Where to go in

October

Where to go in

October

Lean into ‘shoulder season’ or ‘winter’s spring’ with an October trip that brings together the best of peak and off-season travel. You’ll enjoy decent weather, long-enough daylight, fewer crowds, and a local tourist industry still ‘on’. So where’s best to go?

Portland

There’s something incredibly nourishing about October as a season and nowhere more so than Portland with the city’s arts offerings coming into full swing, and an abundance of fall foodie goings on, from harvest festivals to farmers markets, pumpkin picking to cornfield adventures. Film buffs will love Portland Film Festival starting on 16th October. The week-long celebration of film (think premieres, workshops and a diverse roster of guest speakers) has been hailed by MovieMaker magazine as “one of the coolest film festivals in the world”. Art lovers won’t want to miss Portland Open Studios, between 12-20 October, where you can explore the houses and offices of artists across the city. October also heralds the return of Portland’s NBA Team, the Trail Blazers, who kick off their season at the Moda Center, where you can also sample local food and drink from the likes of Killer Burger, Salt & Straw and 10 Barrel Brewing.

Seoul

Spring has the cherry-blossom and Autumn has the extraordinary leaf glow-up - the vibrant shades of red, yellow, and orange that symbolise Korea in October. During October in Seoul, the skies are brilliantly blue, the weather hits the sweet spot and the city is painted in a kaleidoscope of spectacular colours. It’s also a city that’s buzzing with life and surprises - where traditional teahouses and relaxing steam bathhouses live down the road from vibey K-Pop clubs and open-air, late-night food courts. The contrasts are intoxicating. Like many East Asian destinations, Autumn is one of the best times to visit with the cooler climes perfect for fresh-air fun, whether you’re keen on food tours – think tteokbokki, spicy, simmered rice cakes and tableside BBQ (samgyeopsal-gui) – or the city’s immense shopping scene, with outdoor clothing markets like Namdaemun Market and Dongmyo Flea Market. For full tilt Autumn nature action, head to Haneul Park for panoramic views of the city, too.

Lyon

There’s a lot of “did you knows” about Lyon. Like, did you know it’s the gastronomic epicentre of France? It is home to more than 4000 restaurants, from ancient “bouchons” serving traditional Lyonnais dishes like Quenelles de Brochet or Cervelles de Canut (cheese specialty from Lyon) to gastronomic restaurants (there are 20 Michelin starred restaurants) and food markets. Did you know cinema was born and bred in Lyon? A fact that is an even greater source of pride than its bucketful of Michelin stars. From 12 to 20 October you can celebrate cinema in Lyon at the Lumière Festival. Catch over 150 films in their original languages, presented by key figures in cinema. Another cultural highlight is ‘Peinture Fraîche’, from 12 October, an international street art festival. Really though, October in Lyon is all about the gentle wander, when the city has emptied of its summer tourists, the weather is crisp and the leaves are golden in Tête d’Or park. Eat your way around the city and enjoy a glass of Côte de Rhône looking at the côte of the Rhône.

Toulouse

An Instagram dream, Toulouse is known as La Ville Rose (‘The Pink City’) due to the terracotta bricks used in many of its buildings. Bisected by the Garonne River, Toulouse sits near the Spanish border with its 17th-century Canal du Midi (a UNESCO world heritage site) linking the Garonne to the Mediterranean Sea. Being a university city, it’s lively all year round but October is a great month to visit with mild temperatures, a manageable amount of tourists and plenty of seasonal things to do, like wine tasting. October is harvest season in the vineyards of Toulouse, making it the perfect time to sample the region's finest wines. Then you’ll be hungry so time to sample the seasonal specialties at the Toulouse Food Market. October is the ideal time to feast on freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, traditional stews and cassoulet. Then you can walk it off at the Toulouse Botanical Garden in all its Autumnal splendour.