Autumn in Europe is one of the best times of year- and that’s coming from a summer baby through and through. Ya know why? European summer is overrated. It’s overcrowded, hot, sticky and (especially in the Mediterranean), it can be overwhelming. There, I said it. What you want to do, pals, is to head over when the temperature drops and the crowds thin out a little.
*This site uses affiliate links, where I may earn a small commission at no cost to the reader.
What’s so great about Autumn in Europe?
Autumn in Europe, (okay, okay, fall in Europe for you lovely US readers), quite frankly, is a stunner. The spectacle of foliage turning from green to golden yellows and warm browns is truly wondrous, and with such drastic contrasts in landscapes you can’t help but be amazed. For hikers this is the perfect time to get into the great outdoors (especially those Mediterranean hikes that are far too hot and sweaty during the height of summer).
And nothing quite beats a wander through a medieval city during Autumn, hopping in and out of cozy cafes or pubs to warm up.
Then of course, if you head further south, you won’t need to think about warming up at all, because the sun will still very much be shining. In fact, there are parts of Europe where it’s still completely possible to be sunbathing or swimming under a glorious blue sky. That’s right, if you don’t want to, you don’t really need to see fall weather at all.
Summer crowds are a really big problem here, and I’ve been a big advocate for Euro-Fall ever since I spent the ‘off-season’ in Barcelona and the Mediterranean. The weather might not be quite as reliable, but you can just breathe a little more. The prices are also significantly cheaper, making Autumn a much more budget-friendly time to visit.
This year my European Autumn is going to be spent visiting Germany, Czechia, Lithuania and Croatia. I’ll let you know how it goes pals, but frankly I can’t wait.
Which months count as Autumn in Europe?
In all honesty, this has changed a little over the years. Once upon a time, September was very clearly Autumn, but as European Summer grew in popularity, so did the length of European Summer. Mostly in terms of price, if I’m honest.
Still, the best window of time to travel- if you really want a solid Autumn in Europe experience- is from mid September until very early November.
Make sure you have an eSIM before you travel, so you can stay connected! Browse Sim Local’s eSIM plans and use my code GETTINGLOST for 5% off your eSIM.
Autumn in Europe: The colder destinations
On to the exciting part: where to visit during Autumn in Europe. I’m only including destinations that I’ve actually personally visited, and can hand-on-heart say that they were wonderful during the fall months. Almost all of them are places that I’ve visited several times, and during different times of the year. So I can vouch for them, don’t you worry.
Firstly, for those of you who want to stick to chillier locations so you can get out your knitwear and enjoy a hot chocolate or two:
Norway
I think the pictures do a lot of the talking for me when it comes to visiting Norway in the autumn months. You’ll need to wrap up warm but the dramatic mountains and fjords are awe-inspiring, and when you factor in the fall foliage you’ve got a recipe for 10/10 natural beauty.
As a full disclaimer, my first summer spent in Norway was a little on the depressing side: for three and a half months it rained almost consistently. I was mildly depressed. But I’ve since visited during autumn and been absolutely blown away. This is the perfect place to visit in Europe if you want a truly autumnal experience and love exploring the great outdoors.
Bergen is a beautiful city which is easy to get around (I’d actually recommend it over Oslo during autumn). To make the most of the natural wonders that Norway has to offer, travel from here along the Hardangerfjord towards Eidfjord. The region is really easy to explore and very used to welcoming tourists.
Norway is probably the only destination in the world that I actually see the value of visiting by cruise ship. (Maybe that’s ironic when you consider I work on one, but it’s definitely not my preferred way to see the world.) Sailing through the fjords is an incredible way to experience them, and although the open sea can be choppy during the autumn months, inside the mountains the water is normally as flat as a glass of water.
England
Little old England, my lovely homeland! If you thought Norway was damp, that’s nothing compared to this spot, let’s face it. This is another place that is perfect for lovers of the real traditional autumnal weather- the kind that you might see in an Emily Bronte novel, you know? Windswept cliffs, soggy moors and plenty of blustery days provide the perfect setting for those with a romantic idea of English life. But the weather can also surprise you: on some sunshiney days you’ll still see eccentric folk dunking themselves into the icy waters of the English Channel, without a care in the world.
The dip in temperature means that this is also when pubs start to become extra cozy. There’s nothing quite like sitting next to an open fire in a 400 year old pub to make you feel relaxed, and that goes for whether you’re in a big city or a teeny-tiny village.
London in the fall is a must-see (of course), but there’s more to England than just the big city; don’t overlook the incredible National Parks of the South Downs and the New Forest, both of which are very easy to reach from London.
And although England is very well-connected by public transport, if you can hire a car then go for it. I went on a downright wonderful road trip through the south of England one September, and despite the substantial downpours we endured, it was still an absolute stunner of a journey.
