Express Guide: When and Where Young Travellers Should Go in Europe

Snow covered court garden in the Residenz precinct in Munich Germany

For a full in-depth guide, head to: When and Where Young Travellers Should Go in Europe

Everything you need to know about when and where to go in Europe in 3 minutes

☀️ Best Time To Go:

MAY / JUNE / September

  • Warm weather
  • Fewer crowds
  • Cheaper than peak summer months

🔥 Peak Season

July / August

  • Hottest months with the best weather
  • Busiest time of the year – crowded cities, beaches and mountains
  • Highest prices


🌸 🍂 Shoulder Season

April / October / November

  • Beautiful colours – flowers in April and autumn leaves in October/November
  • Smallest crowds of the year without the cold, dark winter weather
  • Considerably cheaper than all summer months

❄️ Off-Season

December – March

  • Cheapest months
  • Cold + grey
  • Christmas markets in December
  • Skiing in January/February
  • Good for budget travellers + winter sport lovers

🗓️ Month-by-Month Snapshot

⛱️ May – Warm Weather / Smaller Crowds

Crystal clear blue water along the edge of the Marjan National Forest in Split Croatia
Split, Croatia
View of Mt Rigi from the Chapel Bridge in Luzern over clear water of the Reuss river flowing through the centre of Luzern
Luzern, Switzerland
Old timer houses lining the centre of the Miltenberg Old Town
Miltenberg Old Town, Germany
Sunny blue skies over the crystal clear waters off the coast of Zadar Croatia
Zadar, Croatia
Bright green vineyards line the steep hills above the town Klingenberg on the Main River in Germany
Klingenberg am Main, Germany
  • 20-26°C in Southern Europe – perfect for early summer weather without the crowds
  • 18-22°C in Central Europe – perfect for city trips with fewer crowds
  • Cheapest prices than any other “warm” month
  • Budget – conscious travellers who want warm weather

Best for: Budget-conscious travellers who still want warm summer-like weather.

⛰️🎊🏝️ June – Classic European Summer

A secluded beach in the Kotor region of Western Montenegro
Zagora, Montenegro
Towering snow capped mountains in the middle of the Swiss alps near the town of Andermatt
Hiking in Andermatt, Switzerland
Lush green trees surround the stunning old town of Heidelberg
Heidelberg, Germany
Looking down onto the deep turqoise waters of Škrčka Jezera in the middle of the Durimitor Alps while hiking Bobotov Kuk
Hiking Bobotov Kuk, Montenegro
A view from Rothorn onto the cloud cover at the top of the peaks surrounding Lake Brienz
Hiking Rothorn, Switzerland
Old church in the Kotor Old Town with the Kotor fortress in the background
Kotor Old Town, Montenegro
  • 20-30°C almost everywhere in Europe
  • Long days
  • Festivals begin
  • Warm seas
  • Beautiful mountains

Best for: Nature trips – beach and mountain adventures across Europe before the peak summer crowds arrive.

☀️🔥 July / August – Peak Summer Season

Beautiful pink reflects off the hills of the Sicilian countryside town of Cammarata
Sicilian countryside town Cammarata, Italy
Holiday huts line the eastern coast of the Swedish island of Öland
Island Öland, Sweden
View of Saint John The Baptist Roman Catholic Church in the beautiful Irish countryside and coastal town of Kinsale
Country town of Kinsale, Ireland
View of the snow capped mountains towering over the Engelberg Vallez
Hiking in Engelberg, Switzerland
A goat walking down a picturesque hill overlooking the Sea of Crete
Roadtripping Crete, Greece
Schloss Braunfels on top of a lush green forest
Schloss (Castle) Braunfels, countryside Germany
Sunset over the beautiful suburb lined with old victorian architecture in Victoria London
Victoria London, UK
  • Best weather of the year 22-30°C+ across Europe
  • Busiest time of the year everywhere
  • Highest prices for accommodation and transport
  • Beach destinations can get chaotic – in particular Southern Europe

Best for: Hiring a car and escaping into the countryside – BOOK EVERYTHING AS EARLY AS YOU CAN.

🏖️⛰️ September – Late Summer Sweet Spot

Sweeping view over eastern Italy over the Tuscan countryside town of Gravanno
Tuscan countryside town Massa Marittima⁩, Italy
Blooming flowers and green trees lining the canals of The Hague
The Hague, Netherlands
Curving Rhein Valley, surrounded by vineyards overlooking the fairytale town of Boppard
Rhein Valley, Germany
Sunset walking over the Rhein River on Mittlere Brücke in the centre of Basel
Basel, Switzerland
Orange sunset over the north sea on the western coast of the Netherlands in Den Haag
Strandslaag 9, Netherlands
  • 20°C+ temperatures in most places at the beginning of the month
  • Warm seas
  • Less crowded mountains and cities
  • Cheaper accommodations

Best for: City trips across Northern Europe with smaller crowds + late summer beach and mountain adventures across Europe.

🍁 October – Autumn Colours

Colourful medieval buildings in Venice with clothes hanging across the canals
Venice, Italy
Autumn leaves in the Bürgwald Spiez Switzerland
Spiez, Switzerland
Beautiful brick gothic buildings and canals of the Bruges old town, Belgium
Bruges, Belgium
Autumn leaves among the rolling hills and vineyards along the Bergstraße in Germany
Bergstraße, Germany
Medieval town of Dordrecht lined with beautiful brick houses and long canals
Dordrecht, Netherlands
Medieval buildings line the coast of the crystal clear waters of the Northern Spanish coast
San Sebastian, Spain
  • Averages of around 10-20°C
  • Fewer crowds in cities
  • Cheaper prices – especially for accommodation and flights

Best for: Cultural city and countryside trips in Central and Northern Europe to enjoy the quieter cities and autumn foliage.

