Summer might be winding down, but the search for warmth is not. Google searches for "October holiday" hit around 80,000 in the past month, up 28% on the previous month, and a new study has worked out exactly where those searches should end.
Villa holiday company Solmar Villas compared 105 European destinations on the likelihood of rain plus flight prices across October and November. The result is a top 10 dominated by one island: Cyprus claims the first four positions, with typical autumn temperatures of 24–29C.
Ayia Napa tops the ranking. Known for beaches, it shows a calmer side come autumn, with an average of just 2.3 wet days per month from September to November. Second-placed Limassol suits travellers who like city and coast together — it has nature trails, beaches and a busy yacht scene. Larnaca, third, is a relaxed port city where the palm-lined Finikoudes promenade runs alongside sandy beach. Paphos takes fourth and is the pick for history fans: its UNESCO-listed Archaeological Park holds Roman and medieval remains, plus floor mosaics counted among the finest in the eastern Mediterranean.
The best bet outside Cyprus is the Greek islands and mainland. Fifth-placed Athens Riviera is a 70km stretch of beaches, coves and waterfront dining within easy reach of the capital. Rhodes, eighth, has one of the best preserved medieval towns in the world — don't miss the stone-paved Street of the Knights in the Old Town. Kos, ninth, pairs beaches with mountain villages and wide island views.
If avoiding rain is the whole point, the Canary Islands come closest to a guarantee. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, sixth and seventh, both hover around 26C highs in autumn. Lanzarote offers more than 150km of sandy beaches and clear water, while volcanic Fuerteventura delivers lava fields, rolling mountains and dramatic rock formations. Malta rounds out the list at number 10, with a bonus for set-jetters: the cobblestoned old capital of Mdina doubled as a Game of Thrones filming location, and its bastions offer sweeping views across the island.
Why it matters: autumn is the sweet spot for these places — sea temperatures are still warm from summer, crowds have thinned and flight prices drop. Beach-and-bar types should look at Ayia Napa or the Athens Riviera, culture seekers at Paphos, Rhodes or Mdina, and anyone desperate for dry weather at Lanzarote or Fuerteventura. With ten solid options across four countries, there is a warm-weather break for almost every budget and travel style this side of winter.
Story via Euronews Travel
