Temperature: 26°C high; 17°C low
Season: autumn
Travel time from UK: 2 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMT+0
It’s no mystery Lisbon is so popular these days. What’s not to like? Afternoons are for climbing its seven hills in search of the best miradouros — terraces with poetic views over its pastel houses and red rooftops — while evenings are best spent in taverns that serve up sensational seafood fresh from the neighbouring ocean. Night-owls make a beeline for Bairro Alto. Lax open-container laws make the city’s central district a party — join and drink in the dawn. September has fabulous weather — averages of 26°C — and you’ll get the city to yourself, as the unlucky masses have gone back to school.
Where to stay :
AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado
Verride Palácio Santa Catarina
Temperature: 25°C high; 17°C low
Season: autumn
Travel time from UK: 3 hours 50 minutes
Time difference: GMT+3
Istanbul has always been a cultural giant. It straddles two continents and sits on a major branch of the Silk Road, so pretty much every marauder has left their mark here through the ages, creating a city that’s richly diverse in its art, food and mood. And every September, the Turkish capital proves its contemporary cultural chops with the art fair Contemporary Istanbul, where show-stopping installations, sculptures and canvases showcase the region’s most intriguing works. For more cutting-edge Istanbul, head to Beyoğlu, the ultimate good-times hood. When not at a gig, boutique shopping or bar-hopping, check out New Anatolian Cuisine at Mikla, where the lamb-shank dumplings with smoked buffalo yogurt might just change your life.
If one city could give you enough reasons that make you want your holiday to last forever, it is the city of Istanbul. The old city looks beautiful from every corner, in big picture or in detail. The picturesque views of the Bosphorus are breathtaking, yet the magical geometry and detailed touches found in Greek churches, mosques, relics, and museums are sights for sore eyes. Istanbul is majestic and exquisite, and has the unique personality you would want to explore. Unlock the memories of the historic past and get ready to be overwhelmed by the intense beauty of Istanbul.
Where to stay :
Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Bosphorus
Temperature: 22°C high; 10°C low
Season: autumn
Travel time from UK: 1 hour 20 minutes
Time difference: GMT+1
This UNESCO-listed river valley is the epitome of bucolic bliss. Little wonder French royalty of yore ditched Paris for its gentle pastures, scattering myriad romantic châteaux across the landscape, plopped amid sprawling manicured gardens or perched on placid lakes. As the back-to-school crowds filter out, take advantage and meander its villages and vineyards in relative peace. Plus, the first weekend of September is marked by the annual Vines, Wines and Walks festival, where visitors choose between various wine trails, led by local winemakers – so you can stroll, sip and chomp the finest cheese with the help of an expert guide.
In a majestic location on the left bank of the Loire River, the Château of Chambord is the most emblematic Renaissance monument in France. A breathtaking sight to behold, this enormous castle provided inspiration for the building of the Château de Versailles. The estate was created in the early 16th century (at the height of the French Renaissance) for King Francis I, who spared no expense.
Where to stay :
CHATEAUX CHATEAU DE MARCAY Chinon
Temperature: 33°C high; 19°C low
Season: autumn
Travel time from UK: 3 hours 35 minutes
Time difference: GMT+1
Morocco saturates the senses. See Marrakech ’s chaotic medinas; the raggedly isolated mud-wall towns of the High Atlas; Essaouira’s salty sea air and sun-dappled surf. All are at their finest in September. As the summer sizzle mellows, both Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts remain bikini-balmy, while the winter chill that grasps desert nights and mountain villages is yet to take hold. And a smart new crop of design hotels — typically airy riads with crisp courtyard pools, renovated by French fashion photographers and Italian aristocrats — makes Morocco an especially stylish place to lay one’s head. Fez, a vast, medieval warren of a city, expects to complete an impressive, 30-year restoration project this year.
