August kicks off in the midst of Leo season and the middle of summer, a playful time of year that’s all about chasing the sun, hitting the open road and being unapologetically over the top with our travel pursuits.
With the Sun in its natural home of Leo, the zodiac will be heavily influenced by the lion’s glamorous, extravagant and adrenaline-inducing take on travel for the next few weeks, putting pleasure before anything else.
The action begins from the get-go with a full moon in Aquarius taking place on 1 August, a potent lunation that calls for total freedom and offbeat adventures. There’s an energising new moon in Leo on 16 August, injecting the cosmos with a splash of optimism and light-hearted energy. Venus retrograde is here to stay for another month, bringing certain patterns up for review and revision. The pace slows toward the end of the month when the Sun shifts into Virgo, bringing a back-to-school energy to the zodiac following an indulgent few weeks.
Read on for your August 2023 travel horoscope. We recommend using your rising sign for a more accurate reading. All you need is your birth date, time, and location to work out your rising sign. If you don’t know your birth time, you can refer to your sun sign.
Capricorn Rising
August starts off in the middle of fiery Leo season, shifting your attention inward with the Sun shining a light on your transformative eighth house. By the time the new moon in Leo rolls in on 16 August, you could be craving a rejuvenating spa vacation, no expense spared. After all, the Sun is in its natural home of Leo, doubling down on your taste for the finer things in life. For the first time in a long while, you could be making time to pause and process your emotions as Venus retrogrades through your house of intimacy. Planning an end-of-summer trip? The Pisces full moon at the end of the month is a lovely lunation for getting out of town and travelling somewhere close to home.
Aquarius Rising
Partnerships take centre stage this month. Now that it’s Leo season, you could be planning a group excursion or jetting off for a romantic rendezvous. You’re in the spotlight during a full moon in Aquarius on 1 August, a busy time of the month filled with a flurry of social activity and making new connections. This is a great time for tapping into the qualities and interests that make you unique. You could also be thinking about how you want to present yourself to the world moving forward with Venus retrograde occurring for the entirety of Leo season. If you’re organising a trip abroad this month, the Leo new moon brings out your spontaneous nature and love for fun-packed itineraries brimming with museum outings, rooftop bars and chance encounters with kindred spirits.
Pisces Rising
Leo season is here to catapult you into a productive mindset over the next few weeks. You could be craving routine with the Sun shining bright in Leo and your sixth house of work and health. It’s an excellent time to jump on an off-grid retreat anchored in nature. What habits or patterns are you ready to let go of? Venus retrograde will be occurring for the entirety of Leo season, asking you to reflect and turn inward for a moment. A new moon in Leo acts as a reset, again in your sixth house of work and wellness. Autonomy, freedom and being able to embrace your creativity are themes that could crop up in your daily life. By the end of the month, there will be an ethereal full moon in Pisces, putting your wildest travel dreams in the spotlight.
Aries Rising
After a sleepy and emotional few weeks in Cancer season, it’s time for an adventure. August starts off in Leo season, an excellent time for escaping the country to embark on a bi-continental road trip – ideally somewhere sunny. You’ll be ready to mix and mingle with new people as soon as August begins with a full moon in Aquarius on 1 August. This is a busy time of the month, highlighting your house of connections and friendships. For the next two weeks, you could be feeling inspired to get out of your comfort zone, exchange ideas and lean into new experiences, especially during the Leo new moon on 16 August. The cadence shifts toward the end of the month when the Sun enters Virgo, rejigging your priorities in time for a work-focused few weeks.
Taurus Rising
August starts off in the middle of fiery Leo season, spotlighting your house of emotional roots and family bonds. If you are on the move this month, you could be travelling to a familiar place or visiting a family member in a sunny locale. You can expect a buzz of activity to occur on or around the full moon in Aquarius on 1 August, bringing an increased focus to your house of career and reputation. Ready to nurture your inner child? Venus – your ruling planet – spends the month retrograde, asking you to reflect on your childhood memories. In the midst of this Venus retrograde action, there will be a new moon in Leo on 16 August, casting a spotlight on your ancestral roots and sense of belonging. You could be travelling with friends or meeting new people at the end of the month, with the Sun and Mercury both in Virgo by that point.
Gemini Rising
You’re kicking off the month with an instant flurry of activity, as the full moon in Aquarius on 1 August shines a bright light on your house of communication. You’ll be in your element flitting between various social obligations and organising weekend trips away all month. However, Venus retrograde will be spinning away in the background, causing the occasional kerfuffle in matters of romance. Before you sigh in exasperation at any mention of a retrograde, this could be just the transit you need to check in on any toxic relationship patterns that no longer serve you. Trust that you’re paving the way for clarity and closure. Travelling mid-month? A new moon in Leo is a lovely lunation for planning some summer fun with your friends. Extravagance is the name of the game under Leo’s influence. The cosmos reminds you to pause, catch your breath and be present when Mercury, your ruling planet, enters retrograde on 23 August.
