Weather and tourists - best month of the year to go to Europe?

Have had 2 trips to Europe, both from mid Sept to 1st week of Oct - whether we were lucky or not, the weather for the 1st trip (Italy/UK) I think we had 2 days of rain in 18 days, other trip of 23 days (Fr/Ger/Aust/It/Swit/UK) we had maybe 3 days of rain. I think mid Sept, or late May/early June is best bet, with May/June having the edge because of longer daylight hours. One think I found funny/scary - in Venice at end of Sept, commented to a merchant on Rialto bridge about how many tourists - he said that was nothing, we should see the place in July and Aug(!) - well, I think I'd be afraid as it was almost like a sheep paddock when we were there! So if you want good weather and want to avoid the worst crush, either late May/June or mid-Sept.

I agree with Nicole. If you can't go Sept/Oct then the next best is probably May/June. But, again, it all depends on where you are going. My first trip was a week in London (last week of May) and Paris (first week of June) and we had only 1 day of rain in 2 weeks and that was in Normandy after our Channel crossing. Didn't find the crowds overwhelming at all. My next 3 or 4 trips were in autumn, either Sept or Oct and weather was wonderful all times and crowds not an issue. Of course when I say crowds weren't an issue that's because I had read horror stories and expected the worst and was pleasantly surprised. Mostly from what I've read, if you're adverse to crowds then don't go in July or August. But, even then, there are ways to work around crowds (early morning/late evening/ off days, etc).

mid sept. to early oct is exactly the period i have currently planned. 15th to 3rd to be more exact. nicole, i just checked the duration of the days in may. i'm completely shocked. in paris for example the sun sets at +21h00 during the entire month of may. call me crazy (?) but i would simply hate to have only 1 or 2 hours a day to enjoy the night of paris. i mean, if all the attractions stayed open until that time it wouldn't be much of a problem, but from what i've seen only a few things stay open for a longer time in the summer, and it's always like 1 extra hour anyway. my mind is blown. can someone confirm if this information is accurate? in the later days of may the sun sets at 22h! this is completely unthinkable in brazil, where even in the summer time with summer hours the sun sets at 19h00 tops. if this is true i'll definitely need to go in mid september, even if i have to delay to 2013... nicole, i'm going to london (2 days), paris (3,5 days), swiss alps (3 days) and italy (9 days). starting on sept 15th.

Yep, the daylight during the summer is amazing here. But it's pretty awful during winter. Right now it's getting dark at 5pm which seems awesome compared to this time last month when it was 4pm. And it doesn't get light until nearly 8am. I personally love the really long hours of daylight, but I'm a night owl so I'm usually going to be up and out in Paris until at least midnight anyway. That's what the locals seem to do in summer as well! Sidewalk cafes and bars are hoppin' well into the wee hours.

I have gone to Europe in May, June, July, August, September and early October. I noticed no difference in crowds till October.Its crowded. I deal with it. If you really don't want crowds it is queiter starting in October, Nov, Jan Feb March and April.( it has a busy Christmas season0

Fraulein, I prefer to travel in either the spring (May/June) or fall (Sept./Oct.) shoulder seasons, but have also been in Europe in April and August. The weather is usually quite decent and while it can be somewhat crowded during the shoulder seasons, it's usually not "hectic". As with any location, there are never any guarantees with the weather, so it's wise to pack accordingly. When I was in Italy last year, the weather was beautiful and hot for the most part, but I did encounter a severe thunder storm in Lucca one evening in late September, with rain of "biblical proportions"! After experiencing that, I could well understand the situation faced by residents in the Cinque Terre about three weeks after that. Cheers!

Our preference is mid Sept to mid October - generally drier and warmer than months of April and May.

I love spring time over here with the extra long days, the pleasant dusks sitting at outdoor cafes, the parks filled with people enjoying the mild weather, and all of the flowers and trees in bloom. Though I like autumn too, I will take spring over fall any time. The air smells so lovely with all of the flowers, and even if it rains, it just has a different quality to it. The weather will be what ever it wants to be and one year is never like the previous one or the one before that. It could be hot and sunny or rainy or chilly, or something in between. Just go with the flow and don't worry about planning for each and every little thing. Do take a coat for evenings or cold days no matter what time of year you come over.

Noticed where you were going - we're also (hopefully) going Sept 16, but going to Italy - Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre(6), South France - Provence area(6), Paris and North (4) then over to UK - Portsmouth London(4) - backwards from you!

FYI, many of the school holiday schedules are different than they are in the States. German schools are out August through mid September. They also have a break in mid-June (this varies). If you're thinking fewer tourists in early September because the American schools are in session, just realize most of Europe is still taking their summer holiday.

For more information about the holidays and school vacations in Germany and in other lands: http://www.holidays-info.com/School-Holidays-Germany/2012/school-holidays_2012.html All the States in Germany stagger their vacations, so one state may have their summer vacation in June, the other one in Aug. Fall vacations and spring vacations are also staggered.

My excuse for traveling for 2 weeks to Europe, leaving on Thanksgiving, used to be because the airfare was significantly cheaper than other times of the year. Hotel prices can be less too. Now my excuse is that there are minimal crowds to deal with during that time of the year. I could just walk right up to the Mona Lisa, without battling elbows and bodies. My other excuse for traveling during that time is that Christmas in Europe is incredibly charming. Most places have some type of Christmas Market set up. Plus being from Florida, the temperature change up from hot/warm to cold, really lets me know I am on vacation. Yes, I expect rain but really for the past few years I have been traveling to Europe during that season, the use of my umbrella has been minimal. Yes, I am sure I miss out on gardens and yes some things are closed during that time (castles) but I would rather enjoy my trip rather than be annoyed by crowds and hoards of tourists. All my 7 trips to Europe, except for 1, have been in the winter. the 1 time, I went to London at the end of May, and although it was 50-60 degrees, it rained non stop the whole 8 days I was there. My shoes never had the chance to dry out and my pant bottoms were soaked up to my knees on a daily basis. And I went thru 3 umbrellas as the wind kept flipping it up, breaking it. So go figure. I will always probably travel in Nov/Dec.

My personal favorites are (for decent weather, crowds and prices): - May/September for north of the Alps - April/October for south of the Alps
- July/August for Scandinavia/Baltics/Arctic Circle You also have to factor in special interests. If you want to run with the bulls in Pamplona, for example, you have to be there in July. The really heavy nightlife on the Greek/Baeleric Isles is during the summer.

Yes, looong daylight hours - here in Nova Scotia, at the peak, it's light until 8-8:30pm and not fully dark until 9:30, then sun-up at 5am. That's one thing I struggled with when deciding - I kinda like it dark earlier -a) so you can enjoy the night time lights and b) so I don't feel like I have to stay out until 11pm - dark earlier = back to the lodgings to relax earlier ;p

"I love spring time over here with the extra long days, the pleasant dusks sitting at outdoor cafes, the parks filled with people enjoying the mild weather, and all of the flowers and trees in bloom. Though I like autumn too, I will take spring over fall any time. The air smells so lovely with all of the flowers, and even if it rains, it just has a different quality to it. "
yes, i don't want to go in a time where the trees are all stripped down. i figured in september that wouldn't be the case yet? how is the blooming during mid september/early october?