9 Holidays with a cool breeze

Gulets are hand-crafted, twin-masted Turkish sailing vessels. They've been around for centuries.

Gulets make for a languid, leisurely way to explore the country’s south-western coastline, and ensure visitors are never too hot – even during 80°F summer days. Most common are 1-2 week charters making regular stops at Byzantine archaeological sites, secluded beaches and harbourside meze restaurants.

Marrakech’s high (and more expensive) seasons are spring and autumn, as westerners balk at its summer humidity. But stay just outside town at a country hotel within the Atlas Mountain foothills, and the higher elevation will see pleasant zephyrs flutter by. Most estates tend to have a pool, too, and offer regular shuttles into the city proper.

Because Barbados is so dinky, a constant breeze flutters across the entire country. As such, the tropical Caribbean island never gets unbearably hot, despite its temperatures rarely dipping below 70°F (20°C).

If things do get a bit stifling, retreat underwater where lucky scuba divers and snorkelers can encounter hawksbill turtles, technicoloured reefs, and many a wreck.

Scandinavian summers can actually get pretty intense, with long days of piercing northern sun. And yet it never feels hot, particularly in Denmark and Sweden’s respective cool capitals.

Why? Because both are ostensibly water cities. Central Copenhagen is characterised by a network of canals, while Stockholm is really a series of islands on Lake Mälaren. Winds are common in both, and humidity very low.

This Greek Island’s popularity with Brits hinges on the way the long, hot Cretan summers are regularly tempered by a breeze. The most cooling parts of all (and arguably the most interesting) are along the rustic northwestern coast.

This area boasts superb beaches, traditional villages, and White Mountain foothills. Another area to catch the breeze would be along the remote southwestern shores with their high peaks, castle fortresses, and lagoons.

There’s a reason why the Canary Islands (far south from mainland Europe) are considered a winter sun option: they’re mighty hot, all year.

Lanzarote is a renowned hub for windsurfers and kiteboarders during summer because of its strong winds. These gusts are also just right for savvy sun-worshippers. 

You’ll never feel cold, but nor do the super-strength rays have you feeling like a barbecued sausage!

The Balinese climate provides a reliable breeze which gently blows between June and August. This period falls within the Indonesian island’s high season (May-September), meaning humidity is at its lowest.

All of the above makes summer the best time to visit cultural Ubud, and perhaps indulge in a yoga, massage or meditation break.

Only the most A-list winds, like the Gulf Stream or the Mistral, can boast their own name.

In northern Italy, Lake Garda’s Ora del Garda is a reliable summer flurry which relieves the water’s northern shorelines, and the luxury hotel resorts and glitzy boutiques lining it.

Never one to conform, San Francisco’s hottest month is October.

In July and August, the boheimian Californian city tends to average decidedly un-sticky temperatures in the 65°F region. Those famous 'frisco fogs (prone to suddenly blowing in off the chilly Pacific) add additional coolness.

To truly minimise perspiration, climb the iconic hills aboard cable cars, and sail out to blowy Alcatraz island.