Off-Season Travel in Europe

Summer vacations, for many, are the highlight of the year.

Towards sunnier climates, enjoying the beach, or having ice cream in the shade of a beautiful cathedral: this is the definition of what it means to travel.

But for others, the best time to travel is out of season.

You'll hear savvy travelers extol the virtues of September-May travel so often you'll probably know them by heart: fewer tourists, more cultural options and opportunities to mingle with the locals, a more laid-back vibe, airfare, and hotel fares. cheaper and the lack of that hotter summer.

While there are peak season benefits in Europe: it rains less, there is maximum natural light, light is easy to pack, and there are abundant tourist resources, off-season travel still dwarfs peak-season travel for many adventurers.

We hope you enjoy watching this video about Europe in Off-Season, Where and Why You Should Go

Source: SmarterTravel

Places to Go

First, let's set some commonly agreed off-season and off-season dates:

• High season: (high season): summer, mid-June to August.
• Mid-season: April to May, some say mid-June, September to October.
• Low season: November to March

Smart travelers base their destinations on seasonal considerations.

For example, you may not like eating traditional tourist favorites from Germany, Switzerland, or Austria in the summer; the food is too heavy for the heat.

But on a cold autumn day, you might be more than happy to walk through the Black Forest or cross the Rhine, then head back to your hotel, take a hot shower, and walk down the stairs to a medieval room with wooden beams and a fireplace for eating loads of sausage and spaetzle while drinking vigorously from a bottle of homemade Riesling.

Truffles: The Sexy Fungus

Truffles give off the sexiest scent on the planet, according to some people.

Why not rip some of them yourself? Head to Italy's Piedmont to sample fabulous food and hunt down some of your own tubers at La Casa del Trifulau:

Food and wine from the Piedmont region of Italy

Or, if you just want to stay at a truffle hunters B&B, plan a November trip to Tra Arte & Querce and have a truffle breakfast every morning (and more for dinner if you wish).

If you're in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, you can join an autumn truffle hunt in October-November at Al Vecchio Convento, which also offers a fine-dining restaurant, cooking classes, and a buffet dinner once a week with traditional dishes dancing to the sound of local Romagna music.

If only buying and eating truffles interests you: Go to a truffle market in France that welcomes visitors.

The best way to do this is when you rent an apartment so you can enjoy the experience of slicing your truffle over your morning scrambled eggs.

A Wine Festival in Tuscany

Yes, people in Europe place a lot of importance on wine, especially after the harvest is over. People tend to dress in medieval costumes and celebrate as they did long before the advent of television and other time-wasting endeavors.

Art

And, if you really want to get into the lifestyle, you can take a course in Ancient Painting or Engraving Techniques and live a little in Italy.

Falling over Florence? Try L'Accademia D'Arte.

For the Contrarian - the Polar Circle and Iceland

Why not go against the grain and choose a tour that doesn't promise to warm the cockles of your vacation heart? Say, a tour of Denmark and Greenland where you can choose from a wide variety of winter pastimes as early as November, like a dog sledding experience or a reindeer safari, not to mention a night in an igloo? Also, when people ask where you went on vacation, you can say "Kangerlussuaq" (or maybe you can't).

Or why not visit Iceland in the fall? You could see Iceland in the light of the Aurora Borealis in October.

Greenland is also a good place to visit for the hip traveler.

Burning and Armor

Autumn is the mating season for turtles on the Greek island of Kos. You may ask, "so what?" but the truth is: a decent recount of the show is one of those things that will make you a hit at parties for years to come, especially if you can imitate the sound the man makes (let's just say "passionate whistle") as he crashes against the woman's nearly impenetrable armor.

Rain and reduced sunlight

For Mediterranean countries, autumn starts the rainy season. Over the years, many cities have found ways to deal with the inconveniences of daytime rain.

The Italian city of Bologna features a huge network of arcaded streets. You can walk around the city without getting wet.

Medieval Europe had houses with eaves, it's one of the ways you know the old parts of a city. Old towns also offer seductive cafes.

Drop by and have a coffee, soda, or a glass of brandy while waiting for the rain to subside. Or use your train pass to take a scenic train ride.

And yes, the off-season in Europe is marked by fewer hours of sunshine.

If you shudder at the thought of walking "in the center" of a city after dark, consider that European city centers are a little safer than most Americans at these times, because European culture favors meeting places with moderate consumption of alcohol.

Packing Tips

• Easy light package when your daily outfit is shorts and a shirt. Things get complicated when the weather gets cold.

The key is in layers. Bring a light t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, sweater if it's cold, light sweater/rain jacket for rainy days.

• Use Compressor Bags Eagle Creek is an excellent compressor bag.

You will find that you can squeeze 40-50% of the volume out of a sweater with these bags.

Did you find this post useful or inspiring? Save THIS PIN to your Travel Board on Pinterest! 😊

Once again, thank you for visiting our website!

We hope you've enjoyed exploring the content we've created for you.

Give yourself the chance to learn, get inspired, and have even more fun, keep browsing...