Fall Travel In Europe: Is It The Greatest Time To Visit?

There are both pros and cons to fall travel in Europe.

One of THE best reasons Europe makes a great fall vacation destination is because this is low season. And with low season comes a few set of perks, like less tourists and cheaper rates!

But there are also some downsides that come with fewer tourists. Not to mention cooler, less predictable, weather.

At the end of the day, it’s when you travel in the fall that makes a huge difference, and what type of trip you’re interested in.

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

The Pros & Cons of Travelling In the Fall #falltravel #falltraveleurope #profalltravel

Fall Travel In Europe

Autumn in Europe is between September and November. This is low season travel throughout the year for many destination, including Europe.

Low season travel comes with its’ own set of pros and cons:

	Pro	Con
Fewer Tourists	not as crowded	can feel empty
Planning	less advanced planning	shorter working hours / attraction closures
Budget	save money	More expensive
Daylight	later sunrise	days are shorter
Weather	milder	colder (more unpredictable
Fall Leaves	Absolutely beautiful!	Hard to time (can be left with empty branches)
Packing	/	Need to pack more heavier, bulkier items

an empty street in Luxembourg luxembourg in the fall. The light is creeping through the taller buildings and casting shadows on other ones. The architecture looks more medieval, none are brick but flat facades in light orange and white. There is one bay window sticking out from the second floor on the building in the foreground — *Luxembourg in September*

Fall Vacations Means Fewer Tourists: A Pro AND A Con!

There are far less people traveling in the fall, and Europe is no exception. Most people flat out can’t take time off outside of the summer months because of school, work, or both!

You would think that fewer tourists can only be a good thing when travelling to Europe, but after going on many fall vacations over the years, fewer tourists isn’t always a good thing…

The Pros Of Less People – Avoiding The Crowds In Europe!

During peak travel season, European cities and towns can become overcrowded making them a lot less enjoyable.

So during the fall, you can actually enjoy the small quaint streets of France and Italy. Not to mention, the attractions will have shorter lines and wait times. And you don’t have to stress about booking certain attractions several months in advance (like Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia).

And you won’t have as many people photobombing your travel photos.

a couple stand in t shirts and pants looking behind them at the grand atomium of belgium. It looks like a silver atom, with six connected balls hovering in the air. — *There was no one at the Atomium in Brussels in September!*

But There Is Such A Thing As Too Few Tourists!

Less tourists are a perk, but they can also be a drawback to fall travel in Europe, depending on where you’re going…

Some places might be too empty… which can cause some problems.

If you’re visiting one of the bigger cities (London, Rome, Paris…), this shouldn’t be an issue, there are too many people in those cities to begin with!

So in those cities, the fewer tourists are welcomed with open arms!

the outside of weibel pattiserie in Aix en provence. It's a romantic facade, with a table and two chairs lining the outside wall. There are lavender awnings above the windows and flowers on the window sill. The name is in gold letters above the awning. There are two more stories above the awning, must be apartments. The building is a light pink stucco. There's only one table with people sitting outside — *Aix en Provence in November*

The problems arise when you’re visiting smaller towns around Europe. Too few people means that you might be the only ones there… Or even worse though, there can be limited opening hours, or seasonal closures (more on this issue in a bit!).

There just isn’t enough tourism in smaller towns across Europe in the fall to sustain being open during the off season.

And if you think being the only people in a museum is great, you might want to think again… in Aix en Provence (in the South of France) we were quite often the only people in a museum and the security guard would follow us from room to room. We felt rushed and very uncomfortable…

And it doesn’t just stop at museums and attractions that can be awkward when you’re alone. Restaurants just feel dead without anyone else, if they’re even open at all!

Related: Is Travelling To The South of France In The Fall For You

two people stand with their back to the camera, admiring a larger than life floor to ceiling piece of art by vassarely at the art museum in aix in the fall. The art is a large rectangle filled with different coloured squares and circles, it doesn't seem as though there's a pattern to the colour and shapes.

The two people are wearing jackets and hats with long pants. — *We were the only people in the Vasarely museum in Aix in November*

When we drove around the Gorge de Verdun in the South of France there are several towns hidden in the mountains that we were planning on stopping in to pick up a bite to eat.

We drove through one town after another just to find them all empty. All the restaurants and hotels were closed and there wasn’t a soul in sight!

With so few people around, small cities will close for the season and only reopen in the Spring.

I experienced this in both the South of France, and Scotland (a lot of castles closed at the end of October).

Pro Tip: If you want to visit Europe in the fall, I would double check any attraction you’re interested in to see if they’re open before you book anything!

a very quiet town in the gorges de Verdun in the south of France in the fall. The homes are attached together, painted in golden yellow, pink, and orange colours, they look even more golden because the light is hitting the homes on the right, while the others are in complete shade. Raised stone entryways are in front of all the homes. There's only one tree in the courtyard, and the leaves have mostly fallen off, leaving the branches bare. — *A completely deserted small town in the South of France in November*

Europe In The Fall Pro: Less Advance Booking Needed

There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination and realizing you needed to book tickets for the main attraction two months in advance (which can happen a lot in Europe due to the high summer crowds!).

