5 Best Late Summer Holiday Destinations from the UK
Haven’t had time to go away this summer? Fret not, we have curated the best late summer holiday destinations UK travellers will love in September. Think Nordic capitals with hygge cafés to American classics that never get old. Our five picks cover every kind of traveller: the sunbather, the big city dreamer, the wine lover, the hiker and the culture seeker. For each one, we've added a quick note on what to pack, because turning up to a Stockholm evening in a linen sundress or trying to survive a Lake Garda hike in flip-flops is a mistake you only make once and live to tell the tale.
1. Palma, Mallorca - Sun, City and Tapas
Palma is the perfect destination to combine a beach holiday and a city break. Spend your mornings wandering the Old Town's cobbled streets and Gothic cathedral, then head to the beach for the afternoon and be back just in time for tapas. It's an easy combination that suits couples, friends and solo travellers alike. Unsurprisingly, it’s also one of the UK's most booked summer destinations year after year.
Because Palma is compact and walkable, you genuinely don't need to overpack. Comfortable shirts, a couple of dresses or shorts and comfortable sandals will get you through most of the trip.
Suitcase in point: If your accommodation has a washing machine, you can get away with two or three outfits on rotation and a swimsuit or two. A cabin bag is all you need and the Jetset Cabin Bag in Stone is sized to skip the hold luggage queue entirely. Book somewhere with a washer, pack a small case and spend the baggage allowance you saved on extra paella instead. Not sure what you can bring on board? Check our hand luggage rules guide before you pack.
2. New York City, USA - The Classic Long-Haul Summer Trip
Yes, it's outside Europe, but no list of the best summer holiday destinations from the UK feels complete without it. New York in late summer is still hot and completely iconic. It draws visitors in their thousands every year regardless of the flight time. You'll want comfortable shoes for the miles of walking, a light jacket for the aggressively air-conditioned museums and shops and a big appetite for the serving sizes. This is one of the few destinations where you'll want to check UK government advice on ESTA requirements before you fly, since it's a visa waiver you need to sort in advance rather than at the airport.
The real packing challenge in New York isn't what you bring, it's what you bring back. Between the shopping on Fifth Avenue, the vintage stores in Brooklyn and the duty-free on the way home, most visitors underestimate how much space they'll need for the return leg.
Suitcase in point: Take a large suitcase and pack it half empty on the way out. The Vacay Large Suitcase in Terra Cotta has the room for everything you'll inevitably bring home, from duty-free Levi's to extra jars of peanut butter. Pack light going out. You'll thank yourself at check-in on the way back.
3. Bordeaux, France - The Perfect Summer Weekend Break
Bordeaux is the kind of dreamy escape where you’ll come back refreshed and full of zest for life. Fly in on a Friday evening, and by Saturday morning you could be touring a Médoc château, tasting your way through Saint-Émilion or simply wandering Rue Sainte-Catherine with a croissant in hand. September is the best time to go because that’s usually when harvest is taking place. Bordeaux is elegant all around, which is exactly what you want from three days away. Plus, the short flight time makes it an easy sell for a late summer weekender.
Wine tastings mean you’ll have to walk between vines and stand around in cool, constant-temperature cellars, so smart-casual layers work best. A sun hat is not only very chic but also very necessary. Mornings can be foggy by the river, afternoons can turn warm fast and nobody wants to be the one who spilled red wine down their only nice top.
Suitcase in point: The Waterproof Duffle & Toiletry Bag Set has enough laptop and shoe space that you won't need to check a bag at all. A long weekend doesn't need a suitcase. Pack light, walk more, bon appétit.
4. Lake Garda, Italy - Summer Sun with an Active Twist
For travellers who want their holiday to double as a workout, Lake Garda is hard to beat. It's one of the best active week destinations in Europe, with everything from gentle lakeside strolls to serious ridge walks on Monte Baldo. Why not hike in the morning, swim in the afternoon and have a spritz by the lake before dinner? Not a bad way to spend a week, we think - and that’s why it’s a firm favourite with UK travellers who want their downtime a little more active.
The lake splits into four distinct hiking areas, so you can mix things up daily rather than repeating the same route. The north near Riva del Garda is steeper and more alpine, while the south around Sirmione is gentler, with trails winding through olive groves and vineyards instead of rock faces. September is one of the better months for hiking at Garda - temperatures are cooler than the peak summer months, dropping from around 25°C at the start of the month to the low twenties by the end, which makes longer trails far more manageable.
Suitcase in point: The trade-off with an active holiday is the extra packing. This is where a medium hard-shell suitcase is the smarter choice over a smaller cabin bag. The Air Glide Medium Suitcase gives hiking boots and trainers somewhere to go without squashing your swimwear flat. If your itinerary includes boots, book the bigger case. Trainers and hiking boots are suitcase space thieves.
5. Stockholm, Sweden - The Underrated Summer City Break
If you want one of the most rewarding summer European city breaks going, Stockholm is the way to go. It’s one of the quieter choices next to the Mediterranean crowd-pleasers, but it shouldn’t be. The city offers water, forest and Old Town charm all within walking distance of each other. The archipelago is made for boat trips and the whole place has that quiet, stylish confidence Scandinavia does so well.
Daytime temperatures in September typically reach around 15 to 17°C, dropping to around 9°C at night. It's cooler than the summer peak, which most visitors find more comfortable for walking and exploring rather than less. Pack layers regardless: a light jacket for evenings is non-negotiable, and rain is a reasonable possibility on any given day. Locals barely blink at this, and if you're from the UK, it shouldn't be too shocking either.
Days run from around 14 hours of daylight at the start of September down to just over 11 hours by the end of the month, so you lose the extreme Scandinavian summer light but gain genuinely pleasant sightseeing hours without the midnight-sun disorientation. Early September is the sweet spot - warm enough for the archipelago, quiet enough that the main attractions aren't at peak capacity.
Suitcase in point: Because you'll be juggling summer clothes, a jumper for the evenings and a rain jacket just in case, you need more room than a typical city break suitcase gives you. A medium suitcase is ideal for a trip like this and the Solo Explorer Medium Suitcase in Gold has the extra litres for warm-weather and cold-weather options without you having to sit on the lid to close it. Pack for two seasons in one bag and let the suitcase do the compromising, not your wardrobe.
Match Your Suitcase to Your Summer Destination
So which one's calling your name? Wherever you land, the case you bring matters as much as the destination itself. Pack too small and you're doing laundry math in a hotel bathroom. Pack too big and you're hauling an empty half of a suitcase through three airports. Match the bag to the trip, not the other way round. Not sure what to pack once you've chosen your destination? Our full holiday packing list covers every trip type from beach to ski. And enjoy yourself! That’s what holiday entitlement is for.
