Why Shoulder Season Is the Smartest Way to Travel (And Where to Go Right Now)

There is a secret that experienced travelers have known for years and most people never figure out until after their first peak season trip to Europe.

Shoulder season is better. Almost always.

WHAT IS SHOULDER SEASON

Shoulder season refers to the periods just before and after peak travel season at a destination. For most European destinations that means April, May, September, and October. For Caribbean destinations it typically means late spring and early fall.

It is not off season. The weather is still beautiful, the restaurants are still open, the experiences are still available. The difference is everything else.

WHY SHOULDER SEASON WINS

FEWER CROWDS

The Amalfi Coast in August means fighting for space on every terrace, waiting an hour for a boat, and sharing your supposedly secluded beach with several hundred other tourists. The Amalfi Coast in late May or October means having that terrace almost to yourself.

BETTER PRICES

Flights, hotels, and villas can be significantly less expensive during shoulder season at the same properties that cost a fortune in July and August. The experience is better and the cost is lower. It is the rare travel decision where the smarter choice is also the cheaper one.

THE GOLDEN LIGHT

September and October light in Europe is something photographers and artists have talked about for centuries. Warm, soft, golden. The summer harshness is gone and the landscapes take on a completely different quality.

WHERE TO GO THIS SHOULDER SEASON

ITALY IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER

Tuscany during harvest season is one of the most magical travel experiences I can describe. Vineyards, truffle season, warm days, cool evenings, and the summer crowds completely gone. Agriturismo villas in this season are extraordinary.

GREECE IN OCTOBER

The islands are still warm, the sea is still swimmable, and the tourists have largely gone home. October in Santorini is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and it feels like a completely different destination than it does in peak summer.

PORTUGAL IN APRIL AND MAY

Lisbon and the Algarve coast in spring are absolutely stunning. Wildflowers everywhere, mild temperatures, uncrowded beaches, and some of the best food in Europe at prices that feel almost too good to be true.

CROATIA IN MAY AND SEPTEMBER

Dubrovnik in July is genuinely overwhelming with crowds. Dubrovnik in May or September is extraordinary. The old city, the island hopping, the impossibly blue Adriatic -- all of it at a fraction of the peak season chaos.

THE TAKEAWAY

If your schedule has any flexibility at all, shoulder season travel is almost always the right answer. You get more of the experience and less of the nonsense that comes with peak season crowds.

Savannah