Where to go in October

North America

United States · 30°C (86°F) · 7 rainy days

Honolulu

Warm sea, fewer visitors and good value; the first winter swells may arrive on the North Shore.

United States · 26°C (79°F) · 2 rainy days

Los Angeles

Warm, dry days and clear air, but Santa Ana winds can bring hot, gusty spells and wildfire risk.

Canada · 13°C (55°F) · 12 rainy days

Montreal

Peak autumn colour on Mount Royal and in the Laurentians, with crisp, often sunny days.

Canada · 14°C (57°F) · 11 rainy days

Toronto

Crisp, often sunny days and autumn colour in the ravines and High Park; ideal for walking and day trips to Niagara or Algonquin.

United States · 17°C (63°F) · 10 rainy days

Chicago

Crisp, clear days and autumn colour in the parks; marathon weekend fills hotels.

United States · 27°C (81°F) · 7 rainy days

New Orleans

The heat breaks and it is one of the driest, most pleasant months; Halloween is celebrated in costume across the city.

United States · 18°C (64°F) · 10 rainy days

New York City

Crisp, sunny days and autumn colour in Central Park, usually peaking late in the month or in early November.

United States · 29°C (84°F) · 7 rainy days

Orlando

Heat eases and storms fade; Halloween events make October popular, especially at weekends.

United States · 22°C (72°F) · 3 rainy days

San Francisco

Warm, sunny days and clear views of the bridge make October one of the best months to visit.

Europe

Greece · 24°C (75°F) · 5 rainy days

Athens

Warm, golden days and thinner crowds; the sea is still swimmable early in the month.

Hungary · 16°C (61°F) · 6 rainy days

Budapest

Crisp, often sunny days and autumn colour in the Buda Hills; evenings turn cold.

Italy · 21°C (70°F) · 8 rainy days

Florence

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

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

Mild and pleasant for sightseeing, with rain returning later in the month.

France · 21°C (70°F) · 7 rainy days

Nice

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

Autumn colour in the parks and fewer crowds; a good month for museums and food.

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

Porto

Mild with returning rain; autumn colours in the Douro vineyards.

Austria · 15°C (59°F) · 6 rainy days

Vienna

Crisp autumn days and golden vineyards; a good month for museums, heurigen and the opera.

Spain · 22°C (72°F) · 6 rainy days

Barcelona

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

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

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

Mild, golden autumn days and the first rains; excellent for walking and day trips.

Italy · 18°C (64°F) · 8 rainy days

Milan

Mild autumn days, a busy cultural season and good conditions for lake trips.

Italy · 22°C (72°F) · 8 rainy days

Rome

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

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

Warm, settled days and a busy autumn season; one of the best months to visit.

Asia

Indonesia · 32°C (90°F) · 7 rainy days

Bali

Warm and mostly dry, with the first humid build-ups late in the month.

Japan · 24°C (75°F) · 8 rainy days

Osaka

Comfortable, mostly dry weather — one of the best months for walking and day trips.

Vietnam · 29°C (84°F) · 9 rainy days

Hanoi

Many consider this Hanoi's loveliest month: warm, drier days, clear skies and the scent of milk-flower trees in the evenings.

China · 28°C (82°F) · 7 rainy days

Hong Kong

The start of the best season: drier, clearer air and comfortable hiking, though early October's mainland Golden Week brings crowds.

Japan · 23°C (73°F) · 8 rainy days

Kyoto

Dry, sunny and comfortable — excellent walking weather before the foliage crowds of November.

Taiwan · 28°C (82°F) · 12 rainy days

Taipei

One of the best months: warm, less humid and generally settled, though late typhoons are possible early in the month.

Japan · 22°C (72°F) · 10 rainy days

Tokyo

Comfortable, often clear days as the humidity breaks; one of the best months for walking.

Latin America & Caribbean

Argentina · 22°C (72°F) · 9 rainy days

Buenos Aires

Warm spring days and more frequent showers; the purple jacaranda trees begin to flower late in the month.

Brazil · 26°C (79°F) · 9 rainy days

Rio de Janeiro

Warming up with more frequent showers; the international film festival brings screenings across the city.

Mexico · 23°C (73°F) · 9 rainy days

Mexico City

The rains ease, skies clear and the city prepares for the Day of the Dead.

Oceania

Australia · 20°C (68°F) · 9 rainy days

Melbourne

Warmer and greener but still changeable; gardens bloom and the spring racing carnival builds towards the Melbourne Cup.

Australia · 23°C (73°F) · 8 rainy days

Sydney

Warm days and comfortable conditions for every outdoor activity; jacaranda trees start turning streets purple late in the month.

Africa

Egypt · 30°C (86°F) · 0 rainy days

Cairo

Warm and settled; the high season starts and sightseeing becomes comfortable again.

Morocco · 28°C (82°F) · 3 rainy days

Marrakech

Warm, sunny and settled — one of the best months for walking the medina and visiting the desert.

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.

• Honolulu: Hawaiʻi International Film Festival (usually October into November)
• Athens: Ohi Day — national holiday with parades (28 October)
• Bali: Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (usually October)
• Budapest: Budapest Marathon (usually autumn)
• Florence: Olive harvest and new-oil tastings begin (late October into November)
• Lisbon: Lisbon Marathon (usually October)
• Los Angeles: Halloween Carnaval in West Hollywood (31 October)
• Melbourne: Spring Racing Carnival — Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate (usually October)
• Montreal: Thanksgiving — Canadian holiday (second Monday of October)
• Paris: Nuit Blanche — all-night contemporary art event (usually early October)
• Rio de Janeiro: Festival do Rio — international film festival (usually October)
• Sydney: Sculpture by the Sea — outdoor art on the Bondi to Tamarama walk (usually late October to early November)

Daylight in October

Day length on these trips ranges from about 10.7 hours in Vienna to 13.1 hours in Melbourne (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