A group vacation in Europe is the default answer to "where should we go?" for a reason. Short flights from the UK, a spread of budgets from Krakow-cheap to Alps-eye-watering, and enough variety in any one country to keep a mixed group happy. The hard part isn't finding somewhere good. It's getting a group of friends who want different things, and have different budgets, to agree on one place.
So this is a shortlist to argue over: 15 of the best group trip destinations in Europe for summer 2026, grouped loosely from bucket-list to budget-friendly, each with why it works for a group, a rough budget, the best time to go, and what everyone will actually do there. Pick a few that fit your crew and put them to a vote in Trips Together.
If you want the shorter, city-focused version, we ranked six proven picks in the best group travel destinations in Europe. This is the bigger, summer-2026 list.
The bucket-list picks
1. Lake Como, Italy
The one that photographs so well it sells itself to the group chat. Lake Como works because it splits neatly between people who want to do something (kayaking, hiking above Varenna, boat trips between villages) and people who want to sit by the water with an Aperol and do nothing at all. Villa gardens, lakeside villages like Bellagio and Menaggio, and easy day trips to Milan cover the culture crowd too.
- Budget: Mid to high. Lakeside hotels are pricey; a shared villa or apartment inland brings it down.
- Best time: June or September for warm days without peak-August crowds and prices.
Our full Lake Como group guide has the village-by-village detail. Add it to your Trips Together shortlist and let the group vote before those lakeside villas book out.
2. Amalfi Coast, Italy
Positano, Ravello and a coastline that looks unreal in person. It's a splurge, but for a milestone trip, a big birthday or a pre-wedding week, it's hard to top. Groups do best renting a villa in a slightly quieter town (Praiano, Minori) and using the ferries to hop along the coast rather than driving the white-knuckle coast road.
- Budget: High. Peak-summer accommodation and boat trips add up fast.
- Best time: Late May, June or September. August is hot, packed and dear.
Because it's a splurge, plan it in Trips Together so the villa and boat costs are split fairly from day one rather than one person fronting everything.
3. Santorini & the Cyclades, Greece
The classic Greek-island summer, best done as a two- or three-island hop rather than Santorini alone. Pair Santorini's caldera views with the beaches and nightlife of Mykonos, or swap in quieter Naxos or Paros to keep costs sane. Ferries between islands are half the fun and let a group with different energy levels each get a day they want.
- Budget: Mid to high, with Mykonos the priciest link.
- Best time: June or September; July to August is peak heat and peak crowds.
Build the island-hop itinerary in Trips Together so everyone can see the ferry days and nobody misses a boat.
4. Interlaken & the Swiss Alps, Switzerland
For the group with an adventurous streak and the budget to match. Interlaken is the base camp: paragliding, canyoning, hiking, and train rides up to Jungfraujoch, all within reach. Even the members who'd rather not jump off anything get lakes, mountain villages and some of the best scenery in Europe.
- Budget: High. Switzerland is expensive; self-catering an apartment softens the blow.
- Best time: July and August for the high-altitude trails and reliable weather.
Put the activities to a group vote in Trips Together, since the adrenaline crowd and the scenery crowd will want different days.
5. Reykjavík & South Iceland, Iceland
Not a beach summer, an adventure one. Base in Reykjavík and road-trip the south coast: waterfalls, black-sand beaches, glacier lagoons and near-24-hour daylight that makes packing a lot in easy. A group splitting a hire car (or camper) and cooking some meals keeps Iceland's famous prices in check.
- Budget: High, but sharing a vehicle and self-catering helps a lot.
- Best time: June to August for the midnight sun and open highland roads.
With Iceland's prices, tracking the car, fuel and food splits in Trips Together keeps the settle-up painless.
The great-value crowd-pleasers
6. Lisbon, Portugal
Still one of the best-value capitals in Western Europe, and a genuine everyone-pleaser: trams and pastéis for the culture crowd, seafood and rooftop bars for the food-and-drink contingent, Bairro Alto for the night owls, and Sintra or Cascais day trips for the escape artists. Easy flights from across the UK.
- Budget: Low to mid. Eat and drink well without wrecking the budget.
- Best time: June or September; July to August is warm but busier.
An easy one to get a group to agree on, so shortlist it in Trips Together and lock the dates while flights are cheap.
7. Porto, Portugal
Lisbon's smaller, cheaper, arguably more characterful sibling. The riverside Ribeira district, port-tasting across the river in Gaia, and a compact centre you can do on foot make it ideal for a long weekend or a laid-back week. Great for groups who want atmosphere over a packed itinerary.
- Budget: Low. One of the best-value city breaks on this list.
- Best time: June to September; even peak summer stays manageable.
Being this affordable, it's a soft sell to the group, add everyone in Trips Together and pick a weekend.
