Where to travel in September

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September is a sweet spot for Europe: the summer crowds thin out while the weather stays warm. Avoid China's National Day Golden Week (1 to 7 October) if your trip runs into early October.

1. Italy, Spain and Croatia

Warm seas, harvest season and more space at the big sights.

Key sights

• Cinque Terre: Five colourful cliff villages linked by trails and trains.
• Pisa and Tuscany: The Leaning Tower, then Florence and Siena.
• Barcelona: Sagrada Família and Gaudí's buildings.
• Split and Hvar: Roman palace town and island beaches in Croatia.

→ See the suggested day-by-day itinerary

2. Bali, Indonesia

Still dry, with lower prices once European summer holidays end.

Key sights

• Munduk and the twin lakes: Misty Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan in the cool highlands.
• Sidemen Valley: Quiet rice terraces with views of Mount Agung.
• Ubud: Temples, crafts and the Campuhan Ridge walk.

3. Uzbekistan

Comfortable autumn temperatures for Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva.

Key sights

• Samarkand: The Registan and the blue-tiled Shah-i-Zinda tombs.
• Bukhara: Domed bazaars and old caravanserais.
• Tashkent metro: Grand Soviet-era stations, each with its own decor.

4. Xinjiang, China

Early autumn colours in the north (Kanas) and harvest season.

Key sights

• Kanas Lake: Autumn colours around a glacial lake, usually mid to late September.
• Kashgar: Old city and the Sunday livestock market.
• Karakul Lake: High lake on the Karakoram Highway below Muztagh Ata.

5. Greece

Sea still warm, islands much quieter than in August.

Key sights

• Santorini: Whitewashed Oia and caldera sunsets.
• Athens: The Acropolis and the Parthenon.
• Meteora: Monasteries perched on rock pillars.

Weather to plan around

Typhoons are still common around Japan, Taiwan and southern China in September.

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