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If you haven’t been to Europe in the fall you’re missing out my friend!
Not only is this shoulder season with the benefit of lower prices and fewer crowds, it is also drop-dead gorgeous.
If you don’t mind the slight chilly weather in the morning and at night!
I can go on and on about the best places to visit in Europe in October, but if I had to pick only 10 it would be the following:
BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN EUROPE IN FALL
1. AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
TOP THINGS TO DO
Visit Rijksmuseum. Amsterdam doesn’t lack in grand, classical museums and galleries, but Rijksmuseum is the daddy of them all.
Relax at Vondelpark. The lungs of the city, Vondelpark was, until recently, the only public park in the world where one could legally barbecue, smoke joints, and have sex.
Take a Canal Tour. One of Amsterdam’s must-do activities, which although many may think of as a cliché, is still the best way to explore the city.
See the Anne Frank Museum. This seventeenth-century canal house where Anne Frank, her family, and four others hid from the Nazis for two years before their betrayal and discovery is now a museum and educational centre.
WHERE TO STAY
Hostels
Budget: $35-$50 per night
Recommendation: Flying Pig Downtown | St.Christopher’s At The Winston| Meininger Amsterdam City West
Hotels
Budget: $100-$200 per night
Recommendation: Chasse Hotel | Pension Homeland |Amsterdam House Hotel
WHAT TO EAT
Patatje oorlog for a carb-heavy treat. You can find these at any snack-bar on the street.
Stroopwafel for those of you with a sweet tooth!
2. COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
TOP THINGS TO DO
See The Little Mermaid
Inspired by a fairytale from the most famous children’s storyteller of all time, Hans Christian Andersen, the Little Mermaid is one of Copenhagen’s most famous tourist attractions.
Walk To The Top Of The Round Tower
Climb up to the top of the oldest functioning observatory in Europe, built in the 17th century.
Visit The Home Of The Danish Royal Family
Amalienborg Palace is a palace complex made of four identical buildings, which are the official residences of the Danish royal family.
Visit Carlsberg
Visit the location of the first Carlsberg Brewery, a Danish brewing company founded in 1847 by Jacob Christian Jacobsen. It surely is vying for the title of the most architecturally stunning brewery in the world.
Stroll Along The Nyhavn
The old harbour of Copenhagen, Nyhavn, is crowded with classy restaurants and cosy cafes. Take in the picturesque sight of colourfully renovated townhouses from the 18th century.
WHERE TO STAY
Hostels
Budget: $35-$50 per night
Recommendation:Generator Copenhagen | Copenhagen Downtown
Hotels
Budget: $100-$200 per night
Recommendation: First Hotel Twenty Seven | Axel Guldsmeden | Hotel Tiffany
WHAT TO EAT
Stegt Flæsk: Voted in 2014 as Denmark’s national dish, stegt flæsk is quintessentially Danish.
3. EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
TOP THINGS TO DO
See the Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh Castle is the most recognizable landmark in the city, it sits atop a volcanic peak and dominates the city skyline.
Get the Scotch Whisky Experience. Across the Camera Obscura is the Scotch Whisky Experience, which is a very popular place to visit along the Royal Mile. You can take tours, masterclasses, training sessions or just enjoy some food and whisky at their restaurant.
Check out Harry Potter sites. Harry Potter fans love Edinburgh and we’ve even written an entire post devoted to Harry Potter sites in Edinburgh. It was here that J. K. Rowling wrote the entire series.
Climb Calton Hill. If you still want a good view of Edinburgh, there’s another excellent option for you: Calton Hill. You will probably notice this hill soon after your arrival to Edinburgh and visitors are often surprised to see a hill resembling the Acropolis of Athens.
WHERE TO STAY
Hostel
Budget: $20-$30 per night
Recommendation: Castle Rock Hostel | High Street Hostel
Hotel
Budget: $90-$160 per night
Recommendation: Salisbury Greenhotel & Bistro| Richmond Place Apartment
4. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Top Things To Do
Check out the London Eye. A trip to London isn’t complete without a visit to the iconic London Eye.
Visit Soho. Soho has long been known as the base of London’s sex industry. The area is now the most popular nightlife spot although there are still some sex shops dotted there.
Spend some time at Baker Street. One of the cultural staples of London is Baker Street, best known as the street that Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective Sherlock Holmes lived on.
Shop at Oxford Street. Oxford Street is not only London’s top spot for shopping but is Europe’s busiest shopping street. It has 300 shops and receives over 500,000 visitors every day.
