Where is hot in July on a short-haul flight?

July in brief (short-haul)

Marrakech leads the table with 36°C by day and 19°C at night and 1 rainy days (3 h 36 min from London). Seville leads with 35°C by day and 21°C at night and 0 rainy days (2 h 42 min from London). Kusadasi leads with 35°C by day and 23°C at night, a 24°C sea and 0 rainy days (4 h from London). Sousse leads with 35°C by day and 22°C at night, a 25°C sea and 0 rainy days (3 h 6 min from London). Antalya leads with 34°C by day and 23°C at night, a 28°C sea and 1 rainy days (4 h 24 min from London).

Warm rather than hot (20-25°C): Madeira 25°C, Prague 25°C, Bled 25°C, Fuerteventura 24°C, Paris 24°C, Lanzarote 24°C and 3 more. Hot but wet - over 25°C with more than eight rainy days: Verona (12 days), Milan (9 days), Lake Garda (10 days), Lido di Jesolo (9 days), Budapest (10 days). Over 30°C by day: Marrakech, Seville, Kusadasi, Sousse, Antalya, Marmaris and 16 more. For scale, London averages 22°C in July.

By flight time from London

• Under 3 hours: Seville 35°C, Madrid 32°C, Albufeira 31°C, Costa de la Luz 31°C, Ibiza 31°C, Benidorm 30°C, Valencia 30°C, Majorca 30°C
• 3 to 4.5 hours: Marrakech 36°C, Kusadasi 35°C, Sousse 35°C, Antalya 34°C, Marmaris 34°C, Fethiye 33°C, Athens 33°C, Agadir 32°C

By region

• Europe: 74 destinations, warmest Seville (35°C)
• Africa: 4 destinations, warmest Marrakech (36°C)

For the strongest heat: Marrakech or Seville

Marrakech suits travellers who actively want heat: daytime highs reach 36°C, with 1 rainy day and a flight of 3 h 36 min. Nights fall to 18°C, giving more relief than the daytime figure suggests. Seville is a better fit if you want similar heat with less time flying: it reaches 35°C, with 0 rainy days and a flight of 2 h 42 min. Its 21°C nights stay warmer, though. For either, plan walking for mornings, keep midday flexible and prioritise somewhere cool to sleep. These are heat-first choices rather than the best answer to a warm-sea holiday.

For swimming: balance warmer water against flight time

Antalya makes the strongest case if you dislike cool water: its sea reaches 28°C alongside 34°C days. The trade-off is a flight of 4 h 24 min, close to the short-haul limit, and nights remain warm at 23°C. Sousse offers a useful compromise, with 35°C days, a 25°C sea and a flight of 3 h 6 min. Its 0 rainy days also favour outdoor plans, without guaranteeing uninterrupted dry weather. Kusadasi is similarly hot but has a cooler 24°C sea and a 4 h flight. Fethiye suits swimmers wanting warmer water than Kusadasi, at 26°C, though its flight is longer at 4 h 18 min and it has 2 rainy days.

For less time flying: decide how much the sea matters

Madrid offers 32°C days with a flight of 2 h 18 min, making it a practical choice when travel time matters more than sea swimming. Its 19°C nights bring some relief, although daytime plans still need room for shade. Albufeira combines a flight of 2 h 54 min with 31°C days and 0 rainy days, but its 20°C sea may feel brisk if you prefer lingering in the water. Sicily is the stronger swimming compromise: a flight of 3 h 12 min brings 32°C days and a 25°C sea, with 2 rainy days. Agadir also reaches 32°C, but its 20°C sea shows why hotter air does not necessarily mean warmer swimming.