, travelling back to the hub after visiting the other places is a waste of time and money (especially if you're renting and maintaining the accommodations at the hub).

You plan to be away for a month and have four cities, two countries and an island on your list of weekend breaks, half of which will involve flying, wherever your base. Focussing on which are key should help narrow down where to stay.

Why visit busy cities like Prague and Amsterdam at the weekend when they are at their busiest? Visit here midweek and have time at your base(s) at the weekend. August is going to be an expensive time to rent a property wherever it is, particularly if you aren’t going to be staying there half the week, so to minimise travel time, two or three bases maybe easier.

We found that we liked having an apartment at time to cook our own food and relax - and then it was nice to make day trips without packing or lugging of suitcases. So we are going this direction too. We have been staying in one location for 5 days at a time and doing day trips each day, but your idea is the next step.

From Paris you can get to London, Barcelona, Munich, Brussels and Turin Italy in 6 hours. And then from there some hours to Austria, Prague, Budapest, the rest of Italy and Spain

Strasbourg/Mulhouse area of France ... from there you can get to Germany, Switzerland, or Italy faster.

Those cooler places should not be too hot in summer.

My first thought was Salzburg, and I see a few other posters also mentioned it. I really like that city, the music options, and we also liked St. Wolfgang nearby.

I love southern France, but personally it would be too hot for me in August.

My suggestion would be to write down your list of every city you’re hoping to visit. Look up train times to get there from different hubs and also narrow it down to non-stop flights if those are needed. Pick the one that gives you the minimum number of transportation hours to reach where you want to go.

Somewhere in southern Germany might be a good idea for the places you mention. But otherwise my first suggestion is Gothenburg. Probably a very small risk of heat wave there even in August, and if there should be one, it is close to the coast so the city should not be that hot. Gothenburg also offers good access to Norway and Sweden, far better than Amsterdam.

I would take Nuremberg Germany over Salzburg. Less touristy, More restaurants. Better city center. More historical in general. From Nuremberg it's an hour to Munich, Regenburg, or a little longer to Wurtzburg, Rothenburg, or even Frankfurt.

Given the places you want to visit, and given that you want to visit those places by train, Munich is a good call. It's a high speed rail hub central to your desired visits. It's a big enough city that you can get a place outside of most of the tourist fray. It's a good-living city - upscale, low crime, non stop parks, nice neighborhoods with nice amenities. It has a lot to do so you won't get bored in town.

If you want a smaller nice place, you could stay at one of the lakes near Munich in a place like Starnberg. From Starnberg and similar lakeside resort villages you are in the Munich HBF in 20-35 minutes by train, so frequent you basically just walk to the station and get on the train. I tend to prefer home-basing in smaller, upscale satellite communities for longer stays. For instance if I was staying a month in Berlin I'd actually stay in leafy charming pricey-pram Potsdam and do the 20 minute train ride when I want to go into the city. But then again I live in a city and don't like to replicate that experience on vacation.

I'd skip Salzburg. It feels like I've been ten times in my life, and I do really like the place. But it is much smaller than Munich and THRONGING with tourists, and the more outlying neighborhoods are nothing special and even a bit bland. I'm always well ready to leave Salzburg after a couple of days, wouldn't want to be there for a month.

Innsbruck could probably work too, given it's location at the crossing of Zurich-Vienna high speed line and the Munich-Verona high speed line. It's a nice town and cooler because of its modest elevation. Generally cheaper than Munich too. If I wanted mountains but also high speed trains and a big enough little city Innsbruck might be my choice.

I didn’t read all the comments so maybe this was said. My first thought is you are paying for lodging for one month. Then you will be paying lodging for any overnights you do elsewhere. For us, we would just rather move to our next location rather than paying double for lodging.

Songman hasn't been back since his original post on Dec. 26.

Acraven, I was noticing that too. It would be nice to know if any of our suggestions have been at all helpful to the OP.