I have been planning a trip to Europe this August. Beginning in Lyon and the French Alps for about 6 days, then traveling to Venice for a day or two the balance of the trip will be in Slovenia where I have family. I plan on staying 3 to 4 weeks. I was planning on going in August but because a seaside trip fell through am now considering early October. Would be interested in hearing pros and cons from experienced travelers.
Thank you so very much!!!
Two of many possible considerations: 1) Weather - it should be much cooler in October, but may get much much cooler if you stay a month. 2) Tourists - August is very busy with both European and other tourists. October is much less so, but some sights/places may have more limited hours after the summer rush. Consult guidebooks and your family.
I would choose October in a heartbeat. August is when Europeans go on extended vacations. So not only do you have the crowds traveling while school is out in the US, you have more crowds from more locals. This also means that lots of smaller shop’s & restaurants close completely while they go on vacation.
The only issue might be for lifts that you want to take in the Alps. Check to see if they close down off season.
Europe is already very crowded , and summer will be worse. Go in Oct to avoid the heat and some of the crowds. I'm not convinced that shoulder season is "off" season any more, but you should experience smaller crowds.
Safe travels!
Between the two, if they were the actual choices for me now, I choose August. Years past I went on trips that spilled over into August or started the trip in August. I went once in Oct, only to Austria and Germany, ie, 2019, didn't like it, really not worth it.
Since we have not vacation in every month, it is a bit hard to make a month to month comparison. However we have had tendency over many years to travel in the mid Sep to most of Oct time period with good success. We find the weather milder -- can still be hot but humidity seems to be lower. Rarely have any rain beyond a couple of hours maybe once a week. We think it is the best time but who knows?
We’re headed to Croatia September 1 through October 7. We’ve traveled this time before and it is a bit cooler in the north around Zagreb. But not freezing cold by any means. Just a light jacket cool.
For me, as someone said above, I would choose October in a heartbeat. I think it's such a lovely time to travel.
I would do August, especially if you are thinking the end of Augustm because with 3 to 4 weeks that would put you into September which is a pretty sweet time to be Venice and Slovenia. If you go in say mid-October that means your trip extends into mid-November and the weather can be pretty sour by then. Also things like outdoor cafes and anything dealing with the water doesnt work well in October/November.
In most locations the hottest month is not August, it is July but you will be at altitude most of the trip anyway; but do check the weather sites and decide for yourself about what it hot and what is not. The peak tourist month is also July, so by mid-August the crowds should be on the decline and by September things are getting really slow.
August only if the hotels have air conditioning. Yes, the gray and damp returns by late October-early November in central Europe.
Either one, I live in South Georgia, so I can handle the heat in August.
August is a great time to visit Scandinavia or Scotland.
October is nice for Greece, Italy or Spain. Even doing Great Britain, we did a month in October driving around Wales and England. It was nice until the end of the month and had to wear jackets.
Do you like crowds and hot sweaty people? Then go in August.
I always go in off-season but lately October is still crowded. But I like the lack of crowds and kids so I would always do October. Plus the airfare is cheaper because the kids are back in school.
Hot sweaty people in the French Alps and Slovenia in August is unlikely. The degree of unlikely depends on if the start in Lyon is in early, mid or late August.
Of course the degree of cold and wet people depends on if the start in Lyon is early, mid or late October.
I like this site for weather: https://weatherspark.com/
If your start is after 15 August, more or less, I choose August. If your start is close to the first of October that would be "Okay". Mid-October, no, would rather do first of August.
Again, check the weather on your travel dates and for your locations. Also August is near, prices might be higher for flights, etc and that might make October a better date for you. Its always comes down to investigation and subjective reasoning, rarely mantra.
Keep in mind too that your decision may come down to receiving lower hotel rates or dealing with the heat. A simple trade-off. Heat waves I have most often encountered in July and August, which , most likely, you'll run into in Lyon. Not as acute in northern France, ie north of the Somme River.
On the hand, if your hotel offers any lower rates at all, that will certainly be in August. Hotel staff have told me as much when I was checking out their establishments, regardless of the availability of AC or not, for future trips.