And let’s be real, booking tickets in advance is the worst! You don’t want to overly plan your days, because who knows where you’ll be and what the weather will be like!

So a nice perk of visiting European destinations in the fall is that there is way less advanced booking.

You really don’t need to book any tickets in advance, or as much in advance. And if you do, it definitely won’t be 2 months in advance like some attractions during the summer months.

an over head photo of a completely leaf covered ground (the leaves are a mix of orange, yellows, and red with some bright green ones mixed in). In the middle on the bottom of the photo are some blundstone boots. — *Fall leaves in Scotland in October*

This removes a lot of stress from the travel planning stage (p.s. check out my travel planner to stay more organized when traveling!).

For example, I booked the Sagrada Familia a few days before, compared to my sister who visited in the summer and had to book it two months in advance!

(Heads up, this isn’t the case for Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, that you still have to book in advance, but maybe only a month instead of two months!).

It also doesn’t end at attractions, we would also only book our trains a few days in advance (sometimes even the night before!). It was the same thing for renting cars and buying bus tickets!

Related: How To Plan Your Vacation In 9 Simple Steps

the sagrada familia in barcelona surrounding by green leaves from trees on every side. The middle is empty, which is where you can see the gothic cathedral, and there are cranes behind it — *Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia in November*

Fall Vacations Con: Shorter Opening Hours/ Closures

As I mentioned, another drawback to having fewer tourists is less opening hours (if it’s even open at all!).

The opening hours changed quite a bit from summer to fall months. And it was never consistent either, so you have to be very vigilant on checking opening hours for everything in the fall.

An attraction could be open every day, but cut back on daily opening hours. Or an attraction could have the same daily opening hours, but were actually closed for entire days during the week.

two boats are attached to a permanent paved dock in the lake. One boat faces you, while the other one on the opposite side of the dock, faces outward towards a completely tree covered island in the middle of the lake. — *The boat ride to certain island castles in Scotland stop towards the end of October*

And the worst-case scenario is that they might not even be open at all! This was primarily the case for outdoor attractions (that were weather dependant) or attractions in smaller towns across Europe.

Unfortunately, not every attraction updates their fall opening hours in advance. So it could be that at the time of booking your trip, the hours appear unchanged for the fall season. But when you actually arrive, they do in fact have different opening hours in the fall.

And there’s always a chance that a business doesn’t update their hours at all!

So when you travel to Europe in the fall, you have to be prepared to arrive somewhere that says it’s open only for it to be closed.

brugge side street and canal homes on the water in the fall. There are plants and trees growing off the back of the homes, most are still green, but some are a vibrant red .

There is a reflection of the bottoms of the homes in the canal. You can also see a bridge further along the canal. crossing over the other side.

Pro: You’ll Most Likely Save Money On Fall Vacations

Obviously, you’ll be saving so much money if you travel in the fall because all the attractions are closed! Just joking!

But you still save money just because you aren’t paying a premium for traveling in the summer. Flights and hotel will often have reduced rates during the fall.

On top of that, certain tourist attractions will also have discounted prices during low season.

Think of all the savings!

Related: Edinburgh In October: The Ultimate Scotland Fall Guide

two people are jumping for joy in a field in the royal botanical gardens in Edinburgh in the fall. The trees behind them are starting to change colours from green to burnt yellow. There are some leaves below them on the grass that have already fallen. The couple is also dressed for fall, wearing a fall jacket, boots, a hat, and gloves.

Watch Out For Shorter Days During Fall Vacations In Europe

Days become a lot shorter during the fall months, and Europe is no exception to this. But what you might not realize is how much shorter days will impact your travel.

Summer has the longest days of the year, which adds a lot of extra hours to your touring time.

There’s a lot more daylight that you can fill with touring and different activities. Attractions might even stay open later in the summer to accommodate the later sunset!

The fall, on the other hand, has way less daylight which means less time you can spend exploring before it gets dark. You don’t realize how much less you can see in a day because of how much earlier the sun sets.

A romantic Provence sunset in the fall. The sky is a bit more than half the photo, the clouds are whispy across the sky, but the gradient of colour changes from light blue in the right corner, to a darker blue in the left. As you follow the sky down towards the middle, a golden yellow is added, before the yellow completely takes over. The middle of the photo are the mountains, covered in fall trees and the tree lead all the way to the front of the photo before a Provence field takes over the bottom of the photo. The trees are a mix of a dark green, yellow, and burnt orange. — *Driving through Provence in November*

This is especially an issue if you’re planning on driving in Europe in the fall. You have two options; drive back in the dark, or start driving back at 3:00 P.M. (and I don’t advise driving on foreign roads in the dark… they don’t often have street lights).

