Over the next few weeks, the bustling streets of London, usually defined by late-night revellers spilling out of pubs during after-work drinks, alfresco diners and an overall raucous energy, will quiet. In its place, a newfound sense of stillness will emerge as the city’s stylish denizens trade the palpable chaos that has come to define it for respites and slow sojourns across all corners of Europe.
There are trusted staples that always get returned to each season: the scintillating Haussmann-designed boulevards of Paris, the opulent warren of canals and palazzos in Venice, the ancient ruins and emerging wine bar scene of Athens. However, this summer, the most tasteful and discerning travellers are setting their sights on more unexplored horizons.
Expanding their field of view far beyond classics like Barcelona and Amsterdam, you’ll find those with the chicest sensibilities escaping the masses and instead hiding away in sun-kissed Aegean islands just east of the Peloponnese, in a grandly resorted 15th-century villa perched on the Tuscan hillside and trekking through the deep-cut canyons of the Caucasus Mountains in remote Georgia.
Despite the intrepid desire to take the path less travelled, anyone who takes a holiday this season will still face the perennial challenge of packing up their wardrobe into a considered edit that will see them through the entire trip. So, to ensure no crisp linen shirt or lightweight slip skirt gets left behind or overlooked, we here at Who What Wear UK have compiled a guide to the essential European summer outfits to wear this season, as per each trending destination.
Ahead, you’ll not only find a list of the bare necessities you need to take with you for every kind of trip, but expert recommendations on chic restaurants to visit, vintage boutiques to spend hours in and the best hotels to stay in. All that’s left to do is bid you a well-deserving bon voyage…
The Chicest Euro Summer Outfits for 7 Trending 2026 Destinations
1. Hydra, Greece
Style Notes: Dissuading anyone from visiting the turquoise purlieus of the Cyclades is a challenge within itself, but for those seeking a Greek island untouched by forces of time and overtourism, Hydra should suit your needs. A tonic for thronged urbanites, the island is only accessible by ferry and seen on foot as no forms of motorised transport are allowed to drive its cobblestone streets.
Eternally elemental, Hydra became an alcove for artists like Leonard Cohen and Sophia Loren in the 1960s and has continued its reputation as a creative retreat to this day, with contemporary designers like Faithfull and Coperni drawing inspiration from its secret coves and historic port. Be sure to pay a visit to the Deste Foundation’s gallery space, which is located inside an old slaughterhouse and has hosted works from the likes of Jeff Koons and Marcel Duchamp.
Shop the Look:
2. Florence, Italy
Style Notes: It’s hard to overlook the saturated cliffside of Positano or the sandy bays of Palermo. Still, the enduring appeal of Medici-era architecture, Renaissance masterpieces and the quaint apothecary of Santa Maria Novella has made Florence a perpetual destination. In 2026, however, the real draw lies in the unveiling of Villa San Michele, a Belmond Hotel.
Perched high in the Fiesole hills, the breathtaking property underwent 18 months of meticulous renovation to breathe new life into what was originally a 15th-century convent that once had Michelangelo working on its façade. In the weeks since its opening, it’s seen guests including Gwyneth Paltrow and Alexa Chung grace its manicured grounds, already cementing it amongst the canon of luxury Italian destinations like the Gritti Palace and Le Sirenuse. Whilst in town, however, be sure to visit the grand, marble-lined pharmacies like Profumeria Invicta Firenze, 200-year-old lingerie stores like Quercioli & Lucherini and famed culinary establishments like Trattoria Cammillo.
Shop the Look:
3. Marseille, France
Style Notes: Away from the glitz of Antibes and the glamour of Cannes, Marseille offers a more edgy retreat along the Côte d'Azur. Rising like the brutalist tower of Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse does from the undulating skyline, Marseille has become somewhat of a fashion darling, courtesy of the advocacy from home-grown talent Simone Porte Jacquemus and collaborations with French luxuriates like Chanel. A swim at Plage des Catalans never goes astray, nor does a meal at Tuba Club. Just pack a bikini from a Parisian swimwear brand like Du Ciel or Dolla and a raffia hat, et voila.
Shop the Look:
4. Copenhagen, Denmark
Style Notes: A Great Dane by definition, Copenhagen's storybook charm, impeccable bakeries, and colourfully-dressed locals have made it a jewel of the Øresund. By nature, the city encourages slower living and a softer pace, and a visit there will only compound this belief, especially with all the harbourside saunas, swimming spots-cum-small-plates-resturants like La Banchina and red-brick landmarks. A stop at boutiques like Caro Editions for thrifted-inspired ready-to-wear and Pico for all your rosette needs is compulsory, as is trying the breakfast plates at Atelier September and orange wine at Apollo Bar.
Shop the Look:
5. Ibiza, Spain
Style Notes: Long gone are the days when a trip to Ibiza conjured up the bassline of Vengaboys songs and guaranteed a sweaty night out at clubbing institution Pacha. Though a veil of hedonism will always cloak the Balearic island, a bohemian and restful escape can also be found if you know where to look.
For a touch of the old world, you must stop into the famed hotel Pikes for a drink at Freddie’s, a bar named after former guest Freddie Mercury, and luxury boutique Annie’s Ibiza for chintzy cocktail dresses. For a touch of the new, Los Enamorados in the north is guaranteed to cool you off and slow you down, as will OKU, located on the west coast in the serene Cala Graciò bay.
Shop the Look:
6. Tblisi, Georgia
Style Notes: A little further afield, Georgia’s capital city of Tbilisi offers a rare mixture of sprawling mountain ranges, Soviet architecture and crumbling, colourful buildings that stretch across either side of the Mtkvari river. With the introduction of a direct flight from Heathrow, Brits have beckoned for Tbilisi, enchanted with its established wine-making traditions and its natural surroundings, it makes the perfect starting point—or finishing point, for that matter—for those wanting to soak in the heights of the Caucasus Mountains.
Shop the Look:
7. Antwerp, Belgium
Style Notes: Though Belgium can certainly feel like a country standing in the shadow of its neighbours, one visit to Antwerp will have you assuaging any affinity you have for its nearby contemporaries of Berlin and Amsterdam. A sartorial capital in its own right, Antwerp has largely become known on the world stage because of the Antwerp Six, a collective of designers that included Dries Van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester, who pioneered the city’s fashion landscape in the 1980s.
These days, you’ll find heavyweights like former Alaïa creative director Pieter Mulier, Prada’s Raf Simons and art dealer and interior designer Axel Vervoordt strolling through the town. You can’t go to Antwerp without taking the sheer craftsmanship associated with the city, so stop by the Museum Plantin-Moretus, which is housed in a 16th-century mansion and the Escher Gallery, which is located inside a converted 19th-century brick warehouse in the industrial, cultural hub of Kanaal.
Shop the Look:
