Vinicius Costa, a travel writer who has crisscrossed Europe for years, named Scotland, Italy, Slovenia and Spain as the continent's top destinations for admiring autumn foliage, in an article written for Travel Off Path.
Costa said he counts the days until sweater and fireplace weather arrives, when he can escape to the mountains for fresh, cool air. He said more than eight years of independent travel around Europe, including time spent living in Paris, had given him several favourite spots for autumn getaways.
Scotland's Highlands
Costa's first pick was the Scottish Highlands, pointing to gothic castles, viaducts, towering mountains, gloomy valleys and clear waterfalls set against gold, orange and crimson leaves. For city breaks in Scotland he recommended Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness or Stirling, while nature lovers should head for Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, as well as Glen Coe and Glen Affric.
Italy's Dolomites
While many tourists associate Italy with its pastel-coloured seaside towns, Costa said he preferred the Dolomites, a rugged mountain range in the north of the country that separates it from Austria. There he suggested the towns of Bressanone, Ortisei, Canazei and San Candido, the resort of Val di Funes, the Alpe di Siusi plateau, the Val Fiscalina valley and Lake Braies.
Slovenia's Julian Alps
The Julian Alps in Slovenia are so far less popular but no less charming, Costa said, adding that the country's comparatively low prices were a welcome bonus. He singled out the towns of Ljubljana, Bled, Radovljica and Skofja Loka, along with Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj and the Logar and Soca valleys.
Spain's Picos de Europa
Spain is another country tourists usually associate with summer rather than autumn, but its mountainous terrain is well suited to a seasonal trip, according to Costa. He described the Picos de Europa mountain range as Spain's answer to the Alps, only wilder and less manicured, and recommended the towns of Cangas de Onis, Potes, Covadonga and Sotres, the Fuente De cable car, the lakes of Covadonga, the Cares Gorge and the Valdeon valley.
More autumn travel ideas
UNIAN.Tourism reported that travel journalist Mary Novakovych had earlier named the best destinations worldwide for what she called the "velvet season." Separately, tourists were also given a list of seven popular destinations around the world that are best avoided this autumn.
