August is the time of the year when many Europeans go on family vacations. Educational institutions, such as schools, universities, colleges are closed for summer holidays and many European companies are closed for summer holiday as well.

Europeans from Northern countries go South to catch the sun and enjoy Mediterranean cuisine. Students flock to party islands of Ibiza, Mallorca, Santorini. More vacationers mean crowded beaches, jammed roads, packed hotels and other accommodations. Prices for lodgings go up and transportation expenses are one of the highest. Many European beach lovers reserve the same accommodation by the beach year after year and the same can be said about beach spots reservations by families for a period of time and sometimes for the whole summer. Hotels reservations are not only pricey but sometimes booked very quickly and good places are hard to find.

Many Europeans travel by car enjoying the proximity of sunny destinations, taking advantage of well maintained and speedy roads of the European Union. Those coming from other parts of the world rent cars and you may experience spending a day at auto rental facilities since tourist crowds are overwhelming the understaffed weekend car rental offices.

Tons of people come to Europe to enjoy its cultural treasures, i.e. architecture, history, museums and exhibitions. In August there are long lines of people waiting to enter famous museums, cathedrals and other places of interest.

August is the warmest month of the year in Europe. It means warm sea water compared to June and July even in southern parts of Spain, France and Italy . It is very warm, even hot in June and July but water temperature is usually pretty cold in June, July. However, it heats by August.  Though, it is never as warm as Caribbean but pleasant enough for swimming.

So if you decide to go to Europe in August here are some tips.

Book your flight, reserve a car rental and book the accommodation as early in the year as possible. There will be more hotels choices and varieties. Watch for airlines’ promotions, since usually the earlier you book the cheaper is your airfare.

If you travel to cities, buy a city pass. It is available for most famous places, such as Paris, Florence, Rome, Amsterdam. The city pass will give you VIP access to most museums, attractions and you will avoid long lines and save time. Some passes also give you access to some forms of city transport.You won’t be busy looking for ticket offices and if you get tired, you will have a chance to just hop on a bus, take the subway or a river boat. Also in many cases it comes with a decent discount and it will save you not only time but money as well. Many city passes include maps and lists of events.

Nowadays, most tourist places allow you to buy your entrance and excursion tickets online. So prepare your trip and book as much as possible.

Travelling to Europe in August has its pros and cons, it is a European vacation month. But Europe is still old beautiful Europe and it is worth visiting. Bon Voyage!