• Jan
• Feb
• Mar
• Apr
• May
• Jun
• Jul
• Aug
• Sep
• Oct
• Nov
• Dec

Where to go in October

50 of our 95 destinations are at their best in October, across Asia, Middle East, Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Oceania. The best places to visit in October include San Francisco, Amalfi Coast, Barcelona, Churchill, Dubrovnik and Grand Canyon.

Beach trips in October 8

• Amalfi Coast

  Italy · Europe
  $$$$

  Pastel villages stacked on cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea. Positano and Ravello are the highlights; the Path of the Gods hike links them.

  Best: May and June, or September and October

• Bora Bora

  French Polynesia · Oceania
  $$$$

  A turquoise lagoon ringed by a barrier reef under Mount Otemanu. Snorkel with rays and blacktip reef sharks.

  Best: May to October

• Dubrovnik

  Croatia · Europe
  $$$

  Walk the 2 km of medieval walls above terracotta roofs, then take a ferry to the islands of Lokrum or Mljet.

  Best: May and June, or September and October

• Fiji

  Fiji · Oceania
  $$$

  333 islands. The Mamanuca and Yasawa groups have calm lagoons; Taveuni is known as the soft coral capital of the world.

  Best: May to October

• Hawaii (Maui)

  United States · North America
  $$$$

  Sunrise above the clouds at Haleakalā, the winding Road to Hana, and humpback whales offshore from December to April.

  Best: April and May, or September and October

• Moorea

  French Polynesia · Oceania
  $$$$

  A heart-shaped island in French Polynesia, a short ferry ride from Tahiti. Jagged green peaks rise above a lagoon with overwater bungalows and whale watching in season.

  Best: May to October

• Santorini

  Greece · Europe
  $$$

  White villages on a volcanic caldera rim. Oia's sunset is famous and crowded; Imerovigli and Pyrgos are calmer alternatives.

  Best: May and June, or September and October

• Zanzibar

  Tanzania · Africa
  $$

  Swahili coral-stone town, spice plantations and powder-white beaches on the Indian Ocean. Easy to add after a safari.

  Best: June to October, or December to February

City trips in October 10

• Barcelona

  Spain · Europe
  $$$

  Gaudí's Sagrada Família and Park Güell, the Gothic Quarter, and a city beach. Dinner starts at 9pm or later.

  Best: May and June, or September and October

• Buenos Aires

  Argentina · South America
  $

  Parisian boulevards, tango in San Telmo, and late-night parrillas. Dinner rarely starts before 10pm.

  Best: March to May, or September to November

• Lisbon

  Portugal · Europe
  $$

  Seven hills, yellow trams, tiled facades, and fado in Alfama. Day trips to Sintra and the Cascais coast are easy by train.

  Best: April to June, or September and October

• Mexico City

  Mexico · North America
  $

  One of the world's great food cities, with Aztec ruins under the Zócalo, Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul, and Chapultepec's museums.

  Best: March to May, or October and November

• New York City

  United States · North America
  $$$$

  Five boroughs, the Met and MoMA, Broadway, and every cuisine on earth. Walk the High Line and cross the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset.

  Best: April to June, September and October, or December

• Paris

  France · Europe
  $$$

  The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and a café on every corner. Walk the Seine quays at dusk and pick one arrondissement to explore properly.

  Best: April to June, or September and October

• San Francisco

  United States · North America
  $$$$

  Hills, fog, and the Golden Gate Bridge. September and October are the warmest months; Napa and Sonoma are an hour north.

  Best: May, or September and October

• Seoul

  South Korea · Asia
  $$

  Joseon palaces next to glass towers, 24-hour markets, and hiking trails inside city limits. Spring and autumn are mild and clear.

  Best: April and May, or September and October

• Sydney

  Australia · Oceania
  $$$

  The Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the Bondi-to-Coogee coastal walk, and ferries to Manly.

  Best: March to May, or September to November

• Tokyo

  Japan · Asia
  $$$

  The world's largest metro area runs like clockwork. Neighbourhoods feel like separate cities, from Shibuya's crossings to quiet Yanaka.

  Best: March to May, or October and November

Culture trips in October 15

• AlUla

  Saudi Arabia · Middle East
  $$$$

  A desert valley in northwest Saudi Arabia with Hegra, the country's first UNESCO site: over 100 Nabataean tombs cut into sandstone. The mirrored Maraya concert hall stands among the canyons.

  Best: October to March

• Cairo & Giza

  Egypt · Africa
  $

  The last standing wonder of the ancient world sits at the edge of a city of 22 million. Pair the pyramids with the Grand Egyptian Museum.

  Best: October to March

• Istanbul

  Türkiye · Europe
  $$

  Straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus. Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks, the Grand Bazaar, and ferries that double as sightseeing cruises.

  Best: April and May, or September and October

• Jaipur

  India · Asia
  $

  Rajasthan's Pink City: Amber Fort above the lake, the Hawa Mahal's honeycomb facade, and textile and gem bazaars in the old walled city.

  Best: October to March

• Kyoto

  Japan · Asia
  $$$

  Japan's old imperial capital: 1,600 temples, moss gardens, and wooden machiya lanes in Gion. Go for cherry blossom in early April or maple season in November.

  Best: March and April, or October and November

• Luxor

  Egypt · Africa
  $$

  Ancient Thebes, on the Nile in southern Egypt. See Karnak and Luxor temples on the east bank and the Valley of the Kings on the west. Winter is the comfortable season.

  Best: October to March

• Marrakech

  Morocco · Africa
  $

  The Jemaa el-Fnaa square comes alive after dark. Stay in a riad inside the medina and take a day trip to the Atlas Mountains.

