Deciding what is the best time of year to travel to Europe in your vacation might be one of the hardest components of the decision-making course of, significantly for the first-time traveller.
There’s no single ‘best’ time to go to Europe as each traveller’s preferences are totally different however there are a selection of issues to contemplate earlier than you guide your self on that flight.
Best time to go to Europe weather-wise
The variety of climate you’d like to expertise is going to be a significant consideration of your vacation planning. Are you hoping to expertise a white Christmas in Europe or the stunning snowy scenes of a northern winter or would you like to travel when it’s hotter and you may take pleasure in the longer daylight?
Your response to this query ought to enable you to determine when the best time to travel to Europe from Australia is for you.
The best season to go to Europe is going to be totally different for everybody so I’ve listed just a few of the professionals and cons of travelling in the varied seasons beneath.
Pros and cons of travelling to Europe in winter
If a European winter expertise is what you’re after, some of the professionals of travelling at this time (December/January/February) embody lacking the Australian summer season, experiencing surroundings and Christmas meals and traditions completely totally different to what we’re used to at dwelling (in Australia) similar to the wonderful Christmas markets.
Mid-December by to the finish of February – and typically even into March – is positively the best time to go to Europe for snow.
Every year it appears that evidently Europe’s Christmas markets grow to be increasingly standard with vacationers and they’re an exquisite cause to go to Europe at this time of year. Many markets open from late November till simply after Christmas, with some buying and selling till early January.
Of course you even have to contemplate the downsides – shorter daylight, some points of interest (significantly in rural areas) could also be closed for the winter, heavy snowfalls may cause transport delays and make driving troublesome, and there’s the chilly climate and ponderous clothes that you just’ll want to take to ponder, too.
Tour and cruise firms additionally have a tendency to have a decreased quantity of itineraries on supply throughout the colder months, nonetheless prepare providers nonetheless run often.
Read more: Best Time to Visit Europe
Further studying: Tips for travelling to Europe in winter
Pros and cons of travelling to Europe in summer season
During the European summer season there’s a fairly truthful likelihood you’ll take pleasure in some heat climate. Southern nations like Spain, Italy and Greece (and the south of France) have a tendency to have a lot increased temperatures than central and northern Europe, however there might be some surprises.
I’ve skilled temperatures properly above 35 levels Celcius on quite a few events in components of Europe that we don’t usually affiliate with having excessive summer season temperatures (Austria and northern France, for instance).
I’ve typically joked that the summer-loving Europeans ought to pay me to travel to Europe as I at all times have a tendency to entice the sizzling climate! August is normally the hottest month in Europe – I largely travel in June and July however have skilled some actually sizzling days throughout these months.
If you’re visiting one of the southern areas, temperatures might be stifling sizzling – so verify prematurely that your lodging has air-conditioning.
Another benefit of travelling throughout the European summer season (June/July/August) is the longer daylight – with daylight saving it is usually gentle till at the very least 9.30pm, and far later in the Scandinavian nations.
Timetables for ferries, lake cruises, cable automotive rides, and so on are additionally usually expanded over the summer season months.
I additionally discover there’s an air of vitality in Europe throughout summer season – with window bins bursting with color, the freshest produce accessible at the markets, and Europeans out and about and having fun with the climate.
During the summer season months, motorways will also be extraordinarily busy, significantly on weekends, as European holiday-makers head off on their annual break.
What about Autumn (Fall) and Spring?
Autumn and Spring are standard occasions to travel for many who don’t take pleasure in excessive temperatures. Early Autumn and Late Spring, specifically, can nonetheless supply warmish days with out being both too sizzling or too chilly so this is thought-about by many to be the best time to go to southern Europe.
No matter how rigorously you propose, although, unseasonal climate can happen. Major flooding in Germany, Hungary and Poland in June 2013 precipitated havoc and upset heaps of vacation plans, not to point out livelihoods.
Read more: When is the best time to travel to Europe? High, Low & Shoulder Seasons Guide
On the different hand, anticipated snow falls can fail to eventuate as early in the season as regular – your snowy Christmas would possibly prove to be extra of a ‘slushy’ one!
The desk beneath exhibits the (approximate) common month-to-month temperatures for some of Europe’s main cities.
If the climate isn’t the main think about figuring out the best time to travel for you to travel to Europe, there are another concerns to consider.
Special occasions
If you’re heading to Europe to attend a particular perform like a marriage or are hoping to catch a significant occasion similar to the Tour de France or the tulip show at Holland’s Keukenhof Gardens, you’re clearly going to have to be in a specific place on a particular date.
Keep in thoughts that when main occasions happen (like the Olympic Games or Rugby World Cup, for instance), lodging, flights and different travel providers might be stretched to the restrict – and costs can enhance considerably.
Crowds
If you do favor to travel when it’s hotter, be cautious of travelling throughout August. This is the month when many Europeans take their summer season holidays (loads of skilled workplaces in Paris truly shut for the entire month!) so wherever you go it is probably to be extraordinarily busy.
If you don’t like crowds, August is positively NOT the best month to go to Europe.
Major sights and points of interest could be a nightmare throughout August with queues of two hours or extra simply to purchase entry tickets not unheard of!!
I at all times advocate pre-purchasing tickets to points of interest you recognize you’ll positively go to, however significantly so if visiting in the peak summer season months.
The late European spring (April/May) and early autumn (September/October) could make a very good different. If you’re not too fussed about excessive temperatures and positively need to keep away from the crowds, these are good months to go to to Europe.
Price
Read more: When to Go to Europe: Timing Your Trip
Another issue to contemplate when planning when you’re going to go to is value. I’ve beforehand written about some of the suggestions it is best to know earlier than you guide your flight to Europe, and one of these is that travelling simply outdoors of the airline’s ‘peak’ season can prevent just a few hundred {dollars}.
By departing Australia in May, for instance, you would possibly save your self some cash by lacking the June ‘peak’ fares and nonetheless give you the option to take pleasure in the hotter early-summer days in Europe.
This article was initially revealed in November 2013 and has been up to date
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Top Image © Sergey Novikov / Dollar Photo Club
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Find more Best time to travel in europe – Indochina Airlines
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