When I first started travelling in the fall, I had to cut so much from my original itineraries because there just wasn’t enough time in the day to do it all.

And this really started to become an issue after you change the clocks in mid-October (which you should also be aware of the date when travelling to Europe in the fall!).

P.S. A silver lining to the earlier sunset is the earlier sunrise. This can open up a few (beautiful) experiences that you would have otherwise had to wake up WAY too earlier for! For example, we went to see sunrise at Park Guell in Barcelona

a beautiful scene of sunrise over park guell. The sky is a mix of sun and clouds, creating a mix of blues oranges, pinks, and yellows across. You see the skyline of barcelona city in the distance. In the front are the gates of park guell that look like a fun candy shop with a cross on a spire on top of a small cottage. — *You can actually wake up for sunrise in the fall*

Pro (& Con): Much Milder Weather In The Fall

Depending on when and where you’re travelling to Europe in the fall, the weather might be a lot milder than during the summer months, which can be good or bad for you!

Con of Milder Weather

If you are expecting warmer weather to enjoy a beach vacation, then a fall trip is not for you.

Fall travel is NOT for the beach vacations.

You might have some days when you can walk around in shorts (especially if you’re travelling in September). But some of the time you’ll want at least a light jacket.

There is also usually a higher chance of rain, and number of rainy days in the fall.

A couple stands in the bottom left corner of the photo, taking in the sun in the south of france in the fall.
The couple is dressed for fall, but a warm fall day, wearing a vest, and a long sleeve shirt. But no big jacket is needed.

They are standing in front of dead lavender fields. The lavender bushes are small bump going across an entire field, leading your eye to larger mountains in the distance.

Pro of Milder Weather

I see the milder weather in the fall as a nice perk.

Traveling in 30°C heat is A LOT. You can’t move as much in the heat, you’re sweating at nauseam, and constantly reapply sunscreen.

I experience between 10°C to 20°C travelling throughout Europe in the fall. So although it isn’t beach weather, it’s sure as hell is better for touring! It’s not too hot, and not too cold!

Related: 11 Reasons Why I Fell in Love With Cologne Germany

The view of cologne city across the rhine river. The river is a dark teal colour, and there's a few cruise boats docked on the side. Trees line the path, and high above the trees and every other building are two dark towers - the cologne cathedral. The clouds are huge and scary, turning more grey the closer they get to land. — *September Cologne skyline*

Pro & Con: Leaves Change Colours

Depending on when you visit in the fall, you might catch the leaves changing colours or you might miss them entirely… and this is the trickiest part about timing your trip.

The vibrant orange, yellow, and red hues make for some pretty spectacular photo ops!

But the timing as to be PERFECT!

If you visit Europe in the fall too early, the leaves might not have changed colours yet.

And if you visit Europe in the fall too late, you risk that the leaves have already fallen and now you’re greeted with bare tree branches and muddy leaves, which is not a nice picture at all!

dryburgh abbey in the scottish borders on a crisp fall day. The scene before you is a graveyard, with tombstones popping out of the ground, seemingly randomly. Behind them is the ruins of an abbey, just two stone walls still stand, they are decorated with archways and red stone. The sun brightens up the grass, and a nearby tree that's changed to orange and red leaves, but also casting a shadows on the grass from the tombstones and the abbey.

Con: Packing For Fall Travel Weather Is More Complicated

I won’t lie, packing for fall weather is complete chaos!

There are so many ‘just in case‘ items you have to pack because the weather is so much more unpredictable in the fall.

From needing rain jackets, and thicker or thinner clothes to match the changing temperatures.

The key is to pack in layers and thicker clothes, which takes a lot more space in your suitcase (so you might not be able to fit in a carry-on).

Fall travel also means wearing a jacket most days… which means you’ll look like you aren’t changing clothes and you don’t get to show off all your cute new travel outfits.

P.S. See how I manage to pack 2 weeks worth of clothes in a carry-on no matter the season. I even give examples of how I managed to pack in a carryon for a Spring trip to Ireland and London, and a fall trip to Belgium.

You might also be interested in…

My digital and printable packing guide on Etsy. Filled with packing planning prompts for your next trip!

P.S. Get an additional discount on my Etsy shop with my code ATRLOVE!

clothes nicely laid out on the floor, a Belgium packing list for fall travel in a carryon.

From the left to right: a sherpa lined jean jacket, with a pink knit sweater laid inside. Below, are two pairs of pants, a plaid pair and black jeans. In a single column is a headband, a striped turtleneck, a short sleeve blouse, and a tshirt. Then there's a small purse, three graphic t shirts, and a scarf. On top there's a pair of leather oxfords, and a pair of black booties, below is a long sleeve blouse inside a cardigan with a large purse below — Packing list for fall travel around Belgium

When Is The Ideal Time To Visit Europe In The Fall?

