Where to go in October
October is the busiest month in our catalogue: 422 departures measured on published tours, most of them to the Mediterranean and western Europe. The reason is in the weather: Greece at 23C, Italy at 22, Morocco at 27, and all three under four rainy days.
Countries in high season in October
Italy
22C, nine rainy days, and the second most common October destination in the catalogue.
What to expect: Museum and palace queues shorten. Morning mist starts in the north and Venice enters its high-water season.
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Greece
The last warm month of the season: 23C and four rainy days.
What to expect: On most islands hotels begin to close mid-month, while the mainland and Crete stay open longer.
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Spain
23C and eight rainy days, as Andalusia sheds the weight of summer.
What to expect: Barcelona and Madrid are ideal for city walking. The Basque north is rainy, so an itinerary covering both needs a rain shell.
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France
19C and the grape harvest, with Paris crowds falling below summer levels.
What to expect: Autumn colour is at its best in the Loire and Alsace. Ten rainy days are measured, so an umbrella is part of the plan.
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Morocco
April’s twin: 27C, three rainy days and a desert that is walkable again.
What to expect: Sahara camp nights are cool but not freezing. The Marrakech square fills up again in the evenings.
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Japan
21C and eleven rainy days: typhoon season closes and autumn colour begins in the north.
What to expect: Colour peaks mid-month in Hokkaido and the mountains, while Kyoto needs November. Hiking trails are open and cool.
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United Arab Emirates
The winter season opens: the summer heat has broken and 35C comes with less than one rainy day a month.
What to expect: The sea holds the warmth it gathered all summer and evenings can be spent outdoors. Middays are still heavy, so itineraries are built around the morning and sunset. Hotel prices start climbing towards November, which makes the start of the month the cheapest.
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Temperature and rainfall figures are multi-year averages for the cities in our catalogue. This is an editorial suggestion, not a weather or availability guarantee.
Cruises this month
The busiest cruise month in our catalogue. The Aegean, the Adriatic and the western Mediterranean are open at once, the weather is walkable and the ports are calm.
288 published cruise departures fall in this month.
All cruises