Europe Summer Outfits Ideas: What to Wear in Mediterranean

European summer is my favourite season! Everything is lively, the sun is shining and the sea is finally warm for swimming. It’s truly one of the best times to visit Europe, especially Mediterranean destinations, which is what we will cover in this packing list guide. I’m bringing you my top Europe summer outfit ideas for different activities and occasions.

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📖 Visiting Europe this summer? Check my Europe Travel Guide for more.

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Understanding the Climate in the Mediterranean

Summers in the Mediterranean are hot and dry with minimal to no rainfall (mostly showers every now and then). It is sunny pretty much all the time, so great weather is guaranteed.

Temperatures often range between 28-35 C (82-95 F), though coastal areas benefit from refreshing sea breezes. The Mediterranean Sea temperature is very pleasant too, and while warm enough, it actually cools you down. It usually ranges 23-28 C (73-82 F).

Which is why I would always recommend visiting Mediterranean countries like Italy, Spain or Croatia in the summer months, despite the crowds!

Cultural Considerations for Dressing in Mediterranean Countries

While Europe is pretty chill and modern when it comes to dressing, there are still some cultural considerations to keep in mind.

Firstly, most shops will not allow you to enter only in the swimming suit, so make sure you cover yourself with proper beachwear before going to buy something (like drinks or fruits or whatever you’d need for the beach).

Second, and even more important, please respect religious sites when visiting Europe in summer. In some locations you may be allowed (but still frown-upon) in shorts or mini dresses, but in some you won’t be permitted to enter at all (most churches in Italy and mosques in Turkey).

If you have a religious site on your itinerary for the day, either wear a midi or maxi dress or bring a scarf to cover yourself.

And lastly, if you reserved a table in a nice and high-end restaurant, then don’t dress casually.

Best Europe Summer Outfits for Various Activities

While Euro summer equals the beach days, this is of course not the only thing you can and should do.

From sightseeing some of the most important religious and historical sites to hiking, there’s truly no lack of activities for a perfect European summer trip.

Which means you will need to pack clothes for various activities. Below is my Europe summer packing list and outfit ideas on what to wear in Europe for all these different occasions.

✅ Check my shop where I recreated all the looks I had over the past few Euro summers.

City Sightseeing

For city sightseeing I recommend wearing lightweight fabrics because it gets really hot during the day.

Most of the Mediterranean towns in Europe have cobblestone streets, so forget about anything with heels and go with comfortable footwear.

To be looking chic while also being comfy at the same time, I love to wear MK flat sandals. I’ve been wearing them for several years now and they still look good and feel comfortable! It’s a good investment. Also, you can’t go wrong with Birkenstock sandals either!

If you’re not entering any religious sites, then you can wear really anything you like (still apply the common sense though!). My favourites for a Europe trip in the summer are mini dresses.

Religious Sites

I’ve already touched on this several times, but don’t forget to dress modestly if you plan on visiting religious sites. While some countries like Croatia are more flexible with what you can wear for visiting churches, Italy is on the other hand super strict and they will not allow you to enter if not properly dressed!

I have to admit that sometimes I do enter a church in a mini dress, but if it’s too open, I do cover myself with a scarf. However, I always plan on wearing maxi dresses if I know my day will be full of visiting religious sites.

On the other hand, I will never enter the church in a tank top or very exposed.

As said, a lot of countries are not that strict, but I personally want to be respectful of religious places and I advise you to do the same.

Ancient Ruins

While some ancient ruins are in the middle of the town (like in Tarragona in Spain or Pula in Croatia), some are further away from the town and often in an open space with minimal to no shade (like Agrigento in Sicily or Ephesus in Turkey).

Firstly, it’s really important to bring sunscreen because being in an open space in the middle of summer is not to be kidding!

Second, I recommend wearing shorts and comfortable footwear because you are walking within the ruins.

Lastly, wear a hat and even bring a scarf, especially if you’re in a tank top or you got sunburnt the day before (like the person writing this blog lol).

Beaches

There’s nothing better than to spend your days at the beach during summer time in Europe.

Any kind of beachwear is allowed in Europe, but avoid wearing bikinis or swimsuits in public places outside the beach.

Outdoor Activities

Europe, while a relatively small continent, is also very diverse and fun! There are a lot of outdoor activities you can do, from hiking Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, to visiting Plitvice Lakes in Croatia, you won’t lack adventure here.

But all of this requires appropriate clothing, from activewear to comfortable footwear.

📖 Check my Mount Etna Packing List – Everything You Need to Know blog post for more.

Dining

There’s no better way to end your days than by having a nice dinner in the town centre.

If you opt for having a fancy dinner, then you need to dress smart.

In any case, my recommendation is to wear breathable material. I opt for a silk mini dress and flat sandals. I am not so much of a high heels person and I already spoke about the cobblestone streets of Europe where it’s practically impossible to wear them at all.

Do’s and Don’ts of Dressing in Europe for Summer

As a summary, let’s go over the most important do’s and don’ts on what to wear in Europe for summer.

Do’s of dressing in Europe for summer:

• Dress modestly when visiting religious sites.
• Wear breathable fabrics to stay cool in the hot weather.
• Pack comfortable footwear.
• Bring outfits for different activities based on your itinerary.

Don’ts of dressing in Europe for summer:

• Don’t walk around in beachwear when in public spaces.
• Don’t wear shorts and sleeveless tops when visiting religious sites.
• Don’t ignore dress codes in luxury restaurants and clubs.
• Don’t forget sun protection.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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