I went on a four-month trip to Europe from September to January and saw a huge shift in fall travel based on the month and the destination.

It made me realize that September to mid-October is an ideal time to visit Europe in the fall.

September already sees a huge drop in tourists from the summer months, but there were still people around for it to feel lively. We were never alone in restaurants or museums like we found ourselves in some of the smaller cities after October.

There also wasn’t a big change in opening hours in September. We were still able to do everything we wanted with minimal advance planning. If the attractions did close, we noticed it was after October 31.

lavender fields in provence in the fall. A single red tree stands on the right, offering some shade to the lavender bushes below. There are several in a line, leading all across the fields towards the mountains in the distance. — *What lavender fields look like if you visit Provence in the fall*

The weather from September to October was also beautiful. It was cooler than the summer months would have been, but I still only needed a light jacket some days.

It was also only towards the end of October that the days became noticeably shorter.

November became a lot harder to do regular tourist attractions. It also became quite a bit chillier, having to wear a bit of a heavier jacket on most days.

Related: Why September Is The Best Time To Visit Belgium

A peaceful photo of the gorge de verdun in the fall. Evergreen trees line the bottom of the frame. Peaking through beyond the trees, you see a crystal blue lake, with the reflection of the tall rocky mountains above. The bottom of the mountains have some trees, some are still green while others have burnt orange leaves already.

Watch Out For High Peak Travel Dates In The Fall!

Don’t take low season fall travel for granted, depending on when and where you’re travelling, there can be a mini high seasons in the middle (and then there would be no point in visiting in the fall!).

There are fall holidays and festivals that create a mini peak season.

For example, Germany celebrates Oktoberfest at the end of September. And Spain celebrates Les Festes de la Mercè in September as well… and the list goes on!

That’s why it’s really important to research your desired dates and location you’re interested in beforehand.

belgian beer weekend brussels festival taking place in grand place (you can see a bit of the city hall gothic building in the background. But covering it is a giant billboard with a list of all the beer vendors at the festival. People are walking in front of it, and behind it, below white tents that have been set up in grand place for the festival. — *Belgian Beer Weekend in Brussels is INSANE! There were so many beers to try and so many people!*

So What’s The Final Verdict: Does Europe Make Great Fall Vacations?

Whether you should travel to Europe in the fall is really a 50/50. You win some, and you lose some!

It all depends on where you’re interested in going (bigger cities vs. smaller towns), and what you’re doing.

If you’re going to a lesser-known smaller city, you might find it kind of dead in the fall. The tourists bring liveliness.

But if you’re going somewhere that’s overpopulated with tourists in the summer (like Barcelona), it might be well worth waiting to travel in the fall.

If it were up to me, I’d only travel during low seasons. I would just double check in advance if there was anything I really wanted to visit to make sure it was open.

deans village in Edinburgh in the fall. A romantic photo of a red stone building with turrets and bay windows over looking a rushing river below. Some trees overtake the left side of the frame, with yellow leaves.

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Should You Travel In Europe This Next Fall? #falltravel #europetraveltips #travelfalleurope #lowseason

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Katy

Friday 26th of June 2020

I've only visited Europe in the summer so I would definitely want to check it out in a different season next time (and avoid the heat, ugh)! I appreciate that you list the pros and cons, makes it really helpful to decide whether to travel in fall or not!

admin

Glad I could help :) Travelling in a different season is so interesting and really changes your vacation.

Julie

Thursday 25th of June 2020

I think Europe in the fall sounds amazing!! Fewer crowds, less money, milder weather...what's not to like!? And you're photos are just gorgeous...wish i could book a trip right now!

Right! Oh thanks! Me too, going a bit stir crazy :P Hopefully we're able to book trips for the fall!

Hannah

Wednesday 24th of June 2020

I have to admit, I'm a huge fan of European city breaks in fall! I love the fact that the destinations are less crowded and for me, it provides a nice break between summer and Christmas! I've definitely encountered some issues though that some attractions or restaurants are closed due to it being a quiet season. Despite some of the cons it is still my favourite season to travel! Thanks for the great guide!

I totally agree with you, I think the pros outweigh the cons. Crowds make me so nervous, I like being able to go at my own pace, plus the weather is usually beautiful (with the leaves changing and all :))

lerato B

Europe looks so dreamy during Autumn. Would love to visit one day

If you're there at the right time when the leaves are changing it's like a dream!

Shay

This is a really great post! I never considered a lot of these things, and I was planning a fall Italy trip before COVID hit. Thanks for the great advice.

Thanks so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it and hopefully learned a bit to be more prepared for planning the perfect fall trip to Italy next year!