Copenhagen, Denmark
A very specific location on the Autumn in Europe list: Copenhagen, Denmark’s cool-as-a-cucumber capital city. This city basically just effuses cool out of every crack in the cobblestones, and although it’s beautiful all year round, Copenhagen’s cozy coffee shops and corner restaurants are all the more welcoming when the days get shorter.
Although Scandinavia is notorious for being a pricey destination, I actually think Copenhagen is very easy to explore without blowing the bank. The first time I visited (in winter), I stayed in the very central Generator Hostel, ate mostly street food, explored on foot and public transport, and did mostly free activities. I had a whale of a time.
Of course if you’ve got more of a budget to spend, there’s no shortage of incredible eateries and chic hotels to check out. There are so many pretty outdoor spaces to explore, and if you happen to visit Copenhagen in October, don’t miss out on Halloween at Tivoli Gardens. This is a great city to come to for three or four days over a long weekend.
The Best Things to Do in Copenhagen
Germany
Of course, you could head to the Black Forest, Neuschwanstein Castle or the Rhine Valley, like most other visitors to Germany in autumn. But allow me to introduce you to some alternative locations, pals. Northern and Eastern Germany don’t generally top lists of where to go in Europe at any time, let alone during Autumn, but my experience of these regions is that there are some real gems to be discovered.
I have a soft spot for Hamburg and have only ever visited beautiful Berlin in early autumn; and I absolutely love both of these cities. Hamburg’s nautical heritage and Berlin’s complex history mean that there are plenty of stories to uncover, and both cities have a gritty, hipster-esque edge to them in their own ways.
But they’re not the hidden gems I speak of, oh no! The Baltic coast of Germany is super pretty, with wide sandy beaches, atmospherically choppy waters, and pretty coastal towns. (Check out Warnemünde, a suburb of Rostock, for starters.)
In east Germany, find your way from Dresden to the Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland National Park, for one of northern Europe’s most underrated hiking spots.
Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn’s medieval old town is so pretty, and it’s so well-preserved that it’s no surprise it’s on the UNESCO World Heritage List. When you add in a good old gust of fresh autumn air, you can’t help but fall in love with this charming city. This is another perfect spot for a European city break, and it’s also very budget friendly compared to those Scandinavian hotspots further west.
Spot gargoyles and dragons on centuries-old buildings, enjoy some hearty Estonian food, and enjoy the history of this headstrong former Soviet state.
It’s also very easy to catch a ferry from Tallinn across to Helsinki, Finland’s gorgeous art nouveau capital; the journey takes just over two hours each way.
Autumn in Europe: The warm destinations
That’s enough of the colder climes, don’t you think? What if you want to stick to the warmth of the summer, just with fewer people clogging up the streets around you!? Don’t worry pals, I’ve got your back. And so has Europe. In fact, these next ‘autumn in Europe’ destinations that I believe should only be visited in the off-season. They’re popular for good reason, but it’s better for everybody if you avoid visiting in summer at all costs!
Croatia
I love Croatia, in fact I honestly think it’s one of the prettiest countries in Europe. However. In summer, it is insane. I was shocked the first time I visited Krka National Park and witnessed the endless shuffling of tourists through this incredible scenery; it’s the first time I’d ever witnessed levels of tourism like it. (And let’s face it, I was part of the problem, because I was there, too!)
I wrote a whole article on it– where you can see the photographic evidence of this horror show- but needless to say I now actively discourage anyone from visiting Croatia in summer. It’s bad. It’s really bad.
What you should do instead, is visit in late autumn! In the forests of Istria, it’s truffle season, so whether you fancy a spot of truffle-hunting or just truffle-eating, this is the place to be. Down in Dalmatia, the region which probably sees the most tourism, the weather is normally warm enough to swim right through October, and the water is crystal clear. There are also way fewer crowds to combat. (Thank goodness.)
Heavily-visited towns and cities like Dubrovnik or Split are a breath of fresh air compared to the summer months, and it’s definitely worth heading out to quieter islands by ferry as well. (Vis is particularly magical, although as the furthest island from the Croatian mainland, the journey is longer than somewhere more frequented like Hvar or Korčula.)
Greece
Oh my goodness me, how I do love Greece. Whether in the multi-layered, cosmopolitan city of Athens, sailing from island to island in the Aegean or Ionian Seas, or road-tripping around the mainland, this country is packed full of beauty, history, and brilliant people.
Some islands like Santorini are so over-saturated people in summer that, as with Croatia, I advise strongly against visiting. But in autumn it is so, so worth it.
Island-hopping in Greece is very easy, although bear in mind that some distances covered are huge, so factor in enough time to get from A to B. It’s also worth noting that ferry services tend to become less frequent off-season, so always plan ahead!
