From cool Scandinavia to hipster USA, these are the trips to take in June when you’re looking to avoid a heatwave

Soaring temperatures mean that some former fail-safe June holiday options are now just too hot to enjoy comfortably. These are the places that are that little bit cooler, complete with brilliant food scenes, adventurous explorations and even some beach trips to take in June that aren’t too hot.

1. Oslo

Average June temperature: 16°C

Norway’s capital may be full of locals sweltering in wood-fired saunas, but it’s a pretty cool choice in June, with highs of around 20°C and lows closer to 10°C. Most importantly, it’s a brilliant city break, hitting lots of cultural notes. In 2021, the Munch Museum opened – the world’s largest art gallery dedicated to a single artist. There’s also the Deichman library, one room of which will house the Future Library – a forest for which was planted in 2014 and will supply paper for an anthology of books to be printed in 2114 – with books by writers including Margaret Atwood and Elif Shafak. Visitors should also get stuck into the flavours of the wild coastline at the redbrick Mathallen food hall and at three-star Maemmo and Sentralen.

2. Madeira

Average June temperature: 20°C

This vibrant green island in the Atlantic is part of Portugal with a delightful average temperature that hovers around 20°C almost year round. There are unspoilt wild beaches perfect for windsurfing and kayaking, but also rainforest-covered mountain peaks and wildlife spotting opportunities everywhere including dolphins and whales in the water. The best way to explore the island is to hike the small irrigation channels or levadas. In the higher tropical zones, walkers will be able to spot avocados, mangos, guavas and passion fruit, while amazingly, in the cool valleys, blueberries grow. This is an island that hits many different notes.

3. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Average June temperature: 24°C

In June, Rio is less humid, with slightly cooler temperatures than its summertime, which runs from November through to March. Another bonus is that there’s almost no rain, and the beaches are much quieter than during the summer. But just because there aren’t the crowds, that doesn’t mean it isn’t still good for a party. Throughout June, Rio celebrates the nativity of Catholic saints – Saint Anthony (June 13th), Saint John the Baptist (24 June), and Saint Peter (29 June) in a string of festivals known as Festa Junina. Go dancing at the Fasano or head to Barzin in Ipanema for live music.

4. Lake Bled, Slovenia

Average June temperature: 20°C

While Slovenia has seen its temperatures rise in recent years, Lake Bled itself helps keep the enchanting region cool. It’s noticeably cooler than nearby Italy, plus it’s a lesser-known beauty with mountains, caves and gorges. Lake Bled, at the foot of the Julian Alps, is the country’s only natural island, the tiny tear-shaped Bled Island, which houses the 17th-century Church of the Assumption. July and August are particularly busy with tours, which is another reason to go in June when visitors can rent a traditional rowing boat or take the gondola over without the same crowds. Stay at Hotel Vila Bled overlooking the lake, the perfect spot from which to explore.

5. Prince Edward County, Canada

Average June temperature: 19°C

Not far from Toronto, this island on Lake Ontario is a summertime escape from the heat of the city. Sandbanks Provincial Park and dune system has miles of unbroken white sand that are never packed even during peak summer holidays. And there has been an influx of exciting hoteliers, chefs and shopkeepers making it one of the loveliest retreats in Canada. An old Wellington Iron Foundry, built in 1860, is now the Drake Devonshire, a design-savvy lakeside hotel – sibling to the Toronto original. There are also independent wineries, antiques barns and restaurants that were ahead of their time when it comes to sustainability. See Agrarian Bistro, founded by Neil Dowson and his passion for locally sourced ingredients.

6. San Sebastian, Spain

Average June temperature: 18°C

On the Atlantic coast, San Sebastian always has a breeze blowing through the town which keeps things from getting too heated in the summer months. And it’s the perfect beach town to explore if you’re not someone who can lie on the sand for hours on end. Days can be spent wandering the old town, hopping from one pintxos bar to the next – La Vina’s cheesecake is a must. In the evenings, visitors can either do more of the same or step things up a notch with a booking at one of the region’s Michelin-starred restaurants (we rate Akelarre and Arak). For those who do want a beach fix, Zurriola is always quieter than the bigger La Concha and a great spot from which to watch the local surf scene in action.

7. Ladakh, India

Average June temperature: 12°C

In the heart of the Himalayas and 3,000m above sea level, this remote region of high-altitude desert offers a way to visit India in June without sweltering temperatures. A holiday in Ladakh tends to be an action-packed itinerary of whitewater rafting down the Zanskar river, cycling down from the world’s highest road, as well as visits to Buddhist monasteries and palaces. And for only the most lucky of visitors to Ladakh there might be a sighting of a rare slow leopard. Plus, the light-free skies make for some incredible star gazing.

8. Iceland

Average June temperature: 10°C

While often seen as a winter destination, June in Iceland is lovely and the days are long. In the northern Troll Peninsula, the spectacular Deplar Farm from Eleven Experiences offers cold-water surfing, mountain biking, fishing and horseback riding, as well as whale-watching excursions. And further south, it’s as good a time as any to tuck into some of the country’s best restaurants. At Dill, where Gunnar Karl Gislason won the island’s first Michelin star, and at OX where chef Thrainn Freyr Vigfusson dishes up a whopping 12-course menu. The Reykjavík Edition is the place to stay in the city.

9. The Scottish Highlands

Average June temperature: 12°C

While June is one of the warmest months in Scotland, things are rarely balmy in the Highlands, making it a great option for those who enjoy the great outdoors. Days are also long, and there’s a beautiful extended twilight in June. Plus, there’s a fresh list of places to stay that are a long way from the tartan-clad Scottish hotel people might expect. First-up Tom Lewis’s mini Mhor empire. Make sure you stop off for coffee and cake or a full-on feast at Mhor 84, a motel and all-day restaurant just off the A84, or stay a few nights at Monachyle Mhor with its excellent lakeside restaurant and big-windowed cabins in the garden. In the Cairngorms there’s Killiehuntly Farmhouse as well, of course, as Artfarm’s brilliant Fife Arms.

10. Portland, Oregon

Average June temperature: 23°C

North America’s hipster city floats around the mid-twenties in June which means things stay warm without getting too sweaty. Portlanders drank craft beer, wore checked shirts and grew their own vegetables decades before the rest of us. And so there’s incredible food as well as a vintage shopping scene to explore in the hipster city. Stay at the Ace, or downtown at The Heathman and then spend your days eating brunch at the wildly popular Tasty n Sons, Japanese at Bamboo Sushi or the best poached chicken and rice from Nong’s Khao Man Gai food truck. And when it comes to vintage edits try Yo Vintage!, Lulu’s Vintage and Wanderlust.