Europe is a dream in autumn. The weather is cooler, the crowds are fewer, the hotels are cheaper, and yellow, crimson and ochre creep into every crevice. From festivals to foliage, and from A–Z, we've picked the top destinations in Europe for the golden season.
A: Arran, Scotland
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The Isle of Arran is prime territory for spotting autumn foliage. With its brooding castles, craggy coastline and rambling glens, Arran is often touted as 'Scotland in miniature', and there's no better time to visit than when its landscapes are bright with red and russet. Drink in the ruins of Lochranza Castle (pictured), perched amidst the fall colour, before warming your cockles with a wee dram at the Isle of Arran Distillery, a 20-minute walk away.
B: Budapest, Hungary
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Budapest is beautiful in autumn, when gold- and orange-hued leaves sprout around its Neo-Gothic buildings. But there's more than fall colour to pique visitors' interest. The CAFe Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival, a two-week-plus jamboree of mini music festivals, dance performances and exhibitions, runs through October. The event includes a huge 'art market', the largest of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, where working artists open their studios to the public.
C: Crete, Greece
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If it's a sun, sea and sand-filled escape you have your sights set on, Crete, the largest of Greece's islands, is a safe bet. Temperatures stay balmy right up until November (rarely dipping below 20°C/68°F), and the gentle waters are warm enough for a swim, even towards the end of October. Strike north for modern resorts and bar-dotted beaches, or south for rugged strands and little-visited villages. It's harvest season, too, so don't pass on the rakı or the olives.
D: Douro, Portugal
This swathe of northern Portugal is the country's premier wine region, and the terraced vineyards, fringing Douro's namesake river, look particularly splendid when flecked with rust red and orange. It's not all about looks, though. Autumn brings the harvest, one of the best times to visit the region's wineries. Some vineyards will let you try your hand (or feet) at the traditional method of crushing grapes underfoot, before sitting back and sipping some local grapes.
E: El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain
Tenerife and Lanzarote are holiday hotspots, but El Hierro, the smallest of the Canary Islands, is worth your attention too. A World Biosphere Reserve, the isle is worlds away from the umbrella-lined beaches of its showy sisters. Here you can snorkel in clear waters, hike volcanic terrain and swim in gloriously secluded coves. In autumn, you'll have more chance of bagging a room in one of the handful of hotels and the weather remains warm through October. There are no international flights so you'll need to make your way from another of the Canary Islands.
F: Florence, Italy
Florence, with its world-class galleries, Renaissance architecture and thriving contemporary creative scene is a delight year round, but in autumn, the city really comes to life. After a quiet summer, the theatres and opera houses begin their programmes once more, while harvest season means freshly reaped mushrooms, chestnuts and olives grace the menus of its trattorias. If you can tear yourself from the city, slip out to a Tuscan vineyard to witness the vendemmia (the grape harvest).
G: Galway, Ireland
Galway is the perfect place to enjoy the spoils of autumn. The revered Church Lane market, which has traded here for centuries, brims with colourful root vegetables and the urban Merlin Park Woods are awash with gold and yellow. But it's at the end of September that the fun really starts: the Galway Oyster and Seafood Festival is a weekend full of live music, tastings, free-flowing booze and the world-famous Oyster Opening Championships.
H: Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki's autumn temperatures may be brisk, but it's worth it for the magic of "ruska", the Finnish term for autumn foliage. Central Park, an area of national forestland sprawling into the city limits, is the best place to spot some fall colour. Mushroom-picking season will be in full swing too, so you can scope out chanterelles on your travels (go with a guide to avoid a tummy ache). Helsinki Design Week, with its exhibitions and markets, also kicks off in early September.
I: Innsbruck, Austria
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Innsbruck is often overlooked in favour of Vienna and Salzburg, and that's a shame. Nestled in the Eastern Alps, the city is the capital of Austria's picturesque Tyrol region. While it's got its own charms including cosy bars, the Tyrolean Provincial Museum and the Markthalle for foodies, it's also an ideal springboard into its Alpine surrounds. Tail the summer sightseers and beat the winter sports enthusiasts and you'll enjoy a quiet city, carpeted in autumn colours, for a steal of a price.
J: Jersey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom
Jersey draws British holidaymakers with its Mediterranean-esque beaches and swish hotels, and while the waters may be too chilly for a dip come autumn, there are still plenty of reasons to pay a visit. First, there's Tennerfest, an affordable food festival where restaurants offer up seasonal, multi-course set menus for a fixed price (beginning at £10 and stretching to no more than £17.50). Then there's La Faîs'sie d’Cidre, a weekend cider festival that kicks off in late October.
K: Krakow, Poland
Krakow was made for autumn: the easy-going cafés and hearty meat-heavy cuisine takes the bite out of the autumn chill, and impressive Wawel Castle looks even better when framed with orange and ochre. Whenever you visit, make time for Schindler's Factory, the former enamel factory of Oskar Schindler, and for the two-hour train journey west to Auschwitz concentration camp – both offer a sobering dose of history and tributes to those who lost their lives during the Nazi regime.
L: Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Another often underrated city, Ljubljana, Slovenia's central capital, makes the perfect base from which to explore the rest of the country. Don't escape too soon, though. Rambling Tivoli Park is a riot of orange come autumn, foliage lines the Ljubljanica river and the fine Slovenian Museum of Natural History offers shelter on a chillier day. Once you've soaked up the city, make the hour-long train journey to Bled to see the famed lake and its islet cloaked in seasonal colour.
