Best places to visit in Europe in October

Europe

Greece · 24°C (75°F) · 5 rainy days

Athens

The Acropolis, late-night tavernas and beaches a tram ride away. Warm, golden days and thinner crowds; the sea is still swimmable early in the month.

Hungary · 16°C (61°F) · 6 rainy days

Budapest

Thermal baths, Danube views and ruin bars at Central European prices. Crisp, often sunny days and autumn colour in the Buda Hills; evenings turn cold.

Italy · 21°C (70°F) · 8 rainy days

Florence

Renaissance masterpieces, Brunelleschi's dome and Tuscan food on foot. Mild, with more rain later in the month; chestnuts, porcini and truffles from the Tuscan hills appear on menus.

Portugal · 23°C (73°F) · 8 rainy days

Lisbon

Hilltop viewpoints, yellow trams and custard tarts on the Tagus. Warm days and the first autumn rains; a good month for walking and wine, with summer crowds gone.

Italy · 22°C (72°F) · 9 rainy days

Naples

Pizza's birthplace, baroque churches, Vesuvius and Pompeii next door. Mild and pleasant for sightseeing, with rain returning later in the month.

France · 21°C (70°F) · 7 rainy days

Nice

Pebble beaches, Old Town markets and a rail gateway to the Riviera. Still warm enough for a swim early in the month, but autumn storms can bring heavy rain for a day or two.

France · 16°C (61°F) · 9 rainy days

Paris

World-class museums, café terraces and walkable riverside quarters. Autumn colour in the parks and fewer crowds; a good month for museums and food.

Portugal · 21°C (70°F) · 12 rainy days

Porto

Riverside terraces, azulejo tiles, port-wine lodges and the Douro Valley. Mild with returning rain; autumn colours in the Douro vineyards.

Austria · 15°C (59°F) · 6 rainy days

Vienna

Imperial palaces, coffee houses, Klimt and world-class music. Crisp autumn days and golden vineyards; a good month for museums, heurigen and the opera.

Spain · 22°C (72°F) · 6 rainy days

Barcelona

Gaudí architecture, Gothic lanes, tapas bars and city beaches. Mild and pleasant, with occasional heavy autumn storms; the sea is still swimmable early in the month.

Croatia · 21°C (70°F) · 10 rainy days

Dubrovnik

A walled Adriatic city of limestone streets, sea forts and island swims. Pleasant for walking and still swimmable early on; autumn storms become more frequent later in the month.

Turkey · 20°C (68°F) · 8 rainy days

Istanbul

Byzantine domes, Ottoman palaces and ferries between Europe and Asia. Mild days and clear autumn light over the Bosphorus; rain becomes more frequent towards the end of the month.

Spain · 19°C (66°F) · 6 rainy days

Madrid

Velázquez and Goya by day, tapas bars and late nights after dark. Mild, golden autumn days and the first rains; excellent for walking and day trips.

Italy · 18°C (64°F) · 8 rainy days

Milan

Gothic Duomo, The Last Supper, fashion streets and canal-side aperitivo. Mild autumn days, a busy cultural season and good conditions for lake trips.

Italy · 22°C (72°F) · 8 rainy days

Rome

Ancient ruins, Vatican art, Baroque piazzas and long trattoria lunches. Golden light and mild days with the first autumn storms; a very good month for walking.

Greece · 23°C (73°F) · 4 rainy days

Santorini

Cliff-top villages, a flooded caldera and black-sand beaches in the Cyclades. Warm days, a swimmable sea and falling prices; some businesses start closing at the end of the month.

Spain · 26°C (79°F) · 5 rainy days

Seville

Moorish palaces, orange-tree squares, tapas bars and flamenco. Warm, settled days and a busy autumn season; one of the best months to visit.

Italy · 18°C (64°F) · 7 rainy days

Venice

Canals, Byzantine mosaics and lagoon islands with no cars at all. Mild, golden autumn days with thinner crowds late in the month; the acqua alta season begins.

Italy · 23°C (73°F) · 8 rainy days

Amalfi Coast

Cliffside villages, lemon terraces and boat days on the Gulf of Salerno. Warm days, thinner crowds and the grape harvest; some hotels start closing towards the end of the month.

Turkey · 27°C (81°F) · 4 rainy days

Antalya

A walled harbour old town, long beaches and Roman cities below the Taurus Mountains. Warm, settled days and a sea still around 24°C; ideal for combining beaches and ancient sites.

Serbia · 19°C (66°F) · 8 rainy days

Belgrade

A fortress over two rivers, kafana dinners and nights on floating clubs. Golden autumn in Kalemegdan and ajvar-making season at the markets.

Turkey · 25°C (77°F) · 4 rainy days

Bodrum

A Crusader castle, whitewashed bays and gulet cruises on Turkey's Aegean coast. Warm and pleasant, with the sea still swimmable; some places begin to close late in the month.

France · 19°C (66°F) · 11 rainy days

Bordeaux

18th-century stone quays, wine bars and the gateway to Saint-Émilion. Harvest finishes, vineyards turn gold and red, and cèpes appear on menus; rain becomes more frequent.

Romania · 18°C (64°F) · 6 rainy days

Bucharest

Belle Époque avenues, Ceaușescu's colossal palace and a late-night old town. Crisp, often sunny days and autumn colour in Cișmigiu and Herăstrău.

Italy · 21°C (70°F) · 9 rainy days

Cinque Terre

Five cliff villages linked by trains, terraced vineyards and coastal paths. Mild and pleasant for hiking, but autumn storms can be intense and trails may close after heavy rain.

Greece · 24°C (75°F) · 4 rainy days

Crete

Minoan palaces, Venetian harbours, deep gorges and lagoon beaches. Still warm enough to swim, with raki distilling starting in villages and the first autumn rains late in the month.

France · 18°C (64°F) · 9 rainy days

Lyon

France's food capital of bouchons, Renaissance lanes and two rivers. Mild autumn days, wine harvest in nearby vineyards and a big classic-film festival.

Spain · 24°C (75°F) · 4 rainy days

Málaga

Picasso's birthplace, a Moorish fortress and sardine skewers on the beach. Warm days and fewer visitors; the first autumn rains arrive, sometimes as heavy storms.

France · 21°C (70°F) · 6 rainy days

Marseille

France's oldest port city, with bouillabaisse, island forts and the Calanques. Mild and often sunny, with good hiking weather, but heavy autumn storms are possible.

Italy · 25°C (77°F) · 7 rainy days

Palermo

Arab-Norman mosaics, street-food markets and Baroque piazzas by the sea. Warm days, a swimmable sea and fewer visitors; one of the best months overall.

Beach, city or budget: October picks by trip type

What's on in October

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• Athens: Ohi Day — national holiday with parades (28 October)
• Budapest: Budapest Marathon (usually autumn)
• Florence: Olive harvest and new-oil tastings begin (late October into November)
• Lisbon: Lisbon Marathon (usually October)
• Paris: Nuit Blanche — all-night contemporary art event (usually early October)
• Vienna: Long Night of the Museums (usually early October)
• Barcelona: Barcelona International Jazz Festival (usually October to December)
• Istanbul: Republic Day — flags and celebrations (29 October)
• Madrid: Fiesta Nacional de España — military parade (12 October)
• Rome: Rome Film Fest (Festa del Cinema di Roma, usually October)
• Santorini: Ohi Day parades — national holiday (28 October)
• Venice: Venice Marathon (usually late October)

Daylight in October

Day length on these trips ranges from about 10.7 hours in Vienna to 11.2 hours in Santorini (sunrise to sunset on 15 October). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

October weather compared

Questions travellers ask