Swerve the crowds – quieter destinations for autumn breaks

A terracotta-topped city on Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, Split is still bathed in sunshine in autumn for lazy beach days, outdoor activities and unhurried sightseeing. Walk the city walls then visit Diocletian’s Palace, an ancient Roman fortress considered the world’s oldest Catholic cathedral building. Feast on seafood in a family-run konoba restaurant, climb the pine forested Marjan Hill for panoramic views or swim from beaches including Trstenik and Kašjuni, which you will likely have all to yourself in autumn. Join a boat trip to see even more of the coast, touring nearby Dalmatian islands including Brač and Vis. 

The second largest Channel Island, Guernsey has warmer, drier autumns than mainland Britain, with crowd-free harbour towns, coastal paths and ancient sites. Explore on foot by heading out on the 39-mile Guernsey Coastal Path, a circular route that passes sandy beaches, World War II landmarks and dramatic cliffs. Alternatively stay in capital St Peter’s Port for upmarket seafood restaurants, independent galleries, cobbled streets and the 19th-century Castle Cornet. Watch out for the picture frames around the island that mark the exact places painted by the artists Turner and Renoir when they visited. 

With its tropical temperatures, colourful temples and buzzy nightlife, the Malaysian capital is one of Asia’s most thrilling cities. Look out over it all from the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, then wander Chinatown’s lantern-strung Petaling Street Market for stalls selling peanut-filled pancakes, soyabean puddings and the popular winter melon drink. Work it off by climbing the 272 steep rainbow-bright steps to explore the Batu Caves carved into a limestone hill and watched over by a 42m gold state of Murugan, the Hindu god of war. Just watch out for the free-roaming (and food-snatching) monkeys.

British Airways flies direct to Kuala Lumpur seven times a week.*

This lively coastal city in southwest Cyprus has beach weather long into autumn, with a bath-warm sea, golden sandy beaches and restaurants spilling on to the pavement for long alfresco lunches. Away from the lounger, you can potter round Paphos Old Town with its market, street murals and coastline views, try Cypriot wine at Tsangarides Winery in the hills outside the city or go hiking through the dramatic Avakas Gorge. The usually busy Unesco-listed archaeological site Tombs of the Kings, which dates back to the third century BC, will also be blissfully quiet to enjoy in peace.

This pretty Greek island is a delight without summer’s crowds and scorching heat. Autumn makes it much easier to enjoy its pastel-painted villages, waterfront tavernas and the hiking trails of Mount Ainos National Park. Soak up the sun on the limestone cliff-backed White Rocks Beach, take a boat trip from Argostoli harbour to the uninhabited Vardiani island or head out sea kayaking from Agia Kyriaki. Be sure to call in on scenic fishing village Assos with its crescent-shaped bay, brightly coloured houses and 16th-century Venetian fortress overlooking the Ionian Sea.

Mauritius it at its very best in autumn, with quieter beaches, lush green hiking trails and a just-right sea without the high humidity that arrives later in the year. It’s not too sweltering to mooch round the island’s capital Port Louis with its busy Central Market and colourful Hindu temples, or head out on paths across Bras d’Eau National Park, discovering waterfalls, swimmable natural pools and forests of eucalyptus. Spend weekends at the beach where locals hold all-day barbecues with pop-up rum stalls, drumming displays and dancing. 

Lefkada ticks all the boxes for a dreamy autumn getaway. Linked to the Greek mainland by a bridge, it has quiet traditional villages for post-lunch strolls, hilltop restaurants for sundowners with sea views and all kinds of activities to try, from wine tasting to shady gorge walks. You’ll also find some of the Mediterranean’s best beaches, which will be almost empty by autumn. There are cliffs and valleys for e-biking, local islands including Skorpios and Kastos for boat trips and a charming capital Lefkada Town, with its café-lined marina, 14th-century castle and cobbled streets. To get there, fly direct with British Airways to Preveza – it’s just 17km from Lefkada Town.

It’s not too chilly in Dublin by autumn but crisp, bright days are perfect for wrapped-up walks by the tree-lined Grand Canal, hiking the blustery cliff paths of Howth Peninsula or kicking up golden leaves in the Victorian St Stephen’s Green park. Afterwards, cosy up by the fire with a bowl of Irish stew in a traditional pub such as McGrattan’s or McNeill’s. Escape any rainy days in the National Gallery to see paintings by Caravaggio and Monet, or by touring the Guinness Storehouse with its tasting rooms, pouring lessons and rooftop bar with 360° views over the city. 

The Netherlands’ hip second city flourishes in autumn with mild days for cycling along canals, galleries and museums galore for dodging showers and hearty comfort foods to feast on including gooey caramel stroopwafels. Take a water taxi to tour Europe’s largest port, sample your way around the food stalls of the sprawling indoor market Markthal, then brave the highest abseil in Europe at Euromast, which stays open until the end of September. The 19th-century Het Park, just underneath the mast, is the best place to see Rotterdam’s colourful autumn foliage in blazing shades of red and orange.