Temperature: 24°C high; 17°C low
Season: autumn
Travel time from UK: 3 hours 10 minutes
Time difference: GMT+1
When isn’t there a good time to go to Silicy? The warm wind that blows across the Mediterranean from Africa keeps Italy’s sunniest, most richly cultured island hot well into autumn (you might still get a heatwave), though its wild and beautiful beaches are never crowded in September; yet it’s cool enough for exploring the labyrinthine streets of its enchanting baroque towns. Memorable meals are to be had everywhere – September is a fine time for fruit and produce from Etna’s rich national park; and there’s no problem getting a room in Sicily’s most charming boutique hotels.
Where to stay :
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo
Temperature: 18°C high; 11°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 13 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMT-3
They call it the Paris of South America, but Buenos Aires has long tangoed to its own beat. Nothing feels quite like wandering the tree-lined streets of its largest barrio, Palermo, past rainbow-hued street art and bohemian coffee haunts, quirky galleries and fashion boutiques. It’s more seductive still in September, when the cold winter is easing off, but still-thin crowds largely comprise fun-loving locals and expats. Life-changing steaks and chic cocktail bars beckon at every corner; new — and hard-to-get-into — speakeasy Uptown BA recreates a New York Subway station. On the bright side, low-fare long-haul airline Norwegian just launched a direct flight from Gatwick, so there should be plenty of pesos in your pocket for bribing the bouncer.
Where to stay :
Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires
Temperature: 28°C high; 22°C low
Season: winter
Travel time from UK: 23 hours
Time difference: GMT-10
July and August are the busiest months in French Polynesia. Hold out until September and, as well as having more overwater bungalows to choose from, the weather’s still heaven. No heavy rains until November; none of the later months’ humidity to force on the air-con. Just blue, blue lagoons and the kind of peace you only find at the end of the world. Though it’s the very picture of paradise, locals call Bora Bora “boring boring”. For a quick culture dose, visit the pearl farms of quiet Taha’a, or meet the blue-eyed, giant sacred river eels of lush Huahine (but maybe leave it to your guide to feed them).
Where to stay :
Temperature: 26°C high; 20°C low
Season: autumn
Travel time from UK: 11 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT+9
Cherry Blossoms be damned. The madding crowds are less maddening in autumn, when trees brushed scarlet and gold make Kyoto’s sublime temples and gardens an even more precise image of perfection.
HAVE A CHERRY-BLOSSOM SUNDOWNER BY THE RIVER
During balmy evenings join the groups of Kyotonians who gather on the banks of Kamogawa, especially when the cherry trees are blossoming (there are extensive weather reports predicting the percentage of bloom in the run up to the season). It’s right near Sanjō Keihan station, so pick up drinks snacks from the nearby conbini (convenience store), kick back on a patch of grass and enjoy the gentle hubbub of buskers, street artists, and fire-eaters. It won’t be long before a humble local asks you to join their group as a guest of honour.
Where to stay :
AVERAGE SEPTEMBER TEMPERATURE: 25°C
Spring has arrived in South Africa and what a glorious season it is. The weather is warm in all regions, making it an ideal time to explore everything on offer: southern right whales breaching off the coast of Hermanus; the Garden Route at its lushest; and optimum game-viewing, particularly as newborns begin taking their first shaky steps. Combine the country’s most famous road trip with primo surfing at Mossel Bay en route; close to Mossel, Gondwana private game reserve has guests track the Big Five in 4x4s, on horseback and on foot. Thrilling safari days end in the Gondwana spa, swimming pool and suites-on-stilts.
South Africa is an extraordinary country, rich in captivating culture, spellbinding scenery and fascinating wildlife. It also has a wide range of luxury accommodation, which makes it a great destination for a family adventure, unforgettable honeymoon or multi-centre combination. Stay in an independent boutique hotel in a buzzing city or check into a serene lodge in the middle of an epic national park. Whatever the trip, you’ll find it easy to connect with the great outdoors in a country that is as dynamic as it is diverse.
Cape Town
Where to stay :
Tsala Treetop Lodge and Villas
Singita Lebombo & Sweni Lodges
From Georgia Papadon & team,
Happy September …!
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