Seasoned travelers often say the best time to travel the world is in autumn. In many regions, fall hits all the right notes: moderate crowds, pleasant weather, enchanting landscapes, and vibrant festivals. These six destinations show off their best sides this time of year with arts events, autumnal color, Buddhist temples, bioluminescent creatures, mountain hikes, and Mayan pyramids.
Kyoto Region, Japan
Cherry blossom season may get more press, but Japan’s scenery is arguably more zen in autumn, when temples framed by amber-hued trees invite contemplation, the population engages in momijigari (red leaf hunting), and a different beloved plant is in bloom: tea.
Late October to late November is typically the best time for seeing both tree and tea color. Crowds tend to be lightest at the beginning of the season, but Kyoto is perennially popular, so try to visit temples early in the morning. At the Eikando temple, stroll around a pond reflecting crimson maples—either during the day or when it’s lit up at night. In the Arashiyama district, stroll the Togetsukyo Bridge to soak in a forest ablaze with color, and rent a rowboat to see flame-hued foliage along the river. Nearby at the maple-fringed Tenryu-ji temple, dine at Shigetsu, where the vegetarian dishes are approved by both Buddhist monks and the Michelin Guide for good value.
Just south of Kyoto, cycle or stroll among yellow-flowered tea plants and do a tea picking experience (through October) at Wazuka Tea Plantations. In nearby Uji, savor a tea ceremony in the birthplace of matcha, soak up the setting of the world’s first novel (The Tale of Genji), and do more red leaf hunting at less crowded temples.
Normandy, France
In September in northwest France, summer crowds have dwindled, but the temperature is still mild, and the season brings bushels of apples and art. On the 25-mile Cider Route, sip apple brandy at the historic Calvados Pierre Huet distillery and sample the namesake sparkling drink at several sites surrounded by orchards, châteaux, half-timbered cottages, and picturesque villages.
This year, the Normandy Impressionist Festival (through September 22) is fêting the 150th anniversary of Impressionist art, which took its name from Claude Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise,” depicting Le Havre in Normandy. In Rouen, the Musée des Beaux-Arts will showcase David Hockney’s Normandy-themed paintings through September 22. And every fall, the Rouen cathedral—made famous by Monet—is illuminated with a spectacular light show. You can also visit D-Day landing sites and events honoring the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, marvel at Mont-Saint-Michel island and the Bayeux Tapestry, bicycle alongside beaches, and indulge in fresh seafood and some of France’s best cheeses.
Guatemala
This Central American country has hit a sweet spot: Rising interest in its striking architecture, stunning volcanic scenery, and Mayan heritage have generated increased flights and tourist infrastructure. But it’s not yet drawing huge crowds. A sweet-spot time to visit is November, when the dry season begins, flowers burst into full bloom, and the December holiday hubbub is weeks away. On November 1, Día de los Muertos, you can watch Guatemalans display and fly decorative kites, primarily in Sumpango near Guatemala City.
After landing in Guatemala City, head to Antigua, a colorful, cobblestoned colonial town at the foot of three volcanoes. At Finca La Azotea—a coffee farm meets cultural center—you can take workshops in chocolate making, horseback riding, and plant-based dyeing. Or just tour the plantation and feast on chili rellenos amid lush landscaping. If you’re in Antigua November 16-17, don’t miss the Festival of Flowers.
A couple of hours away at volcanic Lake Atitlán, take a taxi boat across crystal blue waters to tropical-muraled villages like San Juan La Laguna, where you can watch a traditional weaving demonstration (or take a class) at Lema Association. From Guatemala City, catch a short, inexpensive flight to Flores to see Tikal, a mind-blowing complex of Mayan pyramids and palaces. On a sunrise tour, you can climb a pyramid and listen to howler monkeys waking up in the surrounding rainforest.
Northeastern Germany
This fall, Dresden and Germany’s Saxon Switzerland National Park will become the beating heart of Romanticism. In Dresden, two exhibits at the Albertinum and Kupferstich-Kabinett museums are honoring the 250th anniversary of the birth of Caspar David Friedrich, a Romantic painter and longtime Dresden resident famous for his dramatically brooding landscapes. Though Dresden was decimated by firebombing in WWII, the city has reemerged like a phoenix. Today, you can visit the Frauenkirche church, which was restored from rubble to its gilded baroque glory, and the Royal Palace, which was painstakingly reconstructed based on photographs and 18th century etchings. During the annual fall market (September 13 to October 6), the revitalized Old Town comes alive with music, carnival rides, and autumnal goodies.
Just outside Dresden, hike parts of the Painters’ Way in Saxon Switzerland, which inspired Romantic artists with its sandstone pillars towering above the forest. The region is über atmospheric in fall, when the trees turn shades of butterscotch and marmalade. On misty mornings, you can recreate Friedrich’s painting “Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog.”
Marrakesh and the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Following a deadly earthquake that hit the High Atlas Mountains in 2023, Morocco would greatly benefit from increased visitation this year. Today, most travelers would barely detect the damage in nearby Marrakesh, and though parts of the High Atlas will take longer to recover, the area’s natural beauty and famous hospitality remain undiminished.
In October, the balmy temperatures are perfect for both medina shopping and mountain hikes. After exploring Marrakesh’s ornate palaces and gardens, soothe your muscles with a traditional body scrub and wrap in the hammam at La Mamounia Hotel (open to nonguests), which conjures the sumptuousness of the Arabian Nights. On a tour with Moroccan Food Adventures, meander Marrakesh’s back alleys to relish full-flavored street food, meet artisans, and try your hand at crafts. The company also offers day trips to the High Atlas Mountains, where you can taste the culture of the Amazigh (or Berber) people, who have lived in the area for thousands of years. Also in the High Atlas, the eco-friendly Kasbah Bab Ourika hotel overlooks the riverside olive groves of Ourika Valley, where you can saunter to scenic villages built from the same rusty earth as the mountains.
South Island, New Zealand
In November in New Zealand, late spring snowmelt tumbles down cliffs into dramatic waterfalls, wildflowers brighten alpine meadows, and the bulk of tourists are still waiting for their high season flights in December through February. Kick off your journey in Queenstown: the adventure capital of, well, Earth. Ride the Skyline gondola for gobsmacking mountain and lake views, or stroll the Queenstown Gardens Trail alongside pink cherry blossoms and Lake Wakatipu. Hop-on-hop-off shuttle tours depart from Queenstown to the Central Otago wine country, where you can sip and swirl pinot noirs and cycle the Gibbston River Wine Trail alongside bungee jumpers.
Two hours away in Te Anau, you can marvel at a cave glimmering with blue glowworms. Then embark on the scenic drive through the Valley of a Thousand Falls to Milford Sound, where you can boat cruise or kayak among otherworldly fjords laced with cascades. Further afield, at Aoraki/Mount Cook, trek the 1.6-mile Blue Lakes and Tasman Glacier View Walk and photograph giant buttercups blooming throughout the national park.