Visit the famous platform 9 ¾. King’s Cross is known best for something else: the station that Harry Potter uses to journey to Hogwarts. Now you can visit Platform 9 ¾ in real life, in King’s Cross railway station.
Visit the royal Buckingham Palace. A trip to London is incomplete without strolling through Green Park to catch a glimpse of Buckingham Palace.
Where To Stay
Hostels
Budget: $35-$50 per night
Recommendation: Generator Hostel London | Astor Hyde Park
Hotels
Budget: $60- $150 per night
Recommendation: Park Grand Paddington Court | Publove @ White Fairy
Must-Try Food
Fish & Chips: This one needs no introduction. If you’re in London, stop by for a good old fish and chips!
5. MADRID, SPAIN
TOP THINGS TO DO
Admire the Royal Palace. It’s the largest royal palace in western Europe and has a blend of baroque and neoclassical styles.
Head to the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Whether you’re a supporter of the club or not, the truth remains that Real Madrid is Europe’s most successful football team with a record-breaking 11 European Cups to their name.
Grab churros at San Gines. Perfect in winter, Spanish hot chocolate is one of the most luxurious things you’ll ever taste.
Check out the Flamenco tablaos. Flamenco is a dance that originated in Andalusia, Murcia and Extremadura, and even if it’s not strictly native to Madrid the city has some of the most famous tablaos in the country.
Visit The Prado. Prado is one of the best and most popular art museums in the world.
WHERE TO STAY
Hostels
Budget: $15-$30 per night
Recommendation: Way Hostel | Ok Hostel
Hotels
Budget: $60-$120 per night
Recommendation: SLEEP’N Atocha | Motion Chueca
WHAT TO EAT
Chocolate con churros – Madrid’s most delectable breakfast (or late-night snack) can be found all winter long at street stands and in many bars and cafés.
Read also the best time to visit Spain.
6. ROME, ITALY
TOP THINGS TO DO
Visit the Trevi Fountain. The world’s most famous fountain, a Baroque explosion of tritons, winged horses and drinking snakes, gleams bright as the teeth of the Cheshire Cat.
Marvel at the Colosseum. The biggest amphitheatre ever built and the ultimate symbol of imperial Rome.
Lounge at Galleria Borghese. A favourite among travellers to Rome, the Galleria Borghese is half-villa and half-museum, and it has some resplendent gardens too.
Head to St. Peter’s Basilica. The epicentre of Roman Catholicism, St. Peter’s Basilica is centred in Vatican City and open daily for free.
Stop by at the Roman Forum (Foro Romano). The Roman Forum comprises much of the Ancient Rome’s most important structures, from shrines to government houses to monuments.
WHERE TO STAY
Hostels
Budget: $25- $35 per night
Recommendation:Freedom Traveller| La Controra Hostel Rome
Hotels
Budget: $80-$160 per night
Recommendation: Hotel Cristoforo Colombo| Park Hotel Ginevra
WHAT TO EAT
Supplì: Deep-fried snacks that are tasty, comforting and oh-so-satisfying.
MORE ON ITALY
7. STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
TOP THINGS TO DO
Watch the sun go down from Monteliusvägen cliff path. Be sure to end one of your days of sightseeing by watching the sun go down over the shimmering surface of Lake Mälaren.
Catch a ferry to the city’s greenest island, Djurgården. Stockholmers are obsessed with nature, and with Djurgården’s calm waterside and woodland trails.
Dress down at Hellasgården’s lakeside sauna. It’s worth combining a trip to Hellasgården’s sauna with one of the easy hiking trails around the lake.
Drink craft beer in eco-friendly Hammarby Sjöstad. If you’re not in the mood for a beer, soak up the atmosphere for free with a stop on the curved wooden seating deck on the waterfront next to Lugnets Allé.
Play ping pong at underground games mecca Ugglan.In the heart of Stockholm’s Brooklyn-inspired SoFo district, the legendary basement venue Ugglan is where locals literally seek out fun and games during gloomy winter evenings.
WHERE TO STAY
Hostels
Budget: $30-$40 per night
Recommendation: Generator Stockholm | City Hostel Central Station
Hotels
Budget: $100-$200
Recommendation: Mornington Hotel | Connect Hotel City
WHAT TO EAT
Meatballs: Try the traditional dish with mash potato, lingonberry jam and a thick gravy at Meatballs for the People in Södermalm.
