Where to go in July

With summer in full swing, most travellers will be headed to the Spanish coast but if you’re looking for a truly Spanish cultural experience, you’ll want to head inland, to Pamplona for the legendary festival of San Fermin and Bull Run. It’s eight days of mayhem, parties and of course the spectacle of watching hundreds running through the city’s tiny cobbled streets being chased by angry bulls. It’s thrilling and completely unforgettable!

Before you go, you’d best sit down to read Ernest Hemingway romantic tale of what you’re about to experience. Pack your red and white Basque outfit and get ready for one of the most exciting weeks of your summer. The run begins at Corrales del Gas and only takes 3 minutes… probably the longest you’ll ever experience! The dodgiest places on the run are Estafeta and the narrow entrance into the Plaza del Toros. If you do plan to run, best to scope out the route in advance and plan your places of escape if need be. Will you be joining the troops in the 800m-dash with six raging bulls at your backside?

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Don't get us wrong, July in Spain is a scorcher, even more so when you spend your days in the city. Do as the Spaniards do: do your sightseeing in the cooler mornings and then enjoy a siesta in the afternoon, the hottest time of the day.

It’s safe to say that the people behind Iceland’s Tourism Board are doing a pretty great job. Since the ash cloud incident in 2010, this country has stayed at the centre of people’s travel radars ever since. It looks like that cloud has a silver lining because Iceland is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world, especially in the summer months. Reykjavik and the southern part of the country can get pretty busy in July and August, but it is arguably the best time of the year to visit when the days are very long and the temperatures are just right for hiking, camping, horseback riding, road trips with a Reykjavik car hire and spending the day at the luxurious Blue Lagoon Spa.

A trip to Iceland isn’t only about its incredible wilderness but its cultural landscape as well. We don’t have to mention that Iceland has produced some pretty great musicians and you can find live music just about every night, in any city. Catch an art exhibition, shop some handicrafts and tuck into some delicious Nordic cuisine.

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While summers in Iceland aren't the warmest on the planet, that doesn't stop the locals from sunbathing in the parks in July. We say, join them!

Just the name brings images of a remote and isolated land to mind. For centuries Mongolia was probably the most secluded place you could travel but these days, especially in the summer months, it’s buzzing with foreign travellers: backpackers, business travellers and tour groups. Experience the nomad’s life by sleeping in a yurt, helping your host round up his sheep at night and spend your days riding horses through the countryside.

Don’t be fooled by the modernity and pace when you land in the country’s capital, Ulaanbaatar. Just like anywhere else in the world you’ll find all the urban delights here, a striking contrast to the simplified life Mongolia’s nomads enjoy in the countryside. July is the perfect time to catch the country’s Naadam Festival, the country’s athletic games in Mongolian wrestling, horseracing and archery, held in the capital. It’s a weekend of games, celebrations and national pride, a must in the Mongolian cultural calendar.

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July is Mongolia’s peak travel month, with warm and dry days, occasional thunderstorms.

City breaks are perfect in the summer, when you just need to get away for a long weekend. Summers in the Czech capital are oh-so-sweet, when there’s nothing better to do than wander its gorgeous gothic streets, hang out in a beer garden with a pint of something local in hand and hop from one bar to the next in fashionable Vinohrady.

Prague definitely matches Paris in terms of beauty, just head to the Old Town, Staré Město, to see what we mean. It’s the medieval centre of the city and home to the city’s most iconic sights: the Old Town Hall Tower, Astronomical Clock and Prague Jewish Museum. Wander across Charles Bridge and visit Prague Castle, the enchanting structure on the top of the hill, overlooking the Vltava River. Prague is the perfect city to explore in a weekend, but with plenty left to see on a second, or third or fourth visit.

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Prague enjoys warm summer days and occasional hot spells, which are usually broken by dramatic thunderstorms, the perfect excuse to duck into a gallery or castle for an hour or two.

Bali is just beautiful and if you’re looking for an adventure that is sure to make the office jealous, a trip to this Indonesian island is sure to do the trick! So what does this beach paradise have to offer travellers? If you’ve read Eat, Pray, Love then you probably already have an idea of what a trip to Bali could look like.

Start your trip in lively Kuta before heading out to Nusa Lembongan to try your hand at surfing. Plan a cycling trip through the island’s lush rice fields, visiting ancient monuments and temples (there are 10,000 of them on the island!) along the way. And then, there are the beaches... as long as you’re near the coast; you’re never far from a gorgeous stretch of sand. What you’ll remember most, though, aren’t the beaches or your fancy 4* Bali resort, but the people. These genuine and warm, smiling people are some of the happiest on the planet.

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May, June and July are the best months of the year to visit, during the island’s dry season.

Bolivia is the kind of country where you need to just dive right in. If you look up “adventure” in the dictionary, you’d probably find some reference to Bolivia in the definition. Maybe not, but this South American country will certainly test your skills as a traveller who can adjust to any situation. In July, the reliable weather makes it easy to plan climbing, trekking and cycling trips.

Follow the route of the Incas from the Andes to the Amazon on foot, or join a trip along Bolivia’s rivers into the heart of the jungle or walk across the world’s largest salt flat at Salar de Uyuni and when you’re ready to wind down, head straight for Lake Titicaca and take a catamaran cruise. We told you a trip to Bolivia was going to be an adventure!

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July is right in the middle of high season, Bolivia’s winter, but you can expect sunny days just about everywhere in the country, with cooler temperatures in the Altiplano region.