My pal and I went on a really fun road trip around the Peloponnese and up to the island of Lefkada during September and it was one of my most favourite travel adventures yet! (On a side note, if you can get to Monemvasia, go. Thank me later.)
We drove through some smaller towns or villages where shops and restaurants were beginning to close up for the winter, so the more off-the-beaten-path you go, the trickier it could get to find actual open establishments easily. (Call me weird, but I kind of appreciate the mildly eery quality of a town shutting down for winter.)
Türkiye
I visited Türkiye for the first time in late November. So is that autumn in Europe, or am I pushing it into winter? You decide. Furthermore, is Türkiye even actually part of Europe!? Well yes, yes it is. About 3% of the country is part of the European continent, and the remaining 97%- Anatolia- lies in Asia. How very brilliant!
But the point is that that November in the beautiful city of Antalya, while street vendors roasted chestnuts and sweetcorn over hot coals, down on the beach, people were still swimming in the shimmering Mediterranean waters. Pals: it was so warm. I was completely captivated by the extremely pretty old town, the stunning mosques, and the food (as you might imagine) was exquisite.
After a few days I hopped on a ship and headed to Marmaris, which is just as stunning, and with one short trip my mind about Türkiye had been made up. This is a country I need to return to and explore properly.
(And next time I’ll see the Asian side, too.)
Italy
My first visit to Italy was actually to the stunning region of Le Marche to teach English to teenage schoolchildren. (Ps, Le Marche is a stunner, and no tourists seem to go there. Think Tuscany but without the crowds.) It was a terrifyingly brilliant experience, and after summer had ended, the trip culminated in some solo travel time in Venice: a city I fell in love with immediately.
Recently a study revealed that around 70% of visitors to Italy stay concentrated in about 1% of the country. I get it: destinations like Rome, Venice, Pisa and Cinque Terre are romantic, picturesque and popular for good reasons. It would be ridiculous of me to tell people not to visit them, particularly when I’ve been there myself! But I definitely prefer them in Autumn. If you want to visit Italy, particularly if you want to visit these very popular areas, head there in the colder months: I promise you it’s worth it.
And when you’re there, don’t be afraid of branching out on your own, away from the tourist traps. Use blogs like this for inspiration and advice, for sure, but don’t discredit restaurants or bars just because they weren’t on a list of top 10 places to eat in a city! You’d be doing yourself a massive disservice, and potentially missing out on a true hidden gem.
Southern Spain & the Balearic Islands
You can’t go wrong with the Spain in autumn, can you? At least, that’s what I think.
With temperatures sometimes creeping over 40ºC during Spanish summers, October and November is a great time to visit, particularly if you want to explore any of the bigger cities like Málaga or Barcelona. The weather is still warm, in fact you’re highly unlikely to even need a coat, but traipsing through a city’s streets is just a more joyful experience when you’re not sweating profusely from every orifice, don’t you think?
You’ll find these big cities just keep running throughout the off-season, unlike Greece where things start to shut down, and you can take a ferry from Barcelona or València to the Balearic Islands very easily.
Hotel prices in the south of Spain, as well as in the Balearic Islands (which includes Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca) also become a little more reasonable once summer is over. Phew.
And here’s a tip for you if you add the south of Spain to your autumn in Europe list: I love the mountains of both Andalusía and Mallorca. A road trip around either one of these regions, especially in the autumn, is a fabulous way to see the countryside. (Don’t miss out on the tiniest bullring in Spain for a slice of Andalusían history as well.)
The Canary Islands
Last but not least, this is the place to visit if you want to pretend that summer is a season that happens year-round, regardless of the time of year. The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago closer to the coast of Morocco and than Spain, so this really is a destination for anyone who wants autumn in Europe, but without the actual autumn temperatures.
When I was a teenager, these islands were known as package holiday central station- think tacky hotels, English people wanting English food, and not a single word of Spanish known or attempted. Slowly but surely, these islands are shaking off their old identity, and I’m telling you now: each one is wildly different from the next, and wildly beautiful. From the otherworldly volcanic slopes of Lanzarote to the lush waterfalls of La Palma or the pine forests and sandy beaches of Tenerife, there’s so much to discover.
Like every photo used in this post, these photos were all taken during the autumn months, and I’ve swum in Gran Canaria during December and January before. There are eight islands all together, most of which can be reached by direct flights from Europe.
So there you have it pals! My run-down of all the best European destinations to visit during the autumn. Let me know if I’ve inspired you to visit anywhere, or if you think there’s a place you’ve been that I should check out. I bloomin’ love this little world, and whilst I’m a self-confessed summer-lover, writing this list has actually made me look forward to those colder months just a little bit more. ‘Scuse me while I dig my umbrella out of storage.