The Secret 20 Colder Climes Tourists Are Ditching Hot Spots For (You Won’t Believe #7!)

More and more of us are trying to beat the heat.

You used to have to go abroad for sweltering temps and relentless sunshine. But now we can’t avoid it in the UK – heatwave after record-breaking heatwave has rolled in this year, leading to inescapable warmth.

Our homes trap heat in, too, meaning these conditions feel especially punishing.

As a result, new research from Inghams Walking suggests online searches for “coolcations” are on the rise. They’re up a whopping 3,500% from 2024, and have risen by 42% since last year.

In case you haven’t heard of them yet, “coolcations” involve travelling to a colder location to get a break from soaring temperatures.

So where are most people going?

Inghams Walking looked at year-on-year search trends across destinations, accommodation-related queries, and weather searches for nearly 200 global colder destinations.

They found that the top 20 destinations include:

Nuuk, Greenland

Les Contamines-Montjoie, France

Beara Peninsula, Ireland

Jotunheimen National Park, Norway

Tasiilaq, Greenland

Voss, Norway

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

Lech, Austria

Dolomites, Italy

Arinsal, Andorra

Tröllaskagi Peninsula, Iceland

Wilderswil, Switzeland

Kandersteg, Switzerland

Balestrand, Norway

Murren, Switzerland

Fiordland, New Zealand

Sils Maria, Switzerland

Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, Iceland

Torridon, Scotland

Cape Breton Highlands, Canada.

Laura Mason, Head of Destinations at Inghams, said: “As temperatures continue to rise, travellers are seeking respite from their typical go-to summer holiday destinations.

“Instead, more and more people are opting for these coolcation-led holidays in destinations that allow for more comfortable conditions for connecting with nature, personal wellbeing, and outdoor exploration.”

In other words, expect more people to join you on your chilly journeys in the future.