Europe By Season – Here’s Where To Go For The Best Of Each Season

When you start planning a trip to Europe, there are so many places to visit that it’s like ‘where do I start?’ I’ve organized this guide on visiting Europe by season so that you could narrow down the choices by the time of year that you will be visiting. Of course, it’s not the end all, be all. You could visit some of the places at different times of year that I’ve mentioned and still have a great time. But, this can give you a guide to make all the planning less overwhelming. I’ve included links to my more detailed guides as well. You might notice that Norway is in every season – that’s because it’s my favorite place to visit in Europe and there’s never a bad time to visit!

Europe By Season – Here’s Where To Go For The Best Of Each Season

Where to visit in Europe in summer

Balkans road trip

Taking a Balkans road trip was the best summer trip I have done in Europe and summer is a time when this whole area is at its best.

I visited Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Albania over the two-week road trip. Albania was by far my favorite spot of the trip because of the cheap prices, incredibly clear water, and great seafood so if you can’t do a road trip, I’d recommend visiting Albania.

Here’s my full guide on planning a Balkans road trip and Albania travel guide as well.

Norway

Summer is a great time to visit Norway, or other Scandinavian destinations like Sweden, Iceland or Finland if you would like to do some of the hiking or other outdoor activities.

You would also be able to fit a lot of experiences into your holiday because of the long days and even the midnight sun. It’s a popular time so you could expect more tourists but it’s a great time to maximize hiking and exploring the outdoors.

This would be a good time to visit Nordkapp in Norway for a Puffin tour or King Crab Safari tour.

Mallorca

I just visited Mallorca this summer and it was another great place for a beach getaway. Think about it – beaches, sunshine, tapas, jugs of Sangria. It sounds like a recipe for an awesome summer vacay, doesn’t it?

You can also buy straw bags on just about every corner, and my biggest regret is not getting one. I still dream about them.

Summer is a peak time to visit Mallorca (and most of Europe for that matter), but if you want to soak in the sunshine and do a lot of swimming, then it’s the best time. Just avoid August if you can.

Greece

Greece is very popular in summer, but it’s also a good time to be able to experience the beach days, snorkeling, long summer days, and great food at the local tavernas.

Santorini and Mykonos are going to be pretty crowded, so unless they are must-see’s for you it might be worth skipping them. I’ve had fun experiences visiting Corfu and Crete in summer.

Where to visit in Europe in autumn

Switzerland

If your visit is at the beginning of autumn, you might be able to catch a Descent of the Alpine Cows festival – where farmers adorn their cows in flower crowns and proudly walk them down from the mountains for the winter.

The mix of scenic landscapes and a seemingly endless supply of melted raclette cheese, hot chocolate, and, of course, fondue make Switzerland a great choice for autumn travel in general. Some of my other favorite spots are Lucerne, Zermatt, and Lauterbrunnen.

Slovenia

Slovenia is a fantastic place for people who enjoy nature and the outdoors.

The area looks beautiful in autumn with all the colors of the season in the trees. I recommend going glamping in Slovenia (like fancy camping), and taking some outdoor-based trips to places like Vintgar Gorge, Lake Bled, or Bovec Waterfall.

Italy

Visiting Italy in Autumn is a great way to avoid the intense crowds, hiked up prices, and sweltering heat of summer.

Seeing the Colosseum is much more pleasant in the off-season because the weather is more bearable and there are fewer crowds. Places like Venice, Milan, Cinque Terre, and other popular hot spots are much nicer to visit in Autumn as well.

The Dolomites are incredibly beautiful in autumn as the area is painted with different shades of orange, red, and yellow. If you enjoy hiking, I recommend trying at least a couple of hikes in the Dolomites during your visit.

Helsinki

I visited Helsinki in autumn and it was a fantastic city trip.

Visiting in autumn meant it was still cold, but not freezing, so I could walk around during the day comfortably. Since there are a lot of natural areas like parks and lakes in Helsinki, it looks beautiful in autumn.

It was also cold enough to do some hot and cold therapy in the freezing cold lake and authentic saunas too – I wrote about that experience here and it was such a fun day.

Malta

If you’re visiting Europe in Autumn, Malta is a great destination to add to your list.

The weather is mild enough to walk around the cities, take a Jeep tour in Gozo (I loved doing this), and, if you luck out with rain, you might be able to enjoy some swimming in the Meditteranean Sea. I visited in November and was able to go swimming in the mornings because the hotel I stayed at was right on the water – it was perfect!

Norway

Crisp days, warm fires, and beautiful nature make Norway a fantastic place to visit in autumn. Since it’s not the peak season, you will be able to avoid the crowds of summer, though some tours may not be available as some are seasonal.

