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
Etihad Airways
Europe flights from $1,065 return
Valid for travel from 1 October 2019 - 20 June 2020, including Christmas holidays. Destinations include Athens, London, Zurich, Paris and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Dublin.
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Topdeck
Up to 30% off last-minute tours
Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include Europe, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and North America. T&Cs apply.
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Trip.com
30% off Europe hotels
Valid for travel on select dates between September and October 2019. Destinations include United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands and more. T&Cs apply.
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Kayak
Up to 35% off flights worldwide
Subscribe to Kayak newsletter and receive personalised private deals of up to 35% off. Destinations include Europe, Asia, America, Australia and more. T&Cs apply.
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Rail Europe
Autumn sale: Up to 80% off TGV Lyria passes
Valid for travel between 26 September - 17 November 2019. Destinations include Paris, Basel, Zurich, Geneva and more. T&Cs apply.
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Rail Europe
Up to 90% off German rail passes
Valid for travel on select dates in 2019 - 2020. Destinations include Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hannover, Cologne and more. T&Cs apply.
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Nexus Holidays
Up to $2,000 off Europe tours
Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include Italy, Greece, Croatia, Spain, France, Portugal and more. T&Cs apply.
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Marriott
Up to 25% off Europe stays
Valid for travel in select 2019-2020 dates when you book in advance. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Up to 46% off Celebrity cruises
Valid for travel on select 2020 dates. Destinations include Mediterranean Sea, Southern Europe, Pacific, Hawaii, Canada, USA East Coast and more. T&Cs apply.
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Skyscanner
Europe flights from $911 return
Valid for travel on select dates between December 2019 - March 2020. Sample fare is Melbourne-London. Destinations include Manchester, Edinburgh and more. T&Cs apply.
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Flight Centre - International
Europe flights from $1,165 return with Singapore Airlines
Valid for travel on select 2020 dates. Sample fare is from Sydney. Destinations include Barcelona, Amsterdam, Rome, Paris, London, and more. T&Cs apply.
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Millennium & Copthorne Hotels
Up to 25% off Europe hotels
Valid for travel until 31 December 2019 with minimum stay of 2 nights. Destinations include UK, France, Italy and more. T&Cs apply.
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Rail Europe
$20 off tickets with code
Valid on all dates with minimum booking $280. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Free Europe flights with Viking River Cruises
Valid for 2020-2021 sailings. T&Cs apply.
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Contiki
Up to 25% off Europe tours
Valid for travel until March 2020. Destinations include England, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and more. T&Cs apply.
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Rail Europe
50% off Europe rail passes
Valid for travel between 10 September - 14 December 2019. Discount applies to France-Germany. Other promotional fares include routes in Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Marseille and more. T&Cs apply.
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National Car Rental
Up to 20% off Europe car hires
Valid for travel until December 2019. Discount applies to any vehicle across UK, Ireland and Germany. T&Cs apply.
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Insight Vacations
10% off 2020 Europe & Britain tours
Valid for travel on select dates in 2020 depending on the destinations. Destinations include Rome, Scotland, France, Spain and more. T&Cs apply.
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Aunt Betty
Qatar sale: Europe flights from $1,105 return
Valid for travel between 10 October - 15 November 2019 and 20 January - 27 March 2020. Sample fare is Perth-Rome. Destinations include Paris, London and more.
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G Adventures
Up to 15% off Europe tours
Valid for travel from 17 October 2019 - 13 January 2020, including over Christmas. Destinations include Venice, Italy, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Reykjavik and more. T&Cs apply.
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Trafalgar Tours
Up to $800 off Europe & Britain 2020 tours
Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include Madrid, Barcelona, Devon, Rome, Florence, Venice, France, Austria, Germany and more. T&Cs apply.
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MSC Cruises
Up to 50% off Europe cruises with free drinks and Wi-Fi
Valid for travel on select dates in 2019 - 2020, including over Christmas. Destinations include Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Croatia, Amsterdam, St. Petersburg and more. T&Cs apply.
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MSC Cruises
Winter sale: 8-day Europe cruises from $399
Valid for travel on select dates in November 2019. Destinations include France, Spain, Italy and more. T&Cs apply.
