When is the best time to travel to Europe?

For those of us who aren’t making the trip for a festival or a white Christmas, these dates will give you great weather for a fraction of the cost.

Holidaymakers with a penchant for warm, sunny days and streets that aren’t packed to the hilt with tourists, take note: these months will give you all that and more when you travel to Europe.

The best time to travel to Europe

March to June and September to October.

Why?

Spring and autumn offer warm to hot days and are just outside of the peak holiday periods, ie, the European summer and Christmas break. Being shoulder months, they offer less crowds and less expensive flights and accommodation.

Overview

Europe experiences four seasons. Summers are warm to hot with countries such as Spain, Greece and Italy enjoying some of the highest temperatures of 30℃+. Winters are cold and can be harsh in some of the northernmost countries such as Russia, Belarus and the Baltics.Europe is a popular destination for holidaymakers worldwide, especially during the summer, so unless you’re attending a summer festival, it’s best to steer clear during July and August.

Weather and prices

The best time to visit, weatherwise: July and August provide the best weather, however, to avoid the summer breakers, travel during the shoulder months of May and June and September and October.

The cheapest time to visit: Search for flight deals during the low-season months of March to June and September to October.

The best time to visit Europe for…

• To avoid crowds: Summer and winter are the busiest months of the year for Europe so you'll find travelling in spring or autumn less crowded.
• On a budget: Search for flights and hotel deals at the end of season, from August to September or during winter (excluding the Christmas and New Year's holiday week).
• Eastern Europe: Eastern Europe can be visited all year round as it has warm to hot summers and snow-filled winters. As winters can be harsh, you might like to travel in shoulder months when outdoor activities such as hiking are open.
• Central Europe: Central Europe can be visited all year round and, similar to Eastern Europe, it has hot summers and snow-filled winters. Spring and autumn are ideal months to visit as they offer pleasant weather.
• Mediterranean: Peak season is when the resorts in the Mediterranean open their doors to visitors. To avoid paying peak prices, travel during the beginning or end of season.
• Northern Europe: The best time to visit Europe's north depends on your travel intent. During summer, you'll enjoy long days and the midnight sun in certain destinations. During winter, you'll have a few short hours of daylight each day but you'll also likely have a white Christmas and may even see the Northern Lights in certain locations. For general sightseeing, spring and autumn feature mild to warm temperatures and are best for outdoor activities.

