The Best Weekend Getaways
for Autumn 2026

The Crowds Leave. The Deals Arrive.

If you've been putting off a trip because summer felt too expensive or too crowded, this is your window. October in particular is a sweet spot: school holidays are over in most countries, temperatures in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern destinations drop from "hostile" to "perfect," and flights that cost a premium in August come back down to earth.

The light is different too. Photographers and painters have known forever that autumn light — that golden-hour quality that seems to last all afternoon — makes ordinary places look extraordinary.

Istanbul in autumn might be the best version of Istanbul. The summer heat fades, the cruise ship crowds disappear, and you're left with one of the world's truly great cities at its most liveable. Two days gives you the Bosphorus, the Grand Bazaar, the Galata neighbourhood, and enough börek and baklava to last you until Christmas.

Flights are frequent from across Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia — Istanbul is a natural hub for much of the world.

Don't miss: A ferry across the Bosphorus at dusk, the Karaköy fish market on a Saturday morning.

Autumn in Kyoto is one of travel's great experiences. The maples turn red and gold from late October, and the temple gardens become genuinely otherworldly. If you're based in East or Southeast Asia, a Kyoto weekend is completely achievable — Singapore to Osaka is around seven hours. The autumn foliage season is short: book ahead.

Don't miss: Arashiyama at dawn before the day-trippers arrive, Fushimi Inari at dusk.

Lisbon in October is warm (still 20°C+), sunny, and noticeably quieter than summer. The pastéis de nata taste the same. The trams are still charming. But the rooftop bars have breathing room, and you can actually walk through Alfama without feeling like you're in a theme park. Flights from across Europe and the Americas remain frequent, and prices drop significantly after the summer peak.

Don't miss: A day trip to Sintra, the LX Factory market on a Saturday.

The southern hemisphere does things its own way, and September–October in Cape Town is the beginning of spring — wildflowers on the Cape, warm days, and far fewer tourists than the December–January summer peak. Table Mountain is more likely to be cloud-free in spring, and the wine valleys around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are spectacular. From Johannesburg, it's a two-hour domestic flight. From Europe and the Gulf, direct flights are plentiful.

Don't miss: A drive along Chapman's Peak on a clear day, a morning hike up Lion's Head.

Mexico City in the autumn is everything: vibrant, chaotic, delicious, and absolutely worth the flight. October brings Día de los Muertos (October 31–November 2) — one of the most remarkable cultural events anywhere in the world. The city's food scene is world-class year-round, but there's something about cool-season Mexico City evenings that makes the mezcal bars and taco stands feel especially right. Easily accessible from the US, Canada, and Latin America; manageable as a long-haul from Europe.

Don't miss: Coyoacán neighbourhood, the Mercado de Jamaica, Día de los Muertos altars in the Zócalo.

Budapest in autumn is peak Budapest. The thermal baths feel earned when it's cool outside, the ruin bars are at their atmospheric best, and the city's remarkable architecture looks incredible under overcast autumn skies. One of the best-value capitals in Europe, with cheap flights from across the continent and a weekend that genuinely delivers.

Don't miss: Széchenyi Baths on a cool morning, a cruise on the Danube at night, the Great Market Hall.

Bali's dry season runs through October, making it one of the best months to visit — less humidity than the wet season, lower prices than the European summer peak. From Singapore and Australia, it's an easy weekend flight. From the Gulf and India, connections are frequent. The rice terraces, the temple ceremonies, the surf — none of it requires a two-week trip to appreciate.

Don't miss: Tegallalang rice terraces at sunrise, a cooking class in Ubud, Seminyak beach on a Sunday.