Spain, especially the south does get crazy hot, just like southern Italy. Northern Spain on the other hand isn’t as hot. Maybe it could be worth looking into Asturias, Galicia. Camino de Santiago del norte might be a cool idea. Never done that myself.
I’ve never been to Girona or Banyoles in Summer but if you’re not the type that absolutely can’t stand the heat I’d say why not. Heat is a great training stimulus as long as you don’t get a heat stroke in the process. Use sunscreen, start early in the morning or late in the evening, hydrate a lot, etc.
A couple of years ago I went to Mallorca in August for a week. Yes it was hot but not hotter than it would be in Milan where I’m living now. I stayed in port pollensa and did all the famous rides (Serra de tramontana, sa calobra, Formentor). You do have to wake up really early for sa calobra and Formentor to beat vehicular traffic. Serra de tramontana and all the side roads didn’t have a lot of traffic.
Mallorca must be a slight exception though, I would avoid most beach destinations in southern Europe in july-august because of the insane amount of tourism that goes there. Mallorca just barely works because of the road confirmation. Most traffic is on the highway and main roads, so the side roads are mostly traffic free. I’ve never heard any cyclist recommending Mallorca in summer though.
I once went to canary islands (Lanzarote, stayed in la Santa) in summer and I thought it was nice. Canary Islands have a relatively stable weather so summer is warmer than winter but not hotter than continental Europe.
Still, if I had to choose a cycling destination for summer I’d choose the mountains. A popular destination in Italy is Bormio or the dolomites, I’m not sure of Spanish equivalents. Bormio has a lap pool but it’s got thermal water. On the other hand Bormio has amazing climbs.
The outdoor swimming requirement somehow eliminates a lot of destinations in the Alps. If you’re strict on that, Switzerland or Austria are much better options but they aren’t cheap.
I’m thinking lake Orta or the northern side of lake Garda in Italy might be interesting destinations for summer where you can have outdoor swimming. Might still be busy though.
A lot of the top pro triathletes go to font romeu in France near the border with Spain. In Italy Sestriere and Livigno are popular destinations for triathletes but the variety isn’t there (no flat roads in the alps) and the weather isn’t very stable. On the other hand Livigno Is investing a lot in attracting athletes there’s a new 50m pool. I would still choose Bormio over Livigno though.
Side note: I’m curious about your trip to Como as I tend to avoid that area in summer because of car traffic… how was it? Which rides did you do?