Cancer Rising
Money’s on your mind this month with the Sun in Leo and your second house of personal finances and self-worth. You could be tempted to splash out on a luxury getaway with so much planetary movement in Leo, a sign that loves to travel in style. If you can hold out until the end of the month, there’s a potent full moon in Pisces on 30 August that gets your travel juices flowing. You could experience a surge of energy and optimism around this time and be finalising plans to travel abroad well into winter. As Venus retrogrades through Leo for the entirety of Leo season, you’re also re-evaluating your values and ideas about self-worth. Finding a park and physically interacting with nature could help with getting grounded on or around 13 August, the midpoint of the Venus retrograde cycle.
Leo Rising
The spotlight’s on you this month with multiple planets making moves in your sign. Most notably, the Sun’s shining its rays down on your first house of identity and self-expression. A big, splash-out birthday extravaganza is surely on the cards, ideally somewhere sunny with plenty of action going on. This month, you want the beaches and gallery visits as much as the nightlife. If you’re keeping things local, you’re likely to create something just as dazzling from the comfort of your home because you’re creative and fabulous like that. There’s one transit to keep in mind: Venus retrograde in Leo and your first house, a planetary backspin that urges you to reflect on your sense of self-expression and release any self-limiting beliefs. Think of it as a rebrand. There’s a new moon in Leo on 16 August, making you the star of the show (as per).
Virgo Rising
You could be drawn to the idea of a solo trip abroad this Leo season. Not having to stick to a fixed itinerary sounds liberating under Leo’s influence. If you’ve been feeling stuck in one place, a full moon in Aquarius on 1 August could inspire you to rethink your workspace and general work-life balance, making the idea of a long-term stay abroad more tempting than usual. You appreciate fine cuisine with a blend of culture to satisfy your intellect, so somewhere like Madrid could be the ideal home away from home. As Venus retrogrades in Leo, you could be feeling more contemplative than usual. Long, solo walks with dramatic coastal views should help with any overthinking during the new moon in Leo on 16 August, bringing those mystical twelfth house themes to the forefront of your mind. Make the most of these restful few weeks before Virgo season begins on 23 August, putting the spotlight on you for the next four weeks.
Libra Rising
This month is all about reconnecting with your friends, prioritising pleasure, and spending time in the great outdoors. Group trips will take centre stage on or around the full moon in Aquarius on 1 August, a potent lunation that brings out your social side after a period of hibernation. If it’s proving difficult to gather the gang, a short weekend away could be just as restorative as a week-long trip abroad. As Venus – your ruling planet – retrogrades through Leo, you could be reworking the way you present yourself to the outer world, which comes from a period of introspection. Try to make time for solitude around 13 August, the midpoint of the Venus retrograde cycle, even if it’s just an hour or two to yourself to turn inward momentarily. Planning ahead for winter travel? The new moon in Leo on 16 August could inspire you to get that ski trip booked in to beat the crowds.
Scorpio Rising
August begins with a potent full moon in Aquarius, bringing a flurry of activity your way at home, whether you’re planning a big move or seeing family more often. The month also begins in Leo season, activating your house of career and reputation. If a business trip crops up, you could be tempted by the prospect of a summer workcation, especially around the Leo new moon on 16 August. Whether you’re working abroad or staying put, let this be a time to get clear on your goals at work, letting your values lead the way. You could be feeling more relaxed and playful by the time Virgo season rolls in, making you more social and ready to mingle. A delayed summer vacation could be on the cards on or around the Pisces full moon on 30 August, inspiring you to ditch your everyday routine for a short while.
Sagittarius Rising
Your thirst for adventure is back in full force after a period of rest and recuperation. Leo season activates your ninth house of expansion and international travel, bringing your eternal wanderlust back to life. It’s the month of spontaneous travel, meeting new friends and connecting with kindred spirits – starting from 1 August with a full moon in Aquarius. The caveat: Venus retrogrades in Leo for the entirety of Leo season, reworking your priorities as you search for more meaningful and immersive experiences. Instead of hopping back and forth, settling down and getting to know a place could be a good way for you to feel truly nourished. There’s a new moon in Leo on 16 August that can be used for setting intentions and working on your goals over the next four weeks and beyond. Find a quiet place in nature and see what comes up.
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