The Best Autumn City Breaks in 2023
Now that the weather has cooled down and the summer crowds have dispersed, you’re probably thinking about your next city break. With so many beautiful cities to travel to this autumn, it’s hard to choose where to spend your vacation or which travel insurance policy to buy. If you can’t wait until the Christmas holidays and feel like you need a short break, here are our top autumn city breaks of 2023.
Paris, France
Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world, but there is nothing as picturesque as visiting Paris in the fall. You can sit at a table on the cobbled streets just outside of a restaurant, wrapped in a scarf while eating a comforting bowl of ratatouille. Stop at a café and get an espresso and pastry to go and have an impromptu picnic at Parc Monceau. Some of the flowers may be fading as the autumn weather looms, but it still makes for a nice afternoon out. Head to the Pont Neuf at sunset to watch the sun glisten on the Siene. If you head to Paris in October, you may be able to attend the Grape Harvest Festival in Montmartre, where you can listen to music, taste some wine and local food, and watch a firework display.
Stowe, USA
Vermont is one of the best places to see fall foliage. Take a scenic drive past the covered bridges and through the forest along Smugglers' Notch. Mount Mansfield offers some of the best views in New England; you can hike up one of the trails or take the gondola. If you want a more leisurely experience, you can walk or cycle from Main Street along the 5-mile Stowe Recreation Path. Some fun autumnal experiences are Percy Farm’s corn maze and the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival. Grab a cup of hot cider and a cider donut at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill and stop by the Kaffeehaus at the Trapp family lodge (Yes, it is run by those von Trapps) for a mix of Austrian-American food and a view of the mountains.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam isn’t short of restaurants and breweries, and autumn is the perfect time for you to grab a slice of apple pie and a pint of Herfstbok (a popular autumnal beer). Hire a bike and cycle through the Vondelpark, and if you’re there in September, you may catch a performance at the open-air theatre. If you don’t want to be caught outdoors on a rainy day, head to Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. If you visit Amsterdam in November, you can go to the Amsterdam Storytelling Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. On the first Saturday of November, you can experience Museum Night, when many of Amsterdam’s museums open at night for locals and visitors.
Fredericton, Canada
This town in New Brunswick is beautiful in the fall. You can take part in Apple picking at Everett Family Orchard or hit the trails at Odell Park. The Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival is on for a week every September, and the Fall Festival of Colours at Crabbe Mountain starts in early October. If you don’t mind taking a 20-minute drive, you can visit Kings Landing, a living 19th century history museum, for Thanksgiving Weekend and Apple Fest.
Budapest, Hungary
There are some interesting festivals in Budapest during the autumn months. The Autumn Festival of Museums begins in September and ends in early November. There are many participating museums and there is a different theme every year. You’ll find music, dancing, theatre performances, and films at multiple venues across Budapest during the Café Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival in October. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love the Sweet Days Budapest Festival, where you’ll find rich chocolates and tempting sweets, drinks, workshops, and live music.
Mexico City, Mexico
If you want to head somewhere warmer to get away from those chilly autumn days, Mexico City is the place for you. If you travel there in late October, you can go to the Parade of Alebrijes, which takes place just before the Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). People celebrate this day with floats, music, performers, markets, and street vendors. If you’re interested in other performances, go to the Arena Mexico to see a lucha libre fight. Spend a quiet afternoon at the Parque Mexico or take a ride on one of the colourful trajineras (rafts) on the Xochimilco Lake. If you have time, you should consider taking a day trip to the Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacán to see the pyramids at the archaeological site.