8. Split & the Dalmatian Coast, Croatia
Sun, sea and history without the Mykonos price tag. Split's Diocletian's Palace is a living Roman quarter you can eat and drink inside, and cheap, frequent ferries to Hvar, Brač and Vis give the group island days on tap. A strong pick for crews that want beach plus a bit of culture.
- Budget: Mid, lower than Italy or Greece for a similar coastline.
- Best time: June or September; July to August is hot and busy.
Map the island day trips into a shared Trips Together itinerary so the group votes on which islands make the cut.
9. Valencia, Spain
The underrated all-rounder: beaches, a walkable old town, the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, and the home of paella done properly. Cheaper and less hectic than Barcelona, with the Turia park (a former riverbed) tying the city together for cycling and picnics. Excellent for mixed-budget groups.
- Budget: Low to mid.
- Best time: June or September; the city stays lively but not overwhelming.
Its mixed-budget friendliness makes it an easy shortlist pick to put to a vote in Trips Together.
10. Barcelona, Spain
The reliable big-hitter when the group can't agree, because it has everything: beach, Gaudí architecture, tapas, nightlife and day trips into the mountains or wine country. It's busier and pricier than Valencia or Seville, so book accommodation early and expect crowds at the headline sights.
- Budget: Mid. Central apartments for a group beat scattered hotel rooms.
- Best time: June or September to dodge the worst of the August crush.
Shortlist it in Trips Together and book the group apartment early, the good central ones go first.
11. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Compact, bike-friendly and endlessly social, with world-class museums for the culture lovers and a nightlife reputation that needs no introduction. The move for groups is renting one canal-house apartment together rather than splitting into hotel rooms, then doing the city on foot and bike. Book early; the good places go fast.
- Budget: Mid to high on accommodation, moderate on everything else.
- Best time: June to August, though it's popular year-round.
Plan it in Trips Together so the shared canal house is booked and split before someone defaults to separate hotels.
The under-the-radar gems
12. Nice & the French Riviera, France
A base with reach. From Nice you can train along the coast to Monaco, Èze, Antibes and Cannes, so the group can mix beach days, glamour and old-town wandering without hiring a car. The old town's markets and the pebble-beach promenade keep costs down in an otherwise pricey region.
- Budget: Mid to high, but the train-based day trips are cheap.
- Best time: June or September; July to August is peak Riviera.
Slot the coastal day trips into a shared Trips Together itinerary so everyone knows the plan for each day.
13. Dubrovnik, Croatia
The walled-city showstopper. Best enjoyed as part of a wider Croatia trip (pair it with Split) so the group isn't paying Dubrovnik prices all week. Walk the city walls early before the cruise crowds and heat arrive, then escape to Lokrum island or a sea-kayak trip in the afternoon.
- Budget: Mid to high; it's Croatia's priciest spot in peak season.
- Best time: June or September; midsummer is hot and cruise-heavy.
Since it pairs well with Split, plan the two-stop trip in Trips Together and let the group vote on how long to spend where.
14. Kotor Bay, Montenegro
Fjord-like scenery, a medieval walled town, and prices noticeably below neighbouring Croatia. Kotor Bay rewards groups who want the Adriatic without the crowds: hike above the bay, boat out to Our Lady of the Rocks, and use Budva up the coast for a beach-and-nightlife day.
- Budget: Low to mid, the value pick of the Adriatic.
- Best time: June or September; the bay traps heat in high summer.
A great-value surprise for the group, drop it on the Trips Together shortlist and see if it beats the obvious picks in the vote.
15. Istanbul, Turkey
Where Europe meets Asia, and a brilliant value city-break for a group that wants somewhere with real depth. Bazaars, the Bosphorus, hammams and a food scene that punches far above its price. It's a change of pace from a beach week, and your money goes a long way.
- Budget: Low. Excellent value on food, transport and accommodation.
- Best time: June or September; July to August can be very hot.
Our Istanbul travel guide has the group-friendly detail if this one makes the shortlist, then build the itinerary and split the costs in Trips Together.
How to actually pick one (and get everyone to agree)
The list isn't the hard part. The hard part is that eight people want eight different things and nobody wants to be the one to overrule a friend. The open "where does everyone fancy?" question in the group chat reliably produces silence, then chaos.
A better process: shortlist two or three destinations from this list that broadly fit the group's budget and vibe, then run a proper vote. That's exactly what Trips Together's destination voting is for, everyone votes on the shortlist without the awkwardness of directly opposing someone's pick, the app tallies it, and you get a democratic result the whole group has a stake in. From there you can build a shared itinerary and split the costs in the same app, so the plan and the money don't scatter across four tools.
If you want the full method before you book anything, we walk through it in how to plan a group trip step by step, with the money side covered in how to split travel expenses fairly in a group and the where-to-stay question in how to choose group accommodation.
Whichever of these best places to travel with friends in Europe your group lands on, the rules are the same: agree a budget first, book the accommodation early, and vote rather than argue. Start planning your summer 2026 group trip, free to start.