This one is the biggest: peak heat and the longest school holidays in most of the northern hemisphere. If Mediterranean beaches are on your travel list this month, share them. Same applies for northerly shores like Cornwall or the Hamptons, if you can locate a room. July is difficult for spontaneous travelers who prefer to locate cheap, beautiful places, but if you play with summer criteria like mountains instead of sea and north instead of south, you may uncover a new travel love. Here are our top July vacation spots.

Cyclades, Greece

If you’re having trouble choosing a Greek island, the Cyclades’ compact structure and multiple ferry lines make island-hopping easy. While July is the biggest vacation month, especially on major islands like Santorini and Mykonos, whitewashed villages on azure bays are stunning in the summer light. Naxos, a family-friendly island with few resorts, has many beaches. Sail to smaller islands without airports like Sifnos or Serifos to avoid crowds. Stay at Verina Astra. Nearby are sea-view terraces and an infinity pool on Sifnos’ east coast, and the suites are beachcomber chic.

Loire Valley, France

Summer brings thick grapevines along the Loire, contributing to this region’s richness. A thousand châteaux are supposed to be in this large valley, including Chambord, Villandry, and Chenonceau, designed like an elegant bridge across a river. Months with mid-20s temperatures are ideal for long-distance riding on the gentlest hills. Loire Valley towns like Tours, Saumur, Angers, and Orléans have hundreds of Michelin-starred restaurants and fascinating histories. Stay at the Relais de Chambord to be first in line when the enormous château’s gates open. Its design blends the 21st century with the French Renaissance spectacle it overlooks.

South African Kruger National Park

The drier and slightly cooler days of July make game watching more comfortable and simpler in South Africa’s top national park, where foliage decreases and water holes are crowded. The Drakensberg summits south of you will see clear sky and chilly mornings, possibly snow. While July is the driest month in most of the country, Cape Town has the opposite rainfall pattern. If you can handle the rain, southern right whales off Hermanus are in season. Kapama Buffalo Camp, one of four linked properties with 10 luxury tents on wooden decks in a private game reserve near Kruger National Park, offers bush treks.

Dolomites, Italy

From France to Slovenia, the Alps share landscapes and culture, but the Dolomites stand alone. Mountain communities with cow-cropped meadows and church spires are set against these sheer walls and teeth of rock. Hikers may only visit several shelters in northern Italy and the Alps from late June to mid-September. The Seiser Alm/Alpe di Siusi, named like many sites in this region that spans language borders and high heights, has more flowers in meadows earlier in the season. Lagacio Hotel Mountain Residence, 1,500m (4,920ft) high in San Cassiano, Dolomites, offers a clean-lined wooden chalet decor.