Europe is a beautiful continent. With so much to do throughout the year, many people wonder when is the best time to visit it.
The best time or season to visit Europe depends on what you want from your vacation. Most people who are considering a Europe vacation have a goal in mind. They may want to pick a time that is less expensive, more beautiful, hotter, colder, or less or more touristy.
This is something you should consider when you are trying to determine when is the best time to go to Europe. Before you do that though, you probably want a little more information.
Less Touristy and Less Expensive
The best time to go to Europe when there aren’t many tourists around is November and December. Since there aren’t many tourists, hotels and tourist activities offer discounts. They are still in business and need to attract as many people as possible. Just be sure to check with the attractions you would like to visit during your vacation, as they can have reduced hours during non-tourist seasons.
Flights to Europe from the United States are cheaper from November to late March. This is because most people are flying within the United States to visit family during the holidays.
Working Around Dry Summers and Wet Winters
If you want to visit Europe when it’s less likely to rain, go to Italy and Greece April, May, September or October. The best time is the Spring because it’s right after the rains of the winter, so the land is green and luscious. There aren’t many tourists around yet, so you’ll still be able to experience what real life is like in the area by meeting a lot of locals.
Other areas you may want to visit during May, June, September and October are:
- France
- Spain
- Portugal
- Greece
- Turkey
Escaping the Heat
Spain is uncomfortably hot during July and August, so it’s not the best time to visit the country. You should plan on traveling to central Spain during the late spring and early fall. This is when the weather is not hot yet or is cooling down from the summer. It’s when most of the festivals are held because of the weather being much more tolerable.
Catching Oktoberfest
Many people want to visit Bavaria to experience popular Oktoberfest. What most people are often disappointed about is that the event isn’t in the middle of the month, it’s the first weekend of the month and starts in September. Oktoberfest starts the last two weeks in September and ends the first weekend in October. Plan your Munich trip based on that information.
Vacationing in the Summer
If you must take a Europe vacation in the summer, you may want to choose Scandinavia. It has the best weather in Europe during the summer months. You’ll be comfortable because the temperature isn’t too hot, and it doesn’t rain much. The other advantage is that the days are the longest in the summer, so you have plenty of time to see all of the sites.
Highest Festival Time
If you love European festivals, you’ll enjoy Edinburgh International Festival. It’s during August and September. Just keep in mind that this is the busiest time for tourists and the prices for hotels and attractions can be the highest, but you’ll be able to experience everything Scotland is known for with the locals.
Beautiful Scenery
The flower festival is in September for Amsterdam, so you’ll see flowers everywhere. You will find the scenery beautiful in Britain during the month of May because the gardens will be in bloom. It’s before all of the tourists get there too, so it can be much more affordable.
Consider What You Want and Plan a Vacation
Now that you know the best times to visit Europe, start to think about when you would like to go. There’s a place for every time of the year. Just decide what’s most important to you. If you can’t decide on just one time of year, decide to visit your most preferred time and then go again at a different time. You may just find that each area of Europe provides enough fun to enjoy the continent no matter when you go.