Where to go in Europe in September

In September, Europe's heaving summer crowds ease off, and the temperatures begin to cool a bit. That makes it the perfect time to explore everything the continent has to offer, from cozy English villages to sparkling Turkish coastlines.

Here are six of the top places to go in Europe in September so you can truly take advantage of the shoulder season.

1. Cotswolds, UK

Best for villages

In the golden light of September, the Cotswolds seem to ooze honey. This land of rolling hills (wolds), hiding historic towns and stone hamlets in their clefts and valleys, has long attracted urbanites seeking an English idyll. Visit in September not just to miss the heaviest onslaughts of bus tours but to enjoy the countryside at its finest and admire the leaves beginning to spark into their fiery autumn finery in the wonderful arboretums at Westonbirt and Batsford.

True, this region is hardly undiscovered: Cotswold favorites such as Castle Combe and Bourton-on-the-Water can get thronged with tourists in summer. But it’s not hard to find peace, especially if you’re prepared to stretch your legs. A comprehensive network of footpaths laces the region, while the 164km Cotswold Way traces the escarpment, linking charming villages strung along the route between Chipping Campden and Bath.

2. Istria, Croatia

Best for cycling

Overflowing with asparagus, olives and oysters, Istria, the triangular peninsula nudging into the Adriatic in far northwest Croatia, is a tasty destination. And there are few tastier times to explore Istria than in September, when grapes are harvested and truffles ripen beneath the forest floor. Build up an appetite cycling between feasts – there's relatively easy pedaling along the coast.

Roam the lovely Venetian port of Rovinj, and admire Pula’s impressive Roman amphitheater. But for the real gastro treats, crank up the calf muscles to explore the truffle-centric hilltop settlements of medieval Motovun, Buzet and tiny Hum in the north, and the wine regions around Buje and Momjan to the northwest – white malvasia and red teran are the top local tipples. Ease into your edible odyssey on the Parenzana Trail cycling route, following 123km of disused railway line between Trieste in Italy and Poreč on the Istrian coast, with a short stretch in Slovenia.

3. La Palma, Spain

Best for hiking

The northwesterly outpost of the Canaries is reputedly the steepest island in the world. Unsurprisingly, La Palma offers some of the most dramatic, diverse hiking in this volcanic archipelago, with around 1000km of footpaths. September promises reliable sunshine but thankfully cooler temperatures, as well as improved availability for accommodations after the main summer peak.

In the south, trails cross crispy black lava flows to the lighthouse and saltpans at Fuencaliente. Running north along the island’s spine is the Ruta de los Volcanes, with dramatic views to the coasts on the east and west. The highlight is the full-day trek through the Caldera de Taburiente, rocky ravines and Canarian pine forests.

The streets of the capital Santa Cruz de la Palma are also made for walking, lined with Renaissance churches, vintage pharmacies and 18th-century mansions. Beaches – mostly black volcanic sand – provide post-hike relaxation.

4. Bologna, Italy

Best for food

The nickname La Grassa (The Fat One) gives you an idea of what to expect in Bologna; home of ragù, this is Italy’s bulging belly, where life seems to revolve around food. September – when the weather is still warm enough for outdoor eating – means the start of autumn produce: mushrooms, pumpkins, game and chestnuts. These flavors join other delicious ingredients gracing the menus of the city’s lauded restaurants and down-to-earth trattorias, as well as the market stalls and delis of the Quadrilatero (Bologna’s historic gourmet food district).

Another Bologna nickname is La Dotta (The Learned One), a nod to what’s reputedly Europe’s oldest university. Thanks partly to its large student population, the city is awash with lively bars too.

Between meals, stroll the top sights in the historic center via the Piazza Maggiore, Fontana del Nettuno and the archaeological museum, and climb the 498 steps of the Torre degli Asinelli or, just southwest of Bologna, amble through 666 arches to reach the hilltop sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca.

5. Turquoise Coast, Türkiye

Best for sailing

If diving off the wooden deck of a twin-masted sailing boat into the impossible blue of the Mediterranean is your idea of heaven on a hot day, you’re not alone. A century ago, renowned Turkish writer Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı took to hiring local sponge-diving boats to cruise along the so-called Turquoise Coast from Bodrum on what he called "blue voyages." Over the following decades, increasing numbers of Turkish and foreign tourists recognized the appeal, and today a wide range of vessels – some more traditional, some built specifically for the cruises – ply the waters along Türkiye's Aegean and Mediterranean coasts from Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye, stopping to visit ancient sites such as Letoön and Patara, and to swim, lounge on a beach, eat and drink. It’s a perfect holiday for families too. By September, temperatures (and tourist numbers) are happily subsiding, but the water’s still bathwater warm and the sites as alluring as ever.

6. Transylvania, Romania

Best for a road trip

The Transfăgărăşan Highway has been described as the world’s best road, and it’s certainly in the running. This lofty route, 90km of jinking bends and high passes, was constructed over 4 years on the orders of former president Nicolae Ceauşescu to provide a cross-mountain military route between the Romanian regions of Transylvania and Wallachia.

September’s the time to traverse its hairpins, when the weather is temperate (snow closes the road between October and June) and autumn colors set hillsides ablaze. Driving north to south, you’ll pass the Bâlea waterfall and climb to mirrorlike Lake Bâlea, continuing to the crag-top ruins of Poienari Citadel, a key lair of Vlad Țepeș (aka the Impaler, and the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula), and descending to visit the royal tombs in 16th-century Curtea de Argeş Monastery.