Summertime and the living is… busy. Data from the aviation analytics company Cirium found that Friday 1 August was the busiest day for flights this year, with a plane taking off every 0.75 seconds, on average, and more than 18 million plane seats scheduled.

Meanwhile, research by the European Travel Commission found that more than three-quarters of Europeans plan to take at least one trip between June and November this year, with July and August the most popular summer holiday months and the Mediterranean the most sought-after region.

Fortunately, towards the middle and end of August, there are some areas of the continent where crowds diminish as local children go back to school and the peak holiday season ends.

Pupils from Scotland to Switzerland return to class as early as 8

See Full Page