What's your favorite European destination for late October?
 

A planned June trip has fallen through, and it now appears we will have ten to fourteen days in late October to take a trip to Europe. Not sure where to go. We may be able to use frequent flyer miles, so flight cost may not be a huge factor. We don't mind cooler weather, and actually enjoy going to places off-season when it's not as crowded and prices are often a little less. We plan on renting a car, enjoy the back road locations, B&B's are okay. All you seasoned travelers, where do you suggest we go?

Provence and Burgundy are both delightful in late October. The summer heat (even in Burgundy it can get hot) is gone, as are the crowds, and life returns to a calmer level. Good places to stay are more available, and all in all it's a great time to visit.

Two locations come to mind for that timing---Sicily and Andalusia. If you do Sicily you will have time to include Malta--perhaps my next trip.
If you do Andalusia and have 12 days or more you could end in Portugal and fly home from Lisbon. Both are good options--let your gut guide you.

So many possibilities. Three come readily to mind.

Barcelona to Languedoc/Provence - weather ought to be good; lots of indoor pursuits if it's not, beautiful landscapes, architecture, food... hell, maybe we'll join you.

London and East Anglia - the electricity of London in autumn, thatchy-roofy villages, back roads, cozy pubs...hell, maybe we'll join you there too.

Alsace - maybe some baby wine, vinyards in autumn color, storybook villages below castles, choucroute, hot macaroons, onion tarts...oh, hell...

Any other suggestions?

why not Italy. Two friends travelled to Italy, one in December and one in January this year and they had a fabulous time, no lines for the vatican/uffizzi etc. October weather should be great and whilst it may not be as crowd free as my friends found it, you should have a great time.
Stay 2/3 nights in Rome, train to Florence, stay 2/3 nights and then pick up a car and travel the back roads of Tuscany/Umbria....drop car off..train to Venice for 2/3 nights and then fly home from Venice??????
have a great trip.

I'd like to suggest Germany, particularly Bavaria. Been there 2x in October - hit a heat wave one time and cooler weather the other time. You will see the gorgeous fall colors and superb towns. You could fly into Frankfurt, hit the Rhine/Mosel, thru the Black Forest and back to Munich to fly out. There is so much to see in Bavaria including all of Ludwig's great castles - personal favorite is Linderhof. On the Romantic Road you can visit the Wies Kirsch which is fabulous. I'd be happy to send you my trip report, albeit I was there a month. [email protected]

I love France, particularly in late Autumn...but then again East Anglia or dorset would be right in the top ten.

I like to save Rome and other large Italian cities for winter...such a differnet feeling. January in Venice is the at the top of my list..maybe next year!

jody,

I read your message about January in Venice. Do you know if there is the problem of "high water" in January? Thanks.

Languedoc-Roussillon is lovely at that time of year and definitely a "back road" location.

ttt

You don't say where in Europe you have been before so these ideas are based on what we have loved best over the years. October is great for Europe. If we have 2 weeks, we like to visit a city and spend a week or so in the country. Combinations we have really enjoyed are:

London, Normandy and Paris

Venice, Florence and the Tuscan countryside

Paris and the Loire Valley

Paris and Provence

This fall (early October) we are going to Paris and Andalucia.

Have fun planning!

I probably should add that due to the weakened dollar, this may need to be more of a budget trip too. That shouldn't be too much of a problem as we aren't looking for high-end places, and countryside smaller family run hotels or B&B's are fine.

ttt

Greece!! The tourist season pretty much ends Nov 1 so by Oct it's quiet and it's fairly inexpensive. We've been to Malta in Oct and loved it! It was warm and sunny with cool nights. Southern Spain is also nice at that time of year. :)

I'm still trying to figure out where to go. The only places I'm ruling out are Greece, Malta, and Turkey. I was thinking of going to someplace in Eastern Europe, maybe Romania or Bulgaria but am still open to more suggestions. I would consider parts of France (have been to Paris,Normandy,the Alsace region, and the Haute Savoie area but no further south) but it seems so expensive this year. Do any of the B&B's offer cheaper prices in the Fall?

The last few times I was in Vienna in late October, several churches (most notably Augustinerkirche) were advertising performances of Mozart's Requiem Mass presumably in conjunction with All Saints Day. That alone is worth a late October trip. The Wachau Valley on the Danube upriver from Vienna is also beautiful that time of year.

Any more suggestions?

Turkey, it will be beautiful, all the summer crowds would be gone and there is so much to see and do. Definitely not as expensive as other european cities.

Any more ideas?