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Best holiday destinations for October
Jo is an award-winning travel journalist and hiking holiday enthusiast. Her specialisms include sustainable travel and money-saving advice.
An Orwell prize-nominated investigative journalist, Kate lives in Portugal and covers news, travel rules, tourist taxes and visas.
Empty attractions and uncrowded streets bathed in autumn sunshine make October one of the best months to take a city break.
Far fewer cruise ships dock in Dubrovnik during autumn, leaving its pristine limestone streets comfortable to explore. Meanwhile, it's the perfect time to visit the ancient sites of Athens without continuously running for shade.
Those looking for relaxation will find autumn sunshine and warm seas in the balmy oasis of Madeira. Or you can explore the pine forests, deep river gorges and white sand beaches of Corsica on foot.
We found plenty of bargains too, with October flight prices as cheap as £25 return for some destinations.
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Best places to visit in October
- Stockholm, Sweden 10°C
- Dubrovnik, Croatia 19°C
- Athens, Greece 22°C
- Corsica, France 21°C
- Madeira, Portugal 21℃
- Cape Town, South Africa 20℃
- Mumbai, India 33℃
City breaks with cheap flights for October
Stockholm, Sweden
October high: 10°C
Not only are flights cheap (from £25 return, when we checked), but October brings a riot of golden foliage to the Swedish capital. The island of Djurgården, in particular – in the heart of the city – is ablaze with colour. Take a tram or boat to visit its historic parklands and stroll along the leafy canal.
In Stockholm’s old town, Gamla Stan, get lost in the labyrinth streets lined with elegant merchant houses. The Karl XI gallery in the Royal Palace is modelled on Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors, while the cathedral has ornate baroque carvings to admire.
Fika – a daily pause for coffee and a sweet treat – is a cherished ritual for locals to connect with loved ones. Don’t miss a still-warm cardamom bun from Fabrique. The delicious aroma from the ovens will lead you there.
You can enjoy free entry to Moderna Museet, the city’s modern art museum, on Friday evenings throughout autumn. The room devoted to the 1910s and 1920s is stuffed with masterpieces from the likes of Matisse, Munch, Kandinsky and Picasso.
But Stockholm’s Jazz Festival is the biggest event in the calendar. Concerts from midday to midnight pop up in more than 70 venues across the city for 10 exuberant days (9-18 October).
Book a holiday to Stockholm with Which? Recommended Providers Trailfinders, Hays Travel, Jet2holidays and One Traveller.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
October high: 19℃
The walled city of Dubrovnik can feel like it's under siege in summer. So why not wait until October, when the crowds have thinned and flights from London are as cheap as £33 return (when we checked). The queues should be short for attractions like the Rector’s Palace, with its baroque staircase and artfully restored 15th-century chambers.
Walking the city walls – especially early in the morning – is a must: a 2km circular route taking in bastions, forts and towers. Strolling above the terracotta rooftops, you can enjoy views of the old town on one side, and the shimmering Adriatic on the other.
Mount Srd is another prime spot for unrivalled views. At this time of year, it’s mild enough to skip the cable car and hike the one-hour trail to the summit.
The Good Food Festival takes place this month (5-18 October) with street food, live music and wine tastings to showcase the best local produce. Croatians are particularly proud of peka: meat or seafood buried under hot coals and slow-cooked for hours.
Book a holiday to Dubrovnik with Which? Recommended Providers Jet2holidays and Hays Travel.
Athens, Greece
October high: 22℃
Often overlooked by tourists on their way to the Greek islands, Athens is an incredible city in its own right. Thousands of years of architectural wonders are layered upon one another, from the 5th-century BC Acropolis to Byzantine monasteries, and from the classical to the neo-classical.
No wonder visitors awarded Athens the maximum five stars for tourist attractions in our survey of the best city breaks in Europe.
October temperatures are ideal for exploring the city, and in the mornings you can have sites like the Parthenon practically to yourself.
When you’ve had your fill of culture, the islands of Aegina and Angistri are only a 30-minute boat trip from Athens’ port, Piraeus. Or explore the Apollo Coast’s lush beaches. Return flights from London to Athens were as cheap as £68 when we checked.
Book a holiday to Athens with Which? Recommended Providers Jet2holidays, Hays Travel and Trailfinders.
Where in Europe is hot in October?
Corsica, France
October high: 21℃
This Mediterranean island to the south east of mainland France is best known for its powdery beaches and wild hiking trails. But its sun-drenched fertile soils are also ideal for wine growing.
Corsica is home to more than 30 indigenous grape varieties, with its robust earthy reds among the most celebrated. In October, the hard labour of harvest is over, making it a great time for an intimate vineyard tour – and to learn about the fermentation process.
It’s also ideal weather for exploring the granite outcrops and secluded beaches on foot. Choose a sunny autumn day to walk from Bonifacio to the Pertusato Lighthouse along the 3km clifftop trail with breathtaking views towards Sardinia.
Book a holiday to Corsica with Which? Recommended Providers Trailfinders and Exodus.
Madeira, Portugal
October high: 21℃
By October, the peak tourist season in Madeira winds down, leaving more space for you to explore this floral Portuguese archipelago.
This popular destination is also one of the cheapest we found for October, with return flights as low as £61 from London.
Thanks to its subtropical climate — it’s off the coast of north east Africa — you can expect highs of 21℃. That, plus the promise of low humidity, makes October ideal for exploring the rocky beaches, hiking its forests or enjoying a glass of famous Madeiran fortified wine at sunset.
The water’s also perfect for dips, lingering at 23℃ — warmer than in the Algarve (approximately 19℃ in October).
Find holidays to Madeira with Which? Recommended Providers Jet2 and Destination2.
Best long-haul holiday destinations in October
Mumbai, India
October high: 33℃
If Mumbai’s on your bucket list, make October the month you go. The milder weather means many of the city’s cultural highlights come alive, like the Agera harvest festival (a traditional East Indian Catholic celebration in early October) and Navratri, a nine-night Hindu festival of music, dance and devotion that brings the city’s neighbourhoods to life with colour and celebration.
But Mumbai is always buzzing with things to do — from sunset strolls along Marine Drive and browsing the bazaars of Colaba to island-hopping across the bay to the ancient Elephanta Caves.
Book a holiday to Mumbai with Which? Recommended Providers Trailfinders and Destination2.
Cape Town
October high: 20℃
Glimmering between Table Bay and the Twelve Apostles mountain range, Cape Town is a brilliant city upstaged by an even better backdrop.
October is springtime and shoulder season in South Africa, so the days are warmer and drier, but prices are lower than in the busy peak periods.
It’s a city with a turbulent history to be explored (don’t miss the moving District Six museum), it's also a great place to shop, and you can hike or stroll along its pristine beaches. Climb one of the trails to the top of Table Mountain to see the Mother City unfurl beneath your feet.
Best of all, it's good value. A bottle of local beer is roughly £2, and a three-course dinner for two with wine costs around £43, according to the Post Office’s latest holiday money report.
Book holidays to Cape Town with Which? Recommended Providers Audley Travel, Trailfinders and Kuoni.
Weather data taken from weather2travel.com