Autumn vacations are a wonderful opportunity to escape the approaching winter and enjoy warm temperatures one more time. As every year, we asked ourselves where we could travel to extend summer into autumn. In this post, I’ll show you how we found our perfect destination for October and November and what criteria played a key role in our decision.
If you’d prefer to watch the video where we summarize everything, you can find it here:
Our Thoughts for the Next Autumn Vacation
Already in midsummer, specifically in July, we started thinking about a travel destination. Our goal was to enjoy a vacation in a sunny place before winter arrived. This time, we wanted to discover something new. Here, I’ll show you how we came to our decision.
Our Past Autumn Trips: The Algarve as a Favorite
In past years, the Algarve in Portugal has been our top destination for autumn vacations. With temperatures often exceeding 25 degrees, the weather was almost always pleasantly warm, and the sea was still great for swimming. Since autumn is considered the off-season in the Algarve, there were significantly fewer tourists, bringing many advantages, such as:
- Better availability for attractions like the Benagil Cave, Zoomarine, or Ponta da Piedade
- Lower prices
- More peace and relaxation
However, after several visits, we realized we were missing new and exciting activities. Most of the things that interested us, we had already experienced multiple times. For example, we’ve visited the famous Benagil Cave three times. During our last trip, even the weather wasn’t entirely on our side—it was a bit cooler and rainier.
Don’t get me wrong—the Algarve is still a beautiful autumn destination that we absolutely recommend. If you’ve never been there, feel free to check out our travel reports!
A New Destination for an Autumn Vacation in Europe with Warm Weather – Our 5 Criteria
For this autumn, one thing was clear: we wanted to discover a new place. Here were our five criteria:
- The destination should still have summer-like temperatures in late October/early November.
- Ideally, we wanted to be able to swim at the beach.
- The location should be no more than four hours away by plane.
- We wanted a destination we hadn’t visited before.
- The prices should be as affordable as possible.
Flight Research: Greece and Crete as Options
First, we looked into affordable flight destinations and found that Athens was quite inexpensive.
Our idea: a road trip from Athens through the Peloponnese and other parts of Greece—a city trip in Athens combined with a tour of mainland Greece. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, the climate map showed that autumn temperatures in Athens and on the mainland only range between 18 and 24 degrees, and the sea, at 18 to 21 degrees, was just barely okay for swimming. So, this option was ruled out.
We kept searching and came across Crete. Although we had been there a long time ago, there were still many things we hadn’t seen back then. The temperatures here were also slightly higher than on the mainland. However, there was one problem: at this time of year, there were only a few flight options available.
Climate data | Athens | Crete |
|---|---|---|
October: Temperature (°C) | 18 – 24 | 20 – 26 |
October: Water temperature(°C) | 20 – 21 | 22 – 23 |
November: Temperature (°C) | 12 – 18 | 15 – 20 |
November: Water temperature (°C) | 18 – 19 | 20 – 21 |
Cyprus as the Destination for Our Autumn Vacation
After initially crossing Greece off our list, we noticed Cyprus during another search of flight destinations. While the island isn’t part of Greece, it is culturally and historically quite closely connected.
Cyprus was a completely new destination for us—we had never been there before. Flights to Paphos were affordable, and the climate data showed temperatures of up to 28 degrees in October and around 24 degrees in November. Additionally, the water temperatures were significantly more pleasant compared to Athens and Crete, making swimming even more enjoyable. All in all, Cyprus seems to be the perfect destination for our autumn vacation this year.
Climate data | Athens | Crete | Cyprus |
|---|---|---|---|
October: Temperature (°C) | 18 – 24 | 20 – 26 | 22 – 28 |
Oktober: Water temperature (°C) | 20 – 21 | 22 – 23 | 23 – 24 |
November: Temperature (°C) | 12 – 18 | 15 – 20 | 18 – 24 |
November: Water temperature (°C) | 18 – 19 | 20 – 21 | 21 – 22 |
By the way: Now, at the end of September, flight prices for our travel period are significantly higher than they were in July, and our outbound flight in the second half of October is already fully booked. Booking early definitely pays off!
Our Conclusion on Choosing a Destination for Our Warm Autumn Vacation in Europe
An autumn vacation is the perfect opportunity to escape the approaching winter and enjoy the sun one more time. While the Algarve had been our go-to destination in recent years, this year we wanted to discover somewhere new.
This year, Cyprus won us over with its mild autumn climate. With temperatures reaching up to 28 degrees in October and still a pleasant 24 degrees in November, it seemed perfect for us. However, the deciding factor was the water temperatures: with up to 24 degrees in autumn, the sea in Cyprus is significantly warmer than on the Greek mainland or in Crete. This combination of mild weather, warm water, and an exciting new destination made Cyprus the ideal choice for our autumn vacation.
Sometimes, research like this can be quite time-consuming and exhausting. However, it’s also enjoyable and sparks plenty of new ideas. For example, we’re now quite certain that we’ll plan a road trip in Greece at some point. Athens and the Peloponnese seem like the perfect choice for a varied and exciting trip.
Useful Travel Resources for Your Planning
Here are the most important providers we use and recommend for our travel bookings:
- Tours and Activities: We always research interesting activities on this site*. If we don’t find what we’re looking for, we also use this alternative*.
- Hotels: We book our accommodations through Booking.com*, which offers a vast selection and fair prices.
- Flights: For flight research, we usually use Skyscanner* to find the best deals.
- Rental Cars: For rental cars, we use this comparison site* to stay flexible and secure.
- For even more travel tips and recommendations, feel free to check out our YouTube channel!
