The Three Best Months to Travel Europe: A Young Travellers Guide 2026/2027

At a Glance

☀️ Best Overall: June (Best weather to crowds ratio)

❄️ Cheapest: February (Fewest crowds, great for skiing)

🍁 Best compromise: October (The perfect compromise between weather, prices and crowds)

For an in-depth month-by-month guide, head to my post: Month-by-Month Guide for Young Travellers in Europe

☀️ Best Overall: June

View of the sweeping mountains behind the Bay of Kotor — Montenegro in June – Kotor Bay

During June, you get a classic European summer without the peak summer crowds and the slightly lower prices compared to July/August.

You should still expect a decent crowd of people and higher than average prices no matter where you go, but it still hasn’t reached that peak summertime rush yet.

Places to take advantage of in June:

Hiking in the alps from mid-June
Southern Europe (Greece, Turkey, Spain, Portugal) and the Balkans (Croatia, Albania, Montenegro) before the peak summer crowds arrive.

❄️ Cheapest: February

Clear sunny day in the middle of the Swiss alps, hiking from Fiesch to Riederalp in the Aletsch Arena — Sunny February day in the alps, Fiesch Switzerland

If you’re on a budget, and cold weather doesn’t bother you, then February is the month to go. The colder, greyer weather means less tourists and much cheaper accommodation.

Although the chances of bad weather are higher, that still shouldn’t stop you from going. The quieter crowds and cheaper prices are always worth it. Plus, a sunny winters day is beautiful.

Places to take advantage of in February:

Skiing in the alps is something everyone should experience. For budget skiing check out places like Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland.
Northern lights in Scandinavia
Quieter than normal major tourist attractions: Paris, London, Rome, Florence, Venice etc.

🍁 Best Compromise: October

Autumn leaves among the rolling hills and vineyards along the Bergstraße in Germany — Beautiful autumn scenery in Bergstraße, Germany

If you don’t want to spend the peak summer prices and don’t want to endure the freezing cold winter, then October is the perfect compromise.

The weather is still completely manageable, and an added bonus is the Autumn scenery. Prices are also significantly lower than in the summer, and summer crowds have mostly disappeared.

Places to take advantage of in October:

Western European (France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland) towns and cities: significantly less crowds and beautiful autumn scenery