5 Top Eurodestinations for Fall

[Velimira Velikova]

Wonder where to go in September and October for the best holiday experience? As summer turns to fall (it already did, but we are not ready to admit it), foliage turns from green to a palette of colors, and completely transforms the scenery. Crisp fall days are perfect for the last festivities of the season, and romance, of course. The weather is perfect for long walks in the cities and outdoors, last days in the garden, gathered around the BBQ with family and friends. Find out where the weather is best.

Devon

Devon might be England’s third largest county, but distances are short and getting around is easy. And the landscape is so diverse – enjoy the cool British coast and the picturesque fishing villages, spend a week in the countryside and try apple picking, discover bustling market towns and tranquil villages with thatched cottages. The car free cobbled streets make Devon towns and villages, ideal for a day out for families of all ages and sizes.

The northern parts of the county has delightful bases for a green active holiday – cycling, rambling, horse riding and fishing, particularly good in Holsworthy and Hatherleigh. North Molton, once famed for its agricultural fairs is now and area where arts and antique trades thrive. Exmoor and its million years of cultural and historical heritage, has unique and overwhelming atmosphere, intensified by the rugged coastline and dramatic cliffs, mysterious woodland and open marshland. If you have a taste for the sea, North Devon has some of the finest sandy beaches in the British Isles. Woolacombe beach, has even been voted one of the world’s top ten. The splendid cozy harbors at Clovelly, Ilfracombe andLynmouthare a delightful contrast to the rugged coastline.

Andalusia

If what you need is a proper rest and escape-from-it-all holiday, then pack a some books and the kids and head for Andalucia in southern Spain. Set in the relatively unexplored province of Cordoba, with rows of olive trees stretching as far as the eye can see; lovely Seville where you can feel the warmth of the sun on your face as you lie by the pool, even in October; enjoy the uncrowded beaches ofMalaga or visit one of the oldest cities in Europe, Cadiz.

The region’s historical and cultural profile, have been influenced by the earlier Iberians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, and all of them preceded the Muslims. However, the region has rich, but unique culture and strong identity, expressed through many traditions, such as flamenco dancing and bullfighting, that are considered to be distinctively Spanish, are largely or entirelyAndalusian in origin. The land is full of surprises and contradictions. Away from the mass-tourism resorts you’ll find some of the most pristine beaches in the country, while inland are rolling green hills, villages with sugar-cube like houses and the highest snow-cap on the Spanish mainland, the Sierra Nevada.

Provence

Autumn in Provence is great except for those few days when it rains. It does not drizzle, a word which does not seem to exist in Provencal, it pours. Heavily. But for just a couple of hours. The good news is that once the rainfall is over, the weather goes immediately back to its good old habit of sunshine and bright blue skies. Most years autumn is gorgeous for week after week after week. And it is in September when the wine harvest starts – you can enjoy the local village festivals and harvest markets. And if you are visiting in November and December, this is when the olives are being harvested and the truffle markets start.

Provence in the Autumn is a great for biking, hiking, mountain climbing and sightseeing. Gordes, with its houses clustered around the impressive castle and the narrow cobbled streets (also called calades),Gordes has retained all its charm and authenticity, and is listed as one of the ‘plus beaux villages de France’ (most beautiful villages in France). A European Capital of Culture in the year 2000 and a UNESCO World Heritage site, often referred to as ‘The City of Popes’, ancient Avignon is home to unique architectural heritage. If you have a taste for Roman monuments, make sure you pay a visit to the city of Orange, yet another UNESCO World Heritage site; Isle sur la Sorgue, is also known as “Little Venice”, because it is spread over the several arms of the Sorgue river. And Roussillon and its pastel colors will just take your breath away.

Tuscany

A fascinating mix of medieval towns, rolling countryside hills and beaches, Tuscany is crawling with tourists in summer. But in autumn, when the crowds thin out, it is just the perfect time to reap the rewards of a harvest-time holiday. And the sun still shines. This is the time when vineyards yield grapes for the region’s famous red wines, olive groves bear fruit for the renown extra-virgin oil and the local trattorie kitchens are packed with porcini mushrooms.

Autumn is also the season of innumerable small traditional festivals and parades, which transform the towns’ streets and piazzas, into a galore of color, light and laughter. Lucca‘s “Luminara” is a moonlight celebration when the city is lit only by candles; Florence, too, can be seen by candlelight during the Festa della Rificolona when children run through the streets carrying paper lanterns. In Autumn, almost every town and village holds food festivals. A few of the most notable ones are Montalcino‘s honey week; Pienza‘s pecorino (cheese) festival; the chestnut festivals in Cortona and Arcidosso, offering chestnut pizzas, pasta and polenta.

Sintra

Sintra is perfect place to visit in the autumn. The area is sheltered the Sintra hills, only 25 km from Lisbon, and is like no other place in Portugal. Sintra has innumerous castles and palaces, cool green parks and majestic atmosphere, like a page torn from a fairy tale. Not surprisingly, it’s long been a favorite for out-of-­towners, with its exceptional microclimate boosts exotic vegetation, and is a place for pleasant walks through the countryside and investigating the monasteries, hiding deep into in the cool green forests.

In addition to its bizarre and beautiful palaces, mansions and finely groomed gardens, Sintra boasts a historic centre that’s listed as a Unesco World Heritage site. The early Iberians used it for their cults worship; the Moors built a castle; the Middle Agers brought monasteries; then, in the 19th century, it became one of the first centres of European romantic architecture.