Collioure feels like a Mediterranean fantasy

Last October, while cycling through south-west France close to the Spanish frontier, a recommendation from a local waiter brought me to Collioure, near Perpignan. It felt like a Mediterranean fantasy: the peak-season visitors had gone, leaving a calm, creative town filled with gentle light, golden warmth, cobbled lanes, small beaches and the Pyrenees rising behind it. In the early evening, the lingering autumn heat made it ideal for drifting through the quiet, pastel-painted passages of the Le Mouré quarter, stopping for affordable happy-hour wine and fish tapas. I had intended to remain for a weekend, but stayed for a full week, won over by Collioure’s irresistible blend of relaxed Catalan character and sunlit seaside charm. April

Quiet sunsets in Portugal

One of my favourite travel memories is sitting outside in shorts and a T-shirt on a boat moving along Lisbon’s Tagus River, drinking a chilled Portuguese wine while the low autumn sun lit up the city’s pastel hillsides. October temperatures were still around the mid-20s, making it perfect for exploring neighbourhoods on foot or leaning from trams as they clattered over the cobbles. In the evenings, I joined residents enjoying the final warmth of the year at pavement cafes and waterside taverns, lingering over coffee and pastries, or anchovies and beer, as spectacular sunsets unfolded without the crowds of summer. Nicoletta

Wild days in St Davids, Pembrokeshire

My ideal autumn break is St Davids on the Pembrokeshire coast. Once the holiday crowds have gone, the area becomes beautifully quiet, open and wild. We follow the coast path towards Whitesands, pausing above the cliffs to look for seals, before returning to tiny St Davids for a warming meal. The beaches can be nearly deserted and, when the weather changes, the rough sea and windswept shores only add to the experience. My advice is to go in early autumn, take sturdy boots and plenty of layers, and welcome whatever weather arrives – one of Britain’s finest coastlines will feel almost entirely yours. Tess

Baroque splendour in eastern Germany

Görlitz is a compelling place to use as an autumn base, positioned on the German-Polish border east of Dresden. The best moments were day trips to Bad Muskau, home to a splendid baroque palace, and to the Rakotzbrücke, or Devil’s Bridge, which can be reached on a narrow-gauge railway through the forest. This is a corner of Germany that receives relatively few visitors, but anyone who makes the journey will find memorable scenery and outstanding opportunities for photographs. Martin

Peace on a quieter Canary Island

The Canary Islands are a familiar choice for autumn sunshine, yet El Hierro offers a more untamed option than Tenerife or Lanzarote. Its landscapes are strikingly varied, shifting from pine woodland to fields of black volcanic rock, much of it wonderfully empty. Hours can disappear while exploring the rugged shore, where volcanic bathing pools including Charco Azul await. We spent a perfect afternoon there, resting on the rocks and gazing across the Atlantic. There are no vast resort complexes, but there are welcoming guesthouses and small hotels, while sunshine remains highly likely well into November. Leo Mark

Dramatic walks in Devon

We visited Woolacombe in north Devon with our three-year-old in October 2023, and travelling outside the main season worked brilliantly. The three-mile beach gave us plenty of space for ambitious sandcastle construction, while the Atlantic brought drama rather than sun-lounger conditions. From the hill above the bay, we watched the sunset colour the water in shades of orange and violet. It was easy to walk into the village, and Woolacombe made a useful base for visiting Mortehoe and the South West Coast Path. Bring waterproofs alongside your sunglasses: north Devon offers no guarantees. Yet on a clear autumn day, those huge sands can feel almost exclusively yours. Katharina Parsons

Coast, culture and cable cars in Madeira

Funchal, on Madeira, is my choice for an autumn getaway because it remains genuinely lively after summer ends. Its waterfront is ideal for gentle walks in the sun, with cafes and gardens welcoming visitors throughout the year. You can wander through the vibrant Mercado dos Lavradores, take the cable car for views over terracotta roofs and the Atlantic, then cool down at one of the city’s lidos. The climate is agreeably warm rather than intense, and the mountains and levada walks are close at hand. It brings together coastline, culture and spectacular scenery without feeling like a resort that shuts down for winter. Bernice

Clifftops and crab rolls in the Scottish Borders

For a memorable small-scale coastal break, make for St Abbs in the Scottish Borders. My wife and I quickly fell for its rugged atmosphere and lovely views. Film fans may recognise it as New Asgard from Avengers: Endgame, and a photograph beside the sign is a fun way to begin. Beyond its screen connections, the clifftop route to St Abb’s Head is excellent, with seabirds, powerful views and bracing sea air throughout. Afterwards, pick up a freshly made crab roll from the harbour cafe – simple, cheerful and exactly right after a walk. Craig

Constant sunshine in a Cretan refuge

Autumn arrived fiercely and unexpectedly early in Crete this month. A strong northerly storm soaked the island’s northern shore, but it stalled against the White Mountains. On one tiny stretch of the south-west coast, however, the sun continued to shine every day. Palaiochora is magical throughout the year: there are no huge hotels, it remains proudly Greek, and its pace is shaped by the arrival and departure of the ferry to Loutro. During the past week, while thunder gathered over the mountains, we swam and walked daily. “We are unique,” the man at the cafe told us. “Please don’t tell anyone.” Too late, perhaps. Kay Jones

Fiestas and feasts in Zaragoza, Spain

For an autumn city break, Zaragoza bursts into life during October’s Fiestas del Pilar. We spent a week strolling lively streets filled with people, many dressed in traditional outfits, waiting to place flowers at the enormous floral offering to the Virgin Mary in Plaza del Pilar. Along the river, food stalls offered Aragonese favourites, including chistorra sausage, rich stews, roasted chestnuts and sweet wine. Between the celebrations, we explored the remarkable Aljafería Palace and found tiny tapas bars hidden in narrow side streets. The city felt deeply local, energetic and full of unexpected discoveries. Carrie