8. VENICE, ITALY
TOP THINGS TO DO
Take a Ferry to Murano, Burano and Torcello. Murano, Burano and Torcello are the three most famous islands near Venice.
Visit the Bridge of Sighs. Perhaps Venice’s most famous architectural jewel, the Bridge of Sighs is situated in the city centre near the Piazza San Marco.
Go to the Venetian Ghetto. It was the world’s first ghetto (in fact the word ghetto itself comes from Italian), established in 1516 when the Venetian Republic restricted Jews to this area of the city.
Head to St. Mark’s Square. St. Mark’s Basilica is the most famous building in Venice, St Mark’s Square is the most famous piazza.
Stroll or take a Gondola ride in Canale Grande. Venice has literally hundreds of canals that connect the various islands that make up the city, the largest of which is the Canale Grande.
WHERE TO STAY
Hostels
Budget: $40-$50 per night
Recommendation: Wombats Venice | Generator Venice
Hotels
Budget: $100-$200 per night
Recommendation: Residenza La Loggia| Hotel Belle Arti
9. PARIS, FRANCE
TOP THINGS TO DO
Critique Cubism at the Musée Picasso. Home to the world’s largest public collection of Picasso’s inimitable oeuvre, it now covers almost 54,000 square feet in two buildings.
Admire the world’s greatest art collection at the Louvre. The most recognized symbol of Paris is the Tour Eiffel, but the ultimate traveler’s prize is the Louvre.
Take in the View From the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is to Paris what the Statue of Liberty is to New York and what Big Ben is to London: the ultimate civic icon. The view from the top is equally breathtaking, although queues can be long so be prepared to wait!
Explore the Palais-Royal Gardens or head to Versailles for a day trip.
Shop your heart out at the Galerié Lafayette. There’s something for everyone here.
WHERE TO STAY
Hostels
Budget: $30- $50 per night
Recommendation: St.Christopher’s Inn Gare Du Nord | FIAP Jean Monnet
Hotels
Budget: $80- $160 per night
Recommendation: Elysees Ceramic | Hotel Des Arenes
WHAT TO EAT
Macarons and all the bread and cheese you can find. Paris is a place where you must sample local bakeries and cafeterias to get an idea of what each neighbourhood has to offer.
10.VIENNA, AUSTRIA
TOP THINGS TO DO
Marvel at the Schönbrunn Palace. The old Imperial family’s summer residence, the Schönbrunn Palace is one of Vienna’s most popular attractions.
See the Hofburg palace. The main imperial palace and winter residence of the Habsburgs, Hofburg Palace is a must-see when you’re in Vienna.
Head to the Albertina. The Albertina Museum is one of Vienna’s most impressive art galleries and houses one of the largest print rooms in the world and covers most works of art from photography through modern graphics and impressionism.
Admire the view from Danube Tower. Up at 155m, you can enjoy an unspoilt panorama around Vienna.
Ride the Giant Ferris Wheel. The Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel has been turning since 1897, affording a unique view of the city on the Danube.
WHERE TO STAY
Hostels
Budget: $30-$45 per night
Recommendation: Meininger Vienna Central Station | Westend City Hotel
Hotels
Budget: $70-$150 per night
Recommendation: Pension Hargita | Austria Trend Hotel Ananas Wien
WHAT TO EAT
Wiener Schnitzel: A thin veal cutlet, dipped in dough and pan-friend. This makes for a filling and apt meal when you are in Austria.
MORE EUROPE TRAVEL TIPS & DESTINATIONS
- 9 Cheapest Cities In Europe To Visit
- 10 Cheapest European Countries To Visit In Europe
- 25 Travel Tips To Save You A Ton Of Money In Europe
- 7 Travel Apps For Europe For Budget Travelers
MORE EUROPE ITINERARIES
- How to spend two weeks in Europe
- How to spend on month in Europe + Budget
- Europe Backpacking Itinerary
EUROPE PACKING LIST TIPS
If you’d like to avoid the peak season crowds, take advantage of lower hotel prices and cheaper flights, traveling to Europe in October or autumn is a great idea.
You’ll have a lot less sunny days and beach destinations are probably off the list, but you can see the best of Europe at half the price!
If you’d like a step by step trip planning guide, check out my Europe Trip Planner eBook.
Exploring Tourism says
Nice interpretation of all destinations.Thanks for sharing
William S says
Nice share, I and my family are planning our next trip to Paris in Jan, the only issue we have now is we are carrying a 3 year old baby, you got tips? Thanks!
-Will