TOP 10 holiday destinations for September

September is one of the best months to travel for a multitude of reasons. The kids are back in school, the holiday rush is winding down, the temperatures are starting to cool, there’s more availability at popular summer spots, and hotel and airfare rates are starting to drop.

Barcelona, ​​Spain

The beautiful city of Barcelona is one of Spain’s most stunning destinations, and September is an ideal time to visit. Crowds in the summer months can make for long queues at top attractions such as La Sagrada Familia, and often limit availability unless you book days in advance.

Streets in popular areas such as the historic Barri Gòtic and Las Ramblas can be so congested in peak season that most of your time is spent just getting from point A to point B. Crowd concerns are lessened in September when there are fewer tourists so you can enjoy all the attractions and fun things to do in Barcelona with fewer people and cooler temperatures.

In early September, the days may still be warm enough to go to the ocean, but the beaches near Barcelona are not crowded at this time of year. At the end of the month, you can enjoy La Merce, a festive celebration with daily parades, acrobats and entertainment.

Crete, Greece

The Greek island of Crete is a natural sensory spectacle with mountains, turquoise water, beautiful beaches and palm forests that are pleasant to experience in September. The shrubs are in full bloom and the water temperatures are ideal for swimming and snorkeling.

The summer months, while still a great time to visit the island, can get quite hot when you spend your days outdoors, walking the streets of the old towns or exploring archaeological sites like Knossos. Many of the beaches during the summer are overcrowded, but September allows you to enjoy the pink sands of Elafonissi.

Many visitors arrive by plane or ferry to Heraklion. Other popular tourist towns on the island include Rethymnon, Chania and Agios Nikolaos.

In addition to September’s cooler temperatures and fewer people, you can find lower hotel rates.

Croatia

September is a nice time to visit Croatia when the local and foreign crowds have dissipated a bit. Weather wise, it’s also a great time for sightseeing. Many people head to the beautiful city of Dubrovnik. If you stay in the capital, you will find many attractions in Zagreb, such as the Cathedral and the Museum of Natural History, and you can split your time between the upper city and the lower city. There are a number of festivals taking place in September so that will add to the cultural experience.

Flights to Croatia are still in full swing in September, so there will be ample availability and ground transport such as ferries and buses will still be operating in the summer season schedule. You can find great deals on hotel accommodation, including luxury resorts in September.

The lazy, hazy days of summer are over – but September is the new January, as they say, which means it’s time for new beginnings and new adventures.

If in your travels through Europe you discovered other sunny destinations that we should include in our next vacations, you can write to us about them on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.