M: Munich, Germany
The mother of all autumn escapes, the Bavarian city of Munich is the annual host of Oktoberfest, a two-week-long holiday of local brews and merrymaking. Gargantuan tents shelter the thousands of beer-supping, bratwurst-eating visitors, with rides, souvenir stalls and sweet treats adding to the fun. If you're after a quieter escape, head for the hills: hiking trails (such as those around fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle) lace the Bavarian Alps, covered in autumn foliage from late September.
N: Naples, Italy
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Often written off by tourists starry-eyed over the elegant Amalfi Coast, Naples merits a visit and its glorious grit is part of its charm. The food is reason enough to stay a while and in autumn you can find the famed Neapolitan-style pizzas topped with freshly plucked mushrooms and drizzled in truffle oil. Autumn also offers the perfect conditions for a stroll along the Lungomare, Naples' seafront promenade, or an aperitivo in a sun-dappled piazza.
O: Odense, Denmark
One for literature-lovers, Odense was the birthplace of Danish fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Andersen, who penned The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling stories, among others. You can visit the late author's birthplace (pictured) and spot sculptures of the characters he dreamed up dotted around the city's cobbled streets. Visit in September, when EAT! Odense Food Festival sees the city's streets brimming with seasonal produce from Odense and its surrounds.
P: Paris, France
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Paris is always a good idea, so the saying goes, but with autumn comes a fresh round of reasons to visit the City of Light. White Night (or Nuit Blanche) is an annual event in October where the doors of the city's most beloved galleries and museums are thrown open for free and Parisian nights are illuminated by whimsical light sculptures. Then comes Salon du Chocolat, an indulgent show in late autumn celebrating chocolate from the world over. Throw in the Eiffel Tower, framed by a cluster of golden leaves, and there's little chance that autumn in the French capital will disappoint.
Q: Quimper, France
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Some 330 miles west of Paris, you'll find Quimper, Brittany's oldest city. This historic commune rarely graces tourists' itineraries, but its Gothic-style cathedral and unspoiled old town should bump it up your list. If the autumn weather brings rain, duck into the Musée des Beaux Arts, whose collection spans centuries and includes works by such famed French painters as Jules Breton.
R: Riga, Latvia
This charming Baltic city is another that often flies under the radar, but it has delights aplenty, and autumn is the perfect time to sample them. The Latvian capital is home to the largest market in Europe, Riga Central Market, and in autumn the stalls are laden with the harvest bounty, from colourful squash to berries. Once you've had your fill, make a beeline for one of the many city parks, bright with autumn colour: Bastejkalna Park and Vermanes Garden are among the prettiest.
S: Split, Croatia
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Split and Dubrovnik are often pitted against each other – but while the latter is thronged with crowds, even into early autumn, Split remains a little quieter, especially in the off season. The mild, sunny climes are ideal for sightseeing in the historic centre, while the programme at the Croatian National Theatre kicks into full gear from September.
T: Tromsø, Norway
Nicknamed "Gateway to the Arctic", the captivating city of Tromsø sits some 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Most come for the promise of the northern lights, rippling in green ribbons above the city's rainbow houses. Autumn – when the nights are long and dark, but the temperature not too cutting – is one of the best times to catch them. If you can tear your eyes from the sky, make time for the Polar Museum and head into the surrounding wilderness to spot seals and arctic foxes.
U: Utrecht, The Netherlands
The bronze and amber trees lining Utrecht's Oudegracht (Old Canal) are postcard-worthy indeed – but music lovers have another incentive to tour this city in the golden season. Le Guess Who?, a four-day festival celebrating indie music from around the world, kicks off in early November: expect performance art, raucous grunge romps and instrumental sets. If you can't make that event, be content with sipping artisan coffee in sidewalk cafés and taking in the Dutch-style architecture.
V: Valletta, Malta
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Valletta's Capital of Culture designation saw it shoot into the spotlight this year, and interest in the Maltese capital shows no sign of abating. In autumn, Malta's scorching summer heat peters out and more comfortable climes make sightseeing a pleasure. Take in St John's Co-Cathedral, a 16th-century Baroque masterpiece, and round off the day with a Mediterranean feast on the waterfront.
W: West Iceland, Iceland
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Most visitors to Iceland make their base in Reykjavík and concentrate their travels on the Golden Circle (a trio of sights including thundering Gullfoss Waterfall). But Iceland's Western Region has natural treasures aplenty. Highlights include terraced Hraunfossar falls and Snæfellsjökull National Park, dominated by its namesake: a conical, glacier-topped volcano. Autumn affords more daylight hours to soak in the sights than winter, but there's still a chance of catching the northern lights.
X: Xanten, Germany
If you're a lover of architecture, the little-visited town of Xanten in western Germany should be on your radar. Xanten Archeological Park is one of Europe's most impressive, boasting to-scale recreations of the ancient Roman buildings that once stood here. The city's medieval centre has also been painstakingly restored after damage it suffered in the Second World War, and is particularly charming when dotted with autumn trees. From here, you can make the hour-long journeys to buzzing Cologne or Düsseldorf.
Y: York, England
York is a dream any time of year, but the autumn gives it an extra spirit – especially around Halloween. Tales of spooks and spectres abound in the city, particularly in relation to the handful of haunted pubs, with the Golden Fleece the eeriest of them all. In late October, the spookiness is kicked up a gear with extra ghost tours, cobwebs draped across pub windows and plump pumpkins fronting shops on the Shambles, a cobbled, medieval street in the city's centre.
Z: Zermatt, Switzerland
Ski season may not get into full swing until late November, but there are many other reasons to visit this Swiss resort town. Autumn is an ideal time to see Zermatt in all its glory. Gaze up at the mighty snow-capped Matterhorn, take a hike in the surrounding woodland, golden for the season, and make time for Gorner Gorge, whose rocky bluffs are covered in bright fall foliage come late September.
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