July 15, 2026, 1:13 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
For the second time, TRAVELBOOK author Anna Chiodo (formerly Wengel) has taken a so-called “Coolcation.” Here, she shares her experiences with this travel trend.
“It’s so hot here–almost 100 degrees in my apartment,” I read and hear in various versions on my phone during the last days of June. And each time, I blink a bit amusedly at a raindrop or gaze longingly at the fjord that stretches almost directly in front of my living room window. In Bergen, it’s not even 68 degrees. Instead of a summer dress, I’m wearing cozy pants and a hoodie. Okay, a bit more summer would be nice.
And I do get more summer, at least in Oslo. During our trip, temperatures hover around 82 degrees. In the evenings, they drop to a pleasant 68 degrees. Heat wasn’t an issue in Norway this June and July. That’s likely why the Scandinavian country is considered an ideal destination for a “Coolcation.”
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What is a Coolcation?
In another TRAVELBOOK article, we already explained what the term “Coolcation” means. The word combines “cool” and “vacation,” referring to a holiday in significantly milder climates. These destinations offer temperatures well below the 86-degree mark, providing a guarantee of relaxation for those who can’t tolerate or simply don’t like the temperatures prevalent in southern Europe.
The fact that this trend is gaining traction and more people seem to be seeking vacation spots that are warm but not hot is mainly due to climate change. With global warming, rising temperatures are being observed worldwide, as recently experienced in Germany. Even well-known and popular vacation spots are getting hotter and, not just due to the increasing risk of wildfires, more dangerous for people (more on this from our colleagues at FITBOOK). In short, cooler travel destinations are becoming more popular.
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43 to just under 86 degrees
A part of Europe often mentioned in connection with “Coolcations” is Scandinavia. Depending on where exactly you are on the northern European landmass, it can be pleasantly warm to cool. I experienced this firsthand on my recently completed trip to Norway, where I not only wore thick socks at night but also put a wool hat on my daughter’s head in broad daylight.
To reassure any potential Norway travelers who might be shivering at the thought: This happened on exactly two days or nights. Two wild camping nights, to be precise, where we not only slept in the van but also high up in the mountains. There was even snow. Otherwise, Norway did what you would expect: It treated us to all sorts of changing weather. From rain to sun, from 43 to just under 86 degrees, everything was there. As with other “Coolcation” destinations, it also depends on where you are in Norway.
Norway is expansive in the south and stretches northward as a narrow strip to the North Cape and further east to Finland and Russia. Accordingly, the weather map can vary greatly here. During my Norway trip, it happened that sunny 77 degrees smiled in Oslo, while we sat in rain jackets on a boat in Bergen at 63 degrees, not wanting to trade them for swimwear. This was at a time when a heatwave in Germany had fans running and people seeking refuge in refrigerators.
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This is what lies behind the “Coolcation” travel trend
Rain as a “Coolcation” Theme
Rain was also a constant theme during my first, accidental “Coolcation” in Scotland two years ago, much more so than in Norway. While we enjoyed enchanting sunny days in Edinburgh in August and could explore the Scottish capital at pleasant temperatures and almost no rainfall, it rained a lot, if not very much, in the rest of the country.
And that might be a downside of the “Coolcation”: Where it’s not hot, it can be quite rainy, even in summer. Of course, not everywhere. Those who don’t want rain can expect a relatively dry vacation in eastern Sweden. Finland, Denmark, and Estonia are also considered relatively dry. For those who don’t mind rain, Ireland, western Norway, and Scotland are recommended for a cool vacation. All three are charming and guaranteed not too hot destinations (with possibly short-lived exceptions) that are worth visiting in the summer months and beyond.
Conclusion
I’ve already written it: I’m a new fan of “Coolcations.” Especially when I want to experience and discover a country, I find it more pleasant to walk around in slightly lower temperatures. However, I don’t want to miss the European south, especially Portugal, as well as Asia, Australia, and others–so for me, the combination is once again the right choice.
On this last trip to Norway, I was particularly surprised by how much summer we ended up having. As cozy as I found it in Bergen, thanks to our charming accommodation and the various nice cafes and such, I did miss the summer a bit there. We enjoyed Oslo all the more with its small beach and summery city vibe.