Going to the same city in July and in October are two different trips. The price changes twofold, the crowds threefold, and the weather is something else entirely. That is why choosing a season is a more important decision than the route, and most people think about it last. Below I have written the three types of season and when to go where.
Three periods in choosing a season
High season is the time when everyone goes; the weather is ideal and the price is at its peak. Low season is the opposite, cheap and empty, but the weather or closed attractions can create a problem. The shoulder season is in between the two and is the most correct choice for most destinations.
The advantage of the shoulder season is simple arithmetic. The weather is almost as good as in high season, while the price is thirty to forty per cent lower. On top of that the queues shorten and you get into the same museum in twenty minutes instead of two hours.
Choosing a season by destination
| European cities | April–May and September–October |
| The Mediterranean coast | June and September |
| Southeast Asia | November–February, the dry season |
| The Gulf countries | November–March |
| The northern countries | June–August, or January–March for the northern lights |
This table is built on climate, but the holiday calendar has to be laid over it too. Christmas week, New Year and Novruz raise prices in almost every destination. The first half of August, meanwhile, is the holiday peak in Europe, and some restaurants close in that period.
When low season is better
If you are going for museums and architecture, winter is the best time. Vienna, Prague and Rome are empty in January, hotel prices halve and you stand comfortably in front of the exhibits. For the sea, on the other hand, low season is pointless.
It is also useful to see the seasonal price change in advance. When you look at the prices for the same route in different months the difference sometimes comes out twofold, and shifting the date by a month creates a serious saving.
Read more: An Italy travel guide: Rome, Florence, Venice, Amalfi and the classic route by high-speed train
What to check when choosing a season
Look at the opening schedule of the place you want to visit. Alpine cable cars go into maintenance in autumn, the Peterhof fountains are switched off in winter, and some island ferries do not run from October to April. A date chosen without knowing these details can render the whole route pointless.
The second thing to check is local holidays. In some countries the whole population travels during the national holiday week and prices rise; the beginning of October in China is a classic example. Official weather statistics, meanwhile, are published on the World Meteorological Organization site.
In brief
Choosing a season changes the budget even more than the route does, and for most destinations the most correct answer is the shoulder season. Check the holiday calendar, look at the attractions’ schedules, play with the date by a month. To fit the travel date to the visa period, fill in the application form.
Note: season boundaries and opening schedules can change every year, so check the official sites before the trip.