Hot Europe travel deals

TourRadar	Up to $600 off tours	Deal expires 25 Apr 2018	Valid on select dates from May - June 2018. Destinations include Europe, Asia, America and more. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 20 Apr 2018	Get deal
Flight Centre - Cruises	2-for-1 luxury Europe river cruises	Deal expires 30 Apr 2018	Valid on select river cruises to destinations including Hungary, Austria, Germany and Netherlands. Cruise include all meals, wine and beer and more.	Last verified 20 Apr 2018	Get deal
Flight Centre - Cruises	Free Europe flights with 2019 river cruise bookings	Deal expires 30 Jun 2018	Valid on select March 2019 - July 2019 Uniworld luxury river cruises. Book an eligible cruise and get free flights to Europe. Cruise destinations include France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Russia, Austria and more.	Last verified 20 Apr 2018	Get deal
STA Travel	Europe flights from $1,139 return with Cathay Pacific	Deal expires 27 Apr 2018	Valid for travel from 29 November - 12 December 2018. Sample fare is Adelaide-Dublin. Destinations include London, Paris, Milan, Manchester, France, Barcelona, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam and Madrid.	Last verified 18 Apr 2018	Get deal
Qatar Airways	Europe flights from $1,100 return	Deal expires 30 Apr 2018	Valid for travel on select dates until 31 March 2019. Sample fare is Perth-Skopje. Destinations include Cardiff, Malaga, Lisbon, Kyiv and more.	Last verified 18 Apr 2018	Get deal
Aunt Betty	Europe 5-star flights from $1,149 return	Deal expires 27 Apr 2018	Valid for travel on select dates from 24 October - 28 November 2018. Sample fare is Perth-Dublin with Cathay Pacific. Destinations include Rome, Paris, London and more.	Last verified 16 Apr 2018	Get deal
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels	20% off Europe hotel + free food and drink credit	Coupon code expires 25 Jun 2018	Valid for stays until 30 June 2019. Booking must be made 5 days prior arrival. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 16 Apr 2018	Show code SP**** After the store tab opens, come back to copy the code
Fred. Olsen	Up to £300 off river cruises + free drinks	Deal expires 2 Jul 2018	Valid on select cruises until September 2018, during European summer. Destinations include Switzerland, Germany, Austria and France.	Last verified 13 Apr 2018	Get deal
Groupon	$10 for $125 toward Europe flights	Deal expires 30 Jun 2018	Valid for travel on select dates and any destination in Europe with Qantas, Etihad, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Virgin, Qatar and Delta. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 13 Apr 2018	Get deal
Contiki	Up to 30% off last-minute deals	Deal expires 29 Apr 2018	Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include Europe, Australia, Asia, New Zealand, North America and Latin America. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 12 Apr 2018	Get deal
Travelzoo UK	Up to 66% off Europe hotels	Deal expires 31 Aug 2018	Valid for stays on select dates. Destinations include London, England, Yorkshire, Montreal, Spain, Berlin and more. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 10 Apr 2018	Get deal
Emirates	Europe flights from $1,139 return	Deal expires 30 Apr 2018	Valid for travel on select dates from April 2018 - January 2019. Sample fares are Perth-Dublin. Destinations include Vienna, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam and more.	Last verified 10 Apr 2018	Get deal
Contiki	Up to $440 off Europe tours	Deal expires 27 Apr 2018	Valid for travel on select 2018 dates. Destinations include Italy, France, Germany, Greece, Spain and more. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 9 Apr 2018	Get deal
STA Travel	Europe flights from $839 return	Deal expires 30 Apr 2018	Valid for travel from 2 February - 20 June 2018 with Air China. Destinations include Barcelona, Milan, Athens and Rome. Sample fare is Melbourne-Barcelona.	Last verified 3 Apr 2018	Get deal
G Adventures	Up to 15% off Europe tours	Deal expires 30 Apr 2018	Valid for travel from 2 June - 28 August 2018. Destinations include Rome, London, Naples, Budapest, Berlin and more. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 3 Apr 2018	Get deal
Cruise Direct	7-night Europe cruises from US$869 + up to US$1,000 onboard credit	Deal expires 26 Apr 2018	Valid for cruise on select dates and sailings with Princess Cruises. Includes up to US$1,000 onboard credit and more. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 29 Mar 2018	Get deal
Trafalgar Tours	5% off Europe trips + $300 off on flights	Deal expires 26 Apr 2018	Valid on select dates and destinations. Destinations include Madrid, Seville, Lisbon, London, Paris, St Petersburg, Moscow, Copenhagen, Stockholm and more. T&C's apply.	Last verified 23 Mar 2018	Get deal
Trafalgar Tours	5% off Europe and Britain trips	Deal expires 26 Apr 2018	Valid for travel on select dates Destinations include Italy, Barcelona, Norway, Moscow, Austria and more. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 23 Mar 2018	Get deal
