Where to go in September

North America

United States · 31°C (88°F) · 6 rainy days

Honolulu

Still hot and dry, but crowds thin out after the summer holidays and hotel rates drop.

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 1 rainy days

Los Angeles

Still hot and often the sunniest month at the coast, with warm sea and fewer crowds after the school holidays; heat and fire risk can peak.

Canada · 21°C (70°F) · 11 rainy days

Montreal

Warm days, cool nights and thinner crowds; the Botanical Garden's lantern festival begins.

United States · 27°C (81°F) · 8 rainy days

Washington, D.C.

Warm and less humid, with Congress back in session and conferences pushing up midweek hotel prices.

United States · 23°C (73°F) · 9 rainy days

Boston

Warm, settled weather and a lively city as students return; conferences make it one of the priciest months for hotels.

United States · 24°C (75°F) · 9 rainy days

Chicago

Often the best month: warm, sunny and less humid, with outdoor dining still going and summer crowds thinning.

United States · 25°C (77°F) · 9 rainy days

New York City

Warm and less humid — one of the best months — but the UN General Assembly pushes hotel prices up late in the month.

United States · 23°C (73°F) · 1 rainy days

San Francisco

Often the warmest, clearest month as the fog retreats; large conventions can push hotel prices very high.

Canada · 21°C (70°F) · 9 rainy days

Toronto

Warm days and cooler nights, with peak hotel prices during the film festival in the first half of the month.

Canada · 19°C (66°F) · 7 rainy days

Vancouver

Often settled and sunny early in the month, with cooler evenings and thinner crowds after Labour Day.

Latin America & Caribbean

Brazil · 25°C (77°F) · 7 rainy days

Rio de Janeiro

Spring begins with warm days, clear mornings and moderate prices, a good time for sightseeing and hikes.

Europe

Denmark · 17°C (63°F) · 9 rainy days

Copenhagen

Often mild and settled early in the month, with fewer visitors and leaves starting to turn in the parks.

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

Edinburgh

Calmer after the festivals and often mild and settled; a good month for walking and day trips.

Netherlands · 19°C (66°F) · 10 rainy days

Amsterdam

Often settled early in the month, with summer crowds thinning and theatres and concert halls reopening.

Greece · 29°C (84°F) · 2 rainy days

Athens

Still summer, with the warmest sea of the year and fewer families; excellent for combining the city with the islands.

Spain · 26°C (79°F) · 6 rainy days

Barcelona

Still warm with a warm sea and fewer crowds after the first week; the city's biggest festival comes late in the month.

Germany · 20°C (68°F) · 7 rainy days

Berlin

Often pleasantly warm and settled, with a packed cultural calendar as the season restarts.

Hungary · 23°C (73°F) · 6 rainy days

Budapest

Warm, settled weather and wine festivals make September one of the best months to visit.

Ireland · 17°C (63°F) · 10 rainy days

Dublin

Often settled and mild, with festivals filling the calendar once the summer peak has passed.

Italy · 27°C (81°F) · 6 rainy days

Florence

Warm days and the grape harvest in the surrounding hills make September one of the best months, though the city stays busy.

Turkey · 25°C (77°F) · 5 rainy days

Istanbul

Warm, settled weather and a warm sea, with fewer crowds after the summer holidays — one of the best months to visit.

Portugal · 27°C (81°F) · 3 rainy days

Lisbon

Still hot and sunny with the warmest sea of the year and fewer families — an excellent month for city and beach.

United Kingdom · 20°C (68°F) · 8 rainy days

London

Often settled and mild, with summer crowds thinning after the first week as schools return.

Spain · 26°C (79°F) · 3 rainy days

Madrid

Still warm and sunny but more comfortable, with the city back to full life after the summer break.

Italy · 24°C (75°F) · 6 rainy days

Milan

Warm, settled weather and the city back at full speed, with Fashion Week and the Monza Grand Prix.

Italy · 27°C (81°F) · 6 rainy days

Naples

Still warm with the sea at its warmest; crowds ease later in the month.

France · 25°C (77°F) · 5 rainy days

Nice

Excellent month: the sea is still warm, crowds thin after the first week and restaurants are back to normal rhythm.

France · 21°C (70°F) · 8 rainy days

Paris

Often the best all-round month: warm, settled weather and the city back at full energy after the holidays.

Portugal · 24°C (75°F) · 6 rainy days

Porto

Warm and settled, with grape harvest season beginning in the Douro Valley.

Czechia · 19°C (66°F) · 6 rainy days

Prague

Pleasant and often sunny, with fewer crowds after the summer holidays — an excellent month to visit.

Iceland · 11°C (52°F) · 13 rainy days

Reykjavík

Autumn colours, fewer visitors and the return of dark nights and the northern lights.

Austria · 21°C (70°F) · 6 rainy days

Vienna

Pleasant and often sunny, with the grape harvest beginning and the concert season restarting.

Croatia · 25°C (77°F) · 7 rainy days

Dubrovnik

Warm sea and slightly gentler heat, but still busy with cruise visitors, especially early in the month.

Germany · 19°C (66°F) · 10 rainy days

Munich

Pleasant early autumn, but Oktoberfest sends hotel prices to their yearly peak from mid-September.

Italy · 27°C (81°F) · 5 rainy days

Rome

Still warm but more comfortable, and the city returns to full life; one of the busiest months for visitors.

Greece · 26°C (79°F) · 1 rainy days

Santorini

Still hot, with a warm sea and the grape harvest; crowds remain heavy, especially on cruise-ship days.

Italy · 24°C (75°F) · 6 rainy days

Venice

Still warm with softer light and a warm sea; one of the most popular months.

Oceania

Australia · 21°C (70°F) · 6 rainy days

Sydney

Spring brings warm, dry days, wildflowers and outdoor dining; the sea is still cold, but walks and harbour days are excellent.

Asia

Indonesia · 31°C (88°F) · 4 rainy days

Bali

Still dry and sunny with crowds thinning after the summer holidays — an excellent month.

South Korea · 26°C (79°F) · 9 rainy days

Seoul

Humidity eases and skies clear; the Chuseok harvest holiday can close shops and fill trains.

Beach, city or budget: September picks by trip type

What's on in September

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

• Honolulu: Aloha Festivals — floral parade and Waikīkī block party (usually September)
• Rio de Janeiro: Rock in Rio — large music festival held in some years (usually September)
• Edinburgh: Doors Open Days — free access to normally closed buildings (usually September)
• Los Angeles: Abbot Kinney Festival in Venice (usually late September)
• Montreal: Gardens of Light at the Botanical Garden (usually September–October)
• Sydney: Festival of the Winds — kite festival at Bondi Beach (usually September)
• Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress National Book Festival (usually late summer or early autumn)
• Amsterdam: Open Monumentendag — historic buildings open free (usually second weekend of September)
• Barcelona: La Diada, Catalonia's national day (11 September)
• Berlin: Berlin Marathon (usually late September)
• Boston: Student move-in weekend around 1 September, when streets fill with moving vans
• Budapest: Budapest Wine Festival in Buda Castle (usually September)

Daylight in September

Day length on these trips ranges from about 11.9 hours in Sydney to 12.9 hours in Reykjavík (sunrise to sunset on 15 September). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

September weather compared

Questions travellers ask