Europeans should learn to love the air-conditioner
Weekly edition
Current topics
Current topics
World
World
Business & economics
Business & economics
Opinion
Opinion
In depth
In depth
Culture, history & society
Culture, history & society
Our A-to-Zs
Our A-to-Zs
undefined undefined
Subscribe to The Economist<br>Unlock unlimited access to all our award-winning journalism, subscriber-only podcasts and newsletters
Subscribe to The Economist<br>Unlock unlimited access to all our award-winning journalism, subscriber-only podcasts and newsletters
Subscribe
Europe | Charlemagne<br>Europeans should learn to love the air-conditioner<br>Green electricity means never having to say sorry for lowering the thermostat<br>Share
Illustration: Javi Aznarez
Jun 18th 2026|5 min read
AMERICANS AND Europeans differ loudly on many issues, from health-care policy to gun-carrying etiquette. But a quieter division appears every summer when they visit each other’s continents. Europeans touring America complain that shops and restaurants are so frigidly air-conditioned as to require a jacket; step outside again and your glasses fog over. Yanks holidaying in Europe expect cool comfort, and grow surly on finding that many old-world buildings require them to sweat and bear it.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Stay cool, Europe!”
From the June 20th 2026 edition<br>Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents<br>⇒Explore the edition
ShareReuse this content
More from Europe
The G7 has nudged open a window for diplomacy in Ukraine<br>Europeans see a hopeful shift in America’s attitude
Britain’s departure made Europe more French<br>A smaller EU has learned to live without Britain
Germany’s left-wing Die Linke party has won over the young<br>The populists promise a “scorching hot socialist summer” of protest
Albania’s flamingo protests target Donald Trump’s son-in-law<br>Jared Kushner’s beach development brings trouble for a prime minister
The War Room newsletter: What eight years as defence editor looks like<br>From flying fighter jets to travelling on destroyers, Shashank Joshi pens his final edition of this newsletter
The terrifying new air war in Ukraine<br>Russia is dominating the missile war by default, but Ukraine hopes that will change
Get The Economist app on iOS or Android
The Economist
The Economist
The Economist Group
The Economist Group
Contact
Contact
Careers
Careers
To enhance your experience and ensure our website runs smoothly, we use cookies and similar technologies.<br>Manage cookies