Heat and crowds in peak season: How not to ruin your own holiday

When it comes to nearby destinations that can be reached within a few hours from where we live, the first and most important sustainability question is timing. It's worth carefully considering: do we really need to travel during the hottest summer months? By avoiding the peak season – for example, with an autumn or spring trip – we can not only escape the heat and the crowds but also significantly reduce the strain on local ecosystems and communities. However, if our holiday schedule or family calendar means summer is the only option, it becomes crucial to consider how and at what pace we explore the chosen region.

If we retreat during the hottest hours and wait until the sun sets, stepping out after 8 pm reveals a completely different world. In the cooler air, amidst lengthening shadows and streets filling with locals, the true character of places comes alive. This summer, as Europe and Asia grapple with unprecedented heatwaves and droughts, the most sustainable decision is also the most sensible one: mastering the art of slowing down.

If peak season is the only option for travel, the best strategy is to seek higher, forested areas instead of overcrowded city centres during the day. While Florence's city centre swelters in the heat, the cooler slopes and oak forests of the nearby Mugello Valley offer a true refuge. Here, behind the thick stone walls of rural family farms (agriturismo), there's no need for air conditioning, and local olive oil and cheese come straight from the producer to the table – bypassing the unnecessary supply chains and mark-ups of city-centre restaurants.

The same logic applies in Greece. The Acropolis in July feels like a scorching marble frying pan, but in the mountainous regions of the Peloponnese, among the dense pine forests of ancient Olympia, the trees' evaporation keeps the climate bearable even during the hottest hours. Visiting family-run beekeeping operations near the ruins and purchasing wild thyme honey demonstrates what regenerative tourism truly means: providing direct support to the local community when they need it most, especially during severe droughts.

There are cultural patterns for dealing with heat and crowds in other parts of the world too. In Tokyo, on sweltering summer days, escaping to air-conditioned shopping malls is almost an instinctive reaction, but Japanese culture offers a much older, more sustainable method.

Locals retreat to forests and beautiful Japanese gardens, which provide both spiritual rejuvenation and a cooling experience. A short train ride takes you to the northern mountainous areas of Nara or Kyoto (such as Kurama), where ancient cedar forests offer noticeably cooler temperatures. Walking along moss-covered paths and through the tranquillity of shrines provides a natural refreshment that the urban concrete jungle simply cannot offer.