🍂🎄 November / December – Last Autumn Leaves and Christmas Markets

Late autumn leaves along the banks of the Aare River in the Medieval town Thun in Switzerland
Thun, Switzerland
Beautiful clear day with late Autumn leaves and bare vineyards surrounding Cochem Castle in Germany
Cochem Castle, Germany
Bright orange and yellow leaves of the Odenwald surrounding the banks of the river Neckar in Heidelberg
Heidelberg, Germany
Christmas Market stalls and bright colourful lights line the old town of Bern
Bern Christmas Market. Switzerland
Cold bright lights and colourful decorations during Christmas time in London
London, UK
Towering colourfully lit up Christmas tree proudly standing in the middle of the Frankfurt am Main Christmas Markets
Frankfurt Christmas Market, Germany
Crisp clear winters overlooking the old town Salzburg and alps from the Nonnberg Abbey
Salzburg, Austria
Medieval wooden buildings of the Strasbourg old town during the Christmas Market
Strasbourg Christmas markets, France
  • Cold + short days
  • Becoming wet and grey
  • Autumn foliage at the start of November
  • World-famous Christmas Markets all over Europe in December

Best for: Last of the autumn leaves at the start of November and Christmas markets for all of December.

⛷️❄️ January / February – Snow Sports

A beautiful view of Königsee in the Bavarian alps. Crystal clear blue water surrounded by giant peaks in the alps
Königsee, Germany
Snowy streets and gothic architecture that line the streets of the old town in Dresden
Dresden, Germany
Rolling streets in the colourful sunset and colourful houses of the district Ripa in Rome
Rome, Italy
View of the beaming light off the top of the Eiffel tower on the Seine River
Paris, France
Blue skies, skied out piste's, towering snowy mountains, skiers on the piste at Stoos in Switzerland
Skiing in Stoos, Switzerland
Clear sunny day in the middle of the old town of Bratislava standing in front of the Jesuit Church
Bratislava, Slovakia
Snow covered trees and mountain cabins in the middle of the. Austrian alps in Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein, Austrian Alps
Beautiful Baroque architecture of the iconic yellow Schönnbrunn castle in Vienna Austria
Schloss Schönnbrunn, Vienna Austria
Seeping mountains, chair lift, and Trübsee in the background
Skiing on Mt Titlis, Switzerland
Sunny day in the valley of Poschiavo on the Bernina Express
Poschaivo Valley, Switzerland
  • Best time of the year for skiing in the alps across Europe
  • Cold, grey and wet – especially in the cities
  • Cheapest time to go
  • Fewest crowds

Best for: Budget travel across Europe + visiting the alps and mountains all across Europe for winter sports – budget skiing in Eastern Europe (Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria).

🌼 March / April – Spring in Full Swing

Tall towers of Schloss Neuschwanstein on the foot of the Bavarian Alps
Schloss Neuschwanstein, Germany
Umbrellas line the top of the old town of Skopje North Macedonia
Skopje, North Macedonia
Overlooking the Albanian Capital city of Tirana with the Mosque of Namazgah towering over the city
Tirana – Albania
Colourful spring flowers blooming along the Main river at Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Panoramic view of the crystal clear water of Konyaaltı Halk Plajı Beach and Sivri Dağ Milli Parkı in Antalya from Konyaaltı Varyant Büyük Seyir Terası
Antalya, Turkey
View of the snow capped alps and lake Luzern while riding down the bike trails of Mount Rigi in Switzerland
Riding down Mt. Rigi, Switzerland
Historic buildings of St Jovan Bigorski Monastery in the countryside of North Macedonia
St Jovan Bigorski Monastery, North Macedonia
Large pillars line the main street of what was once the bustling but now ancient Roman town of Perge in South Western Türkiye
Ancient Roman city Perge, Turkey
  • First half of March feels like January/February
  • Weather improves drastically from mid-March into April
  • Trees become green, flower bloom, moods uplift in the cities
  • Slightly more expensive than winter but still significant cheaper than summer

Best for: Budget-conscious city trips to enjoy smaller crowds compared to summer and better weather than winter.

📍Where to Go (Quick Picks)

Northern Europe (UK, Nordics, Baltics etc.)

Map of Northern europe
  • Cooler temperatures
  • Expensive
  • Stunning nature

Best for:

  • Fjords
  • Nature
  • Long summer days
  • Escaping crowds

Western Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland etc.)

Map of Western Europe
  • Great all year – best enjoyed in the autumn or spring for the quieter crowds
  • Big cities + deep history and culture + beautiful alps and countrysides
  • Best Christmas Markets in December

Best for:

  • Culture
  • Castles
  • City trips
  • Cute/historic countryside towns

Southern Europe (Iberia, Mediterranean etc.)

Map of Southern Europe
  • Warmest weather
  • Best food
  • Best beaches in Europe
  • Extremely busy in the Summer -> best time to go is in June (full summer weather without chaotic peak summer crowds)

Best For:

  • Beach trips
  • Affordable travel
  • Countryside road-trips in peak summer months

Eastern Europe (Poland, Hungary, Romania, Balkans etc.)

Map of Eastern Europe
  • Cheapest region in Europe
  • Fewest tourists throughout the year
  • Great in Summer

Best For:

  • Budget travel
  • Nature – beaches and mountains in the Balkans
  • Culture – medieval towns and cities in the north-east
  • Hidden gems
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