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Destination International
11-day Europe hotels + return flights from $3,499
Valid for travel on select dates between April - June 2020. Includes return flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and more to Rome and Amsterdam, accommodation in twin rooms, daily meals and more. Price is per person twin share. T&Cs apply.
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Millennium & Copthorne Hotels
Europe: Up to 15% off weekend stays
Valid for travel on select dates. Discount applies with a minimum booking of two nights. Includes 15% off in dining, late check-out and more. Destinations include London, Paris, Rome, UK and more. T&Cs apply.
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Millennium & Copthorne Hotels
Up to 20% Europe off hotels + Up to 15% off dining
Valid for stays on select dates. Destinations include London, Manchester, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Italy, Paris and more. T&Cs apply.
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Uniworld
Early bird sale: Up to 10% off bookings
Valid for travel on select dates across Central Europe, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Russia, Asia, Egypt and India. T&Cs apply.
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Rail Europe
Free ticketing services
Waiving of ticketing services fee applies when you book a minimum of $599 or more in rail products. T&Cs apply.
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Travelodge
Subscribe to TFE Hotels eClub and save 10%
Join the TFE eclub now to receive 10% off future bookings in Australia, New Zealand and receive 15% off future European bookings plus bonus extras. T&Cs apply.
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Medina
Subscribe to TFE Hotels eClub and save 10%
Join the TFE eclub now to receive 10% off future bookings in Australia, New Zealand and receive 15% off future European bookings plus bonus extras. T&Cs apply.
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Adina
Subscribe to TFE Hotels eClub and save 10%
Join the TFE eclub now to receive 10% off future bookings in Australia, New Zealand and receive 15% off future European bookings plus bonus extras. T&Cs apply.
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Vibe
Subscribe to TFE Hotels eClub and save 10%
Join the TFE eclub now to receive 10% off future bookings in Australia, New Zealand and receive 15% off future European bookings plus bonus extras. T&Cs apply.
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Rendezvous
Subscribe to TFE Hotels eClub and save 10%
Join the TFE eclub now to receive 10% off future bookings in Australia, New Zealand and receive 15% off future European bookings plus bonus extras. T&Cs apply.
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TFE Hotels Collection
Subscribe to TFE Hotels eClub and save 10%
Join the TFE eclub now to receive 10% off future bookings in Australia, New Zealand and receive 15% off future European bookings plus bonus extras. T&Cs apply.
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U River Cruises
Up to 10% off bookings or free drink package
Discount applies for new bookings on 2020 itineraries across Europe. Get 10% discount or free U drink package valued at $349. Destinations include Vienna, Nuremberg, Belgrade, Amsterdam, Brussels and more. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Up to 40% off Miami cruises
Valid for travel on select dates in 2019 - 2020. Other destinations include New York, Europe, Caribbean and more. T&Cs apply.
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Trafalgar Tours
Up to 15% off Europe tours
Valid for travel on select dates in 2019 - 2020. Destinations include Britain, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and more. T&Cs apply.
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Avis
Up to 20% off Europe and UK car hire
Valid until 15 December 2019. T&Cs apply.
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Wotif
Up to 27% off Europe hotels
Valid for use on select dates across Europe with participating hotels. Destinations include Amsterdam, Berlin and Istanbul. T&Cs apply.
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Lufthansa
Europe flights from $1,510 return
Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include London, Rome, Paris, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Milan, Madrid and more. Sample fare is Perth-Barcelona.
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Popular Travel coupon codes
| Last checked | Code description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep 2019 | Get $20 credit | FIN**** |
| 31 Jul 2019 | Extra 8% off flights worldwide | AUM**** |
| 10 Jul 2019 | 10% off local experiences | 10F**** |
| 20 May 2019 | Up to 15% off airport parking across Australia | AWA**** |
| 9 Apr 2019 | Up to 50% off experiences + extra 10% off with code | FIN**** |
Should I book now for Christmas to Europe or wait?
Hi Ando,
Thanks for reaching out to Finder. Our page suggests March to June and September to October but it will be solely up to you when your budget and schedule permits. Hope this helps and feel free to reach back out if you have further questions.
Best,
Nikki