Where to go in August

With the summer holidays in full swing, August is one of the busiest months to travel. Have no fear: we've picked our five favourite coastal destinations to beat the crowds.

Split, Croatia

Temperature 28°C

While Dubrovnik is now flooded with Game of Thrones fans, up the coast, the city of Split is far less frantic.

Centred around the epic Diocletian’s Palace, which is one of the most captivating Roman monuments on the planet, a Unesco World Heritage Site and a living, breathing part of the city. And the rest of Split is equally gorgeous.

Whisper it, but Game of Thrones was also filmed here. Thankfully the crowds have yet to catch on, so it’s a great place to mingle with locals, and a gateway to the Dalmatian islands.

Watch Split’s dramatic coastal mountains recede as you head out on regular, and cheap, ferries to explore lush, unspoilt islands, like Hvar and Vis.

Hate queues? Check out our pick of the best crowd-free European cities

Split, Croatia scores and ratings

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Southwold, UK

Temperature 21°C

Spectacular refurbishment over the years has this Suffolk town balmily anchored in the early 20th century. 

But Southwold, unlike many UK seaside resorts, is time-trapped gracefully. It’s wrapped around the iconic Adnams Brewery and whitewashed lighthouse, both of which are open for visits, while the pretty pier beyond the shingle beach thrives. 

The retro-looking pier, amusements and an independent cinema modelled on the town’s 1912 original show how Southwold blossoms with a pride and culture that go beyond mere coastal cachet.

Read more: Britain’s best and worst seaside towns

Southwold, UK scores and ratings

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Copenhagen, Denmark

Temperature 21°C

While the rest of Britain migrates south for the summer, head north instead to Denmark’s super-cool capital city.

As well as ancient architecture and the historic Nyhavn Harbour – a natural tourism hub, lined by kaleidoscopic cafés and plied by eco-friendly electric boats – you'll find modernist museums and eclectic street-food stalls in re-purposed shipping containers.

Summer is the best time to see this varicoloured wonderland, made all the more vibrant by sunshine. Head to the nearby beaches, swim in the harbour, or take a ferry ride out to tiny Hven Island – located in the sound that separates Denmark from Sweden – to sample the whisky at the island’s eponymous distillery.

Read more: Best city breaks in Europe

Copenhagen, Denmark scores and ratings

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Llandudno, UK

Temperature 20°C

While other resorts have reinvented themselves, Llandudno has resisted. And this grand Victorian town, stretched around the North Wales coast, is the traditional British seaside experience at its best.

Staying in locally run B&Bs and eating at family-owned pubs gives a village appeal, while days are spent strolling the handsome promenade or eating ice cream on the historic wooden pier. 

There are better beaches elsewhere, but with the Great Orme headland to walk and Snowdonia at your back you won’t lack reasons to step into the sunshine this summer.

Llandudno, UK scores and ratings

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Tallinn, Estonia

Temperature 20°C

Within Tallinn’s medieval city walls lies a snow-globe scene of stone towers, hill-top turrets, cobbled streets and domed churches, all set against the backdrop of the Baltic Sea. 

But there’s more to Tallinn than its perfectly preserved Old Town. Outside of the walls you'll find landscaped parkland, good beer in converted warehouses, and exciting galleries and museums.

Visit in August when the reliable sunshine means you can enjoy pine-backed Pirita beach, or hire a bike at Tallinn's Open Air Museum to cycle through shady forest, while exploring Estonia's traditional rural life.

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Tallinn, Estonia scores and ratings

City score combines overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.