Trafalgar Tours	5% off luxury Europe trips	Deal expires 25 Apr 2018	Valid for travel on select dates Destinations include Italy, Barcelona, Germany, Moscow, Switzerland and more. T&Cs apply.	Last verified 23 Mar 2018	Get deal
Contiki	Up to 30% off last-minute Europe tours		Book a range of last-minute Contiki tours, from week long jaunts to month long journeys, to destinations like Italy, France, Germany, Greece and more for up to 30% off.	Last verified 22 Mar 2018	Get deal
STA Travel	Europe flights from $746 return	Deal expires 29 Apr 2018	Valid for travel on select dates from April-December 2018. Sample fare is Brisbane-London.	Last verified 16 Mar 2018	Get deal
Lufthansa	Europe flights from $1,190 return		Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include London, Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Zurich.	Last verified 13 Mar 2018	Get deal
Go Airport Shuttle	5% off airport transfers and car hire		Valid on select dates and locations worldwide. Destinations include USA, Canada, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, Sydney, and the Czech Republic. T&C's apply.	Last verified 5 Mar 2018	Get deal
Topdeck	Up to $700 Europe flight credit with tours		Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include Mykonos, Greece, Dubrovnik and Plitvice Lakes, Croatia, Russia and Scandinavia, Morocco, Amsterdam and more. Flight credit amount varies based on length of package booked. T&C's apply.	Last verified 20 Feb 2018	Show code FL**** After the store tab opens, come back to copy the code
Topdeck	Up to 7.5% off Europe tours		Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include Mykonos, Greece, Dubrovnik and Plitvice Lakes, Croatia, Russia and Scandinavia, Morocco, Amsterdam and more. T&C's apply.	Last verified 20 Feb 2018	Get deal
TourRadar	Up to 53% off Europe tours		Valid for travel on select dates and tours. Destinations include London, Edinburg, Croatia, Iceland, Turkey, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Venice and more. T&C's apply.	Last verified 20 Feb 2018	Get deal
Skiddoo	Europe flights from $940 return		Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include London, Dublin, Rome and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Rome.	Last verified 19 Feb 2018	Get deal
Sixt Car Rental	Up to 10% off car rentals in Europe	Deal expires 30 Dec 2018	Valid for travel on select dates. Includes free rebooking and cancellation. T&C's apply.	Last verified 13 Feb 2018	Get deal
Topdeck	10% off 2018/2019 Europe tours	Deal expires 30 Apr 2018	Valid for travel on select 2018 and 2019 dates. Destinations include York, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Berlin, Amsterdam, Prague, Vatican and more. T&C's apply.	Last verified 30 Jan 2018	Get deal
Viator	Christmas market tours in Europe from $18.22		Book one- and multi-day Christmas market tours with TripAdvisor company, Viator. Prices start from $18.22pp.	Last verified 3 Jan 2018	Get deal
Hostelworld	Europe stay from $15 per night		Valid on select dates and hostels across Europe. Destinations include London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris and more. T&C's apply.	Last verified 5 Dec 2017	Get deal
Hertz	10% off Europe car hire		Valid on select dates. Minimum of 5 days rental. T&C's apply.	Last verified 13 Oct 2017	Show code 13**** After the store tab opens, come back to copy the code
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels	Up to 25% off stays in Europe	Deal expires 30 May 2018	Valid for stays until 31 May 2018. Save at 24 properties in Paris, Rome, London and more locations in the UK. UK hotels also get free breakfast.	Last verified 28 Aug 2017	Get deal
Best Western	Save up to 30% on Europe stays		Valid on stays book a minimum of 21 days in advance. Choose the Early Web Special rate to save 15-30%, depending on the property.	Last verified 27 Jul 2017	Get deal
CruiseAway	Up to 30% off CroisiEurope river cruises		Book a river cruise with CroisiEurope from just $820 per person for up to 30% off the regular price with CruiseAway.	Last verified 29 May 2017	Get deal
TourRadar	Up to 32% off Geckos Adventures tours		Valid on select tours to South and Central America, Europe and Asia.	Last verified 18 Mar 2017	Get deal
Radisson Blu	Up to 20% off stays		Valid on advance bookings at participating hotels in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas only and is subject to availability. Most hotels define advanced bookings as one month in advance. Subject to change. See site for details.	Last verified 22 Feb 2017	Get deal
TourRadar	Up to 50% off Europe tours		More than 550 tours to Greece, Italy, France England and more countries in Europe discounted from companies like Contiki, Topdeck, Trafalgar, Insight and more.	Last verified 6 Dec 2016	Get deal

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