  Best: March to May, or October and November

• Oaxaca

  Mexico · North America
  $

  Seven moles, mezcal distilleries, and Zapotec ruins at Monte Albán. Día de Muertos (Oct 31–Nov 2) is the most vivid time to visit.

  Best: October to March

• Petra

  Jordan · Middle East
  $$

  A city carved into rose-red rock by the Nabataeans around 300 BC. Walk the Siq to the Treasury, then climb 800 steps to the Monastery.

  Best: March to May, or October and November

• Prague

  Czechia · Europe
  $$

  A largely intact medieval centre, the Charles Bridge, and a hilltop castle complex. December brings the Old Town Square Christmas market.

  Best: April and May, September and October, or December

• Québec City

  Canada · North America
  $$

  The only walled city north of Mexico, with French cobbled streets below Château Frontenac. February brings the Winter Carnival.

  Best: February, or June to October

• Rome

  Italy · Europe
  $$$

  Nearly 3,000 years of history stacked in one city: the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Vatican Museums, and carbonara in Trastevere.

  Best: April and May, or September and October

• Samarkand

  Uzbekistan · Asia
  $

  A Silk Road city founded more than 2,500 years ago. The Registan's three tiled madrasas and the turquoise tombs of Shah-i-Zinda are among Central Asia's great sights.

  Best: April and May, or September and October

• Seville

  Spain · Europe
  $$

  Andalusia's capital of flamenco and Moorish palaces. The Real Alcázar and the cathedral's Giralda tower are the must-sees; avoid July heat.

  Best: March to May, or October and November

• Udaipur

  India · Asia
  $$

  Rajasthan's City of Lakes, with the white Lake Palace floating on Lake Pichola and the huge City Palace above it. Evening boat rides show it at its best.

  Best: October to March

Nature trips in October 9

• Churchill

  Canada · North America
  $$$$

  A small town on Hudson Bay in Manitoba, known as the polar bear capital of the world. Beluga whales fill the river mouth in July and August.

  Best: July and August, or October and November

• Grand Canyon

  United States · North America
  $$

  A canyon 446 km long and up to 1.8 km deep. The South Rim is open year-round; the North Rim from mid-May to mid-October.

  Best: April and May, or September and October

• Great Barrier Reef

  Australia · Oceania
  $$$

  The world's largest coral reef system, over 2,300 km long. Base yourself in Cairns or Port Douglas; stinger season runs Nov–May.

  Best: June to November

• Ha Long Bay

  Vietnam · Asia
  $

  Some 1,600 limestone islands rise out of emerald water. Overnight junk cruises and kayaking through sea caves are the classic way in.

  Best: March to May, or September to November

• Iguazú Falls

  Argentina / Brazil · South America
  $$

  275 waterfalls along a 2.7 km horseshoe. The Argentine side gets you close; the Brazilian side gives the panorama.

  Best: March to May, or August to October

• Okavango Delta

  Botswana · Africa
  $$$$

  An inland delta that floods in the dry season, drawing elephants, lions and wild dogs. Explore by dug-out mokoro canoe.

  Best: June to October

• Serengeti

  Tanzania · Africa
  $$$$

  Home of the Great Migration: about 1.5 million wildebeest cross the plains in a yearly loop. Calving is Jan–Feb, river crossings Jul–Oct.

  Best: January and February, or June to October

• Yosemite

  United States · North America
  $$

  El Capitan, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls in one glacial valley. Waterfalls peak in May; some summer dates need an entry reservation.

  Best: May and June, or September and October

• Zhangjiajie

  China · Asia
  $$

  Thousands of quartz-sandstone pillars wrapped in mist in Wulingyuan. Take the Bailong elevator up and walk the ridgelines.

  Best: April and May, or September and October

Adventure trips in October 8

• Cappadocia

  Türkiye · Europe
  $$

  Hundreds of hot-air balloons lift off at dawn over valleys of fairy chimneys. Stay in a cave hotel in Göreme and hike the Rose Valley.

  Best: April to June, or September and October

• Kathmandu Valley

  Nepal · Asia
  $

  Starting point for the Everest and Annapurna treks, with seven UNESCO monument zones including Boudhanath and Bhaktapur's Durbar Square.

  Best: March and April, or October and November

• Machu Picchu

  Peru · South America
  $$

  The 15th-century Inca citadel on a ridge above the Urubamba. Hike the four-day Inca Trail (permits sell out) or train from Cusco.

  Best: April to October

• Reykjavík

  Iceland · Europe
  $$$$

  Base for the Golden Circle, glacier hikes and whale watching. Summer brings midnight sun; September to March brings aurora season.

  Best: February and March, or June to October

• Salar de Uyuni

  Bolivia · South America
  $

  The world's largest salt flat, 10,000 km² of white crust high in the Bolivian Andes. In the wet season it becomes a giant mirror; in the dry season, 4x4s cross it.

  Best: January to March, or May to October

• Sossusvlei

  Namibia · Africa
  $$$

  A clay pan in Namibia's Namib Desert, surrounded by red dunes more than 300 m high. In nearby Deadvlei, camel-thorn trees that died 600 to 700 years ago still stand.

  Best: May to October

• Vava'u

  Tonga · Oceania
  $$$

  A group of islands in northern Tonga, with sheltered sailing waters. From July to October, you can swim with humpback whales that come to breed.

  Best: July to October

• Wadi Rum

  Jordan · Middle East
  $$

  A protected desert of red sand and sandstone mountains in southern Jordan, where T. E. Lawrence travelled and The Martian was filmed. Jeep tours by day, Bedouin camps and dark skies by night.

  Best: March to May, or September to November