10 European countries to explore from September to December Last Updated: July 25, 2022

Europe has countries that are year-round destinations but every country has the best time to visit and there are several reasons for it. 

The best time for visiting any place is based on weather, tourists, and prices of flights, stay and food. 

In this article, I am sharing my month-wise recommendations in case you are heading toward Europe soon. 

Let’s get right into it!

The summer months usually end by the third or last week of September in most parts of Europe. This means, the peak tourist season officially comes to an end in many places and hence, you will find fewer people, slashed prices on flights and stays in several places.

1. Spain

A year-round European destination but if you want to avoid the crowds I would highly suggest you visit the country towards the end of September. You will find less crowded beaches and clubs but still not wholly empty like in the winter. It is the best of both worlds – you get your fun vibe AND enjoy it at a lower price.*

I have written a bunch of articles on Spain. Check it out here.

*June – Mid-September prices are high for everything so you save up a few bucks by going a week or two later

Best time to visit:

May to November

Places to visit:

Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, San Sebastian, Asturias, Mallorca

2. France

Similar to Spain, France attracts millions of tourists throughout the year. If you hit places like Paris, of course, you will still be swamped with tourists in September but there are plenty of other cool places in the South of France to visit. The weather will be pleasant if not warm. Once the weather starts less warm, tourists start reducing. This is when you enter. As the weather will be warm enough (not too hot!) and you will find less expensive deals on stay, food, drinks and other attractions by mid-September.

Best time to visit:

May to October

Places to visit:

Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, Provence, Lyon, Marseille, Cannes, Strasbourg

3. Slovenia

Slovenia is one of the most underrated European countries! Ths country is extremely picturesque and has a lot to offer to all kinds of tourists – couples, solo travellers, adventure junkies, families, and foodies. There are several hikes around the capital city of Ljubljana. It gets cold towards mid-October but doesn’t let that stop you from visiting this country. It is still worth it!

Best time to visit:

June to December

Places to visit:

Ljubljana, Bled, Piran, Lake Bohinj

4. Greece

This is a GREAT European destination in September if you are going on a honeymoon or doing on a trip with your friends. Greece’s weather in September is beautiful. It is only at the beginning of October when the weather starts to act up. Explore Greek Islands, visit the capital city of Athens, check out the Greek monasteries in Meteora and much more! Mind you, there will still be plenty of tourists in Greece in September but at least you will have great weather, delicious food and hopefully cheaper prices on stays as mid-September is the beginning of the off-season.

Best time to visit:

June to early October

Places to visit:

Athens, Meteora, Corfu, Santorini, Paros, Ios, Mykonos, Thessaloniki, Crete, Ioannina

5. Switzerland

If you love the mountains and are craving some snow in September then Switzerland is the place to be. You can explore the Swiss Alps or visit the beautiful Swiss towns or devour some Swiss cheese fondue and Swiss chocolates. If you are into cultural and local festivals, then do check out Lugano in Switzerland as they have some cool festivals around that time.

Best time to visit:

April to October

Places to visit:

Zermatt, Zurich, Geneva, Lucerne, Lausanne, Interlaken

6. Croatia

Croatia is an extremely popular European destination for the summer months but have you ever considered going to Croatia in October? Tourists start flocking away around this time but the weather still remains warm and pleasant for most of the month. This is when you can consider visiting this gorgeous country. You can indulge in water activities at least for the first 2.5 to 3 weeks of October. Prices in Croatia for stay also start reducing so you get the best of everything on a budget!

Best time to visit:

June to October

Places to visit:

Zagreb, Zadar, Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik

7. Hungary

I have only visited Budapest in December but it is a great time to go in the autumn and winter months. If you want to enjoy the Christmas markets, then the best time would be from November end onwards. It starts getting cold from October end and the Christmas markets start operating a month after that. I would highly recommend checking out the Christmas markets in Budapest from November – December. October to mid-December would be a good time to visit if you are on a budget as the prices.

Best time to visit:

September to December

Places to visit:

Budapest

8. Germany

Germany is yet another all-year-round European destination in my opinion but the beginning of winter is the best time for me to visit this country. I would say anywhere between November to December would be ideal. In November you will get to see the Fall colours and experience the onset of winter. Besides, the Christmas markets will begin around that time in several parts of the country. My favourite Christmas market is the one in Dresden. Highly recommend it!

Best time to visit:

August to December

Places to visit:

Dresden, Berlin, Munich, Heidelberg, Frankfurt, Bremen, Black Forest, Strasburg

9. Finland

Finland is known as Winter Wonderland and it truly is! Finnish Lapland feels straight out of a fairytale. If you want to enjoy winter to the max, then Finland is the place to be! October onwards you will get to see a lot of snow which means you will get a chance to indulge in several winter activities like snowmobiling, snowshoeing, husky riding, skiing and more! The best part? You also have a GOOD chance to witness the magical Northern Lights! The cherry on top can be meeting the ‘Real’Santa in the capital of Finnish Lapland – Rovaniemi.

Best time to visit:

October to March

Places to visit:

Rovaniemi, Levi, Saariselka, Helsinki, Ivalo

10. The Czech Republic

I absolutely love Prague! The capital of the Czech Republic is beautiful, especially in the winter months. I witnessed the first snowfall in 2019 when I was there on a Christmas trip. You will not only get to see the prettiest Christmas markets but also get to take day trips from the fantastic city of Prague to places like Cesky Krumlov.

Best time to visit:

May to December

Places to visit:

Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Kutna Hora

Of course, there are several other European countries to visit once summer ends but this article focuses on my personal experiences. I have explored quite a bit of Europe and the above list of places seems ideal to travel from September to December. 

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your dream Euro trip soon!

Follow my journey on YouTube and Instagram.