I visited for my birthday last year (couldn’t imagine a better destination for my 30th birthday than my favorite place in the world), and it was fun to see the landscape before it gets covered in its winter blanket.

Where to visit in Europe in winter

Prague

Prague is an absolute fairytale around Christmas time.

The Christmas markets fill the center of town where you can feast on all sorts of delicious food and wash it all down with a cup of warm wine as you walk around sightseeing. When it comes to sightseeing, you can see everything from bridges, to the John Lennon wall, to even a sex machine museum – I’m not kidding!

If you have a sweet tooth, don’t forget to try a Trdelnîk (or three) while you’re there.

France

Another fairytale-like destination in winter is France.

The Christmas markets in Colmar are like walking through the Beauty and the Beast movie at Christmas time. Make sure you try all the baguettes you can while you’re there and have comfortable shoes to walk around the city soaking in all the colorful, city views.

Strasbourg is also another great stop, and in my post linked above, I included a planning guide since it is close to Colmar.

Winter is also a nice time to visit Paris because there are fewer crowds and you might be able to find a good deal on accommodation. The only downside is the weather as you might get some rain, but if that doesn’t bother you then winter makes for a cozy time to visit.

Germany

Germany is another place to go in winter for fairytale-like Christmas markets.

Honestly, there’s a lot of places in Europe where you can experience Christmas markets and that quintessential European winter feel. So, I’ll end the Christmas market list with Germany, but I wanted to add it in because they also have cool Krampus events as well as huge Christmas markets.

Here’s my post on more of my favorite winter destinations in Europe.

You can also find Krampus events in places like Italy and Austria – I wrote about my experience at a Krampus parade in Italy here.

Norway

This is a big one – northern Norway is pure magic and a winter wonderland. I went to this cabin for Christmas one year and it’s still the first thing that comes to mind when I think of favorite places to visit.

If you want something a little different to a usual city-scape and, dare I say, a little extraordinary, renting a cabin up in the north of Norway is a great choice. If you don’t like isolation or want a more touristy experience, Tromso is another good option in the north of Norway.

I also visited Oslo in winter and loved walking around with a hot chocolate there as I explored the beautiful parks and waterfront area.

Estonia

I have so much love for Estonia! The hearty food, sitting outside in the town square at restaurants while wrapped in a blanket, the spa culture, and nature day trips close by all made it easy to love.

It’s also a great place to visit in autumn because of the spooky vibes – I think it would be great to visit around Halloween.

But if you want a charming, old-town-Europe, winter wonderland type place to visit, then head to Tallinn.

I wrote a full guide with more information on things to do in Tallinn here, but, to me, it’s an underrated gem of Europe.

Where to visit in Europe in spring

England

Overall, the UK is beautiful in spring.

In England, I’m sure you’ve heard about London, and here’s my London travel guide, but I also recommend visiting Bath for the historic Roman Baths and spa culture.

Iceland

Get in before the summer crowds hit by visiting Iceland in spring.

It’s a great time to drive around the ring road. You can avoid the crowds and still experience a lot of the sights since you will get a good amount of daylight each day. Soaking in the local pools is a relaxing way to end the day and a nice treat in the cool evenings.

Here’s my guide on driving around the ring road in 7 days, and here’s my guide for staying in Reykjavik and seeing the Golden Circle area.

Budapest

Like Tallinn, Budapest is another underrated city in Europe.

The weather is mild enough in spring to enjoy strolling and sightseeing, as well as soaking in the many thermal pools around the city in the evenings. The Kiraly Baths were my favorite thermal baths, but the Thermal Beer Spa was also a cool experience.

It’s one of the more budget-friendly cities which was a nice treat too.

Here’s my full travel guide for Budapest with more things to do.

Portugal

Unless you really want to be swimming on your beach days, any season outside of summer is good for visiting Portugal. Early autumn or late spring would be good options if you want to hit the beaches but can’t visit in summer.

It’s a popular destination so if you can avoid the crowds, it makes for a pleasant trip.

Lisbon is a vibrant and fun city with some of the most amazing food – make sure you take a walking food tour while you’re there because there is so much to try. A day trip to the colorful, castle filled Sintra is really easy to do from Lisbon too.

Porto is another good destination in Lisbon. While you’re there, make sure you rent a bike and cruise the city and also try the famous Francesinha sandwich.

Norway

I haven’t been in spring, but I’m sure it’s great because, well, it’s Norway. I imagine spring to be a nice time to watch the landscape come to life after the long winter.

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