Best places to travel in September: six trips after the summer rush

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Outside Naples cathedral the crowd is already packed tight before nine in the morning. It is 19 September, and everyone is waiting for word that the blood of San Gennaro, the city's patron saint, has turned liquid again in its glass phial. When the news comes, a ripple of relief runs through the square.

September is when Europe goes back to work, and that makes it a better month to travel. The sea is still warm in the south, schools have restarted and the cities fill with locals again. We picked six places: three cities with a reason to go now, a capital that wakes up after August and two coasts where the swimming season is far from over.

Short answer: where should you go in September?

Munich during Oktoberfest and Naples for San Gennaro are the best September festivals, and Milan has its fashion week. Madrid is at its best once the August heat lifts, and for swimming Cyprus and Alicante offer warm water with fewer visitors.

• Best for a party: Munich

• Best for fashion and design: Milan

• Best for tradition and food: Naples

• Best city break: Madrid

• Best for swimming: Cyprus

Munich: Oktoberfest on the Theresienwiese

Oktoberfest opens on a Saturday in the second half of September and runs for a little over two weeks, ending on the first Sunday of October. The city's breweries set up their vast beer tents on the Theresienwiese, and on the first day the mayor taps the first keg to start the festival.

Go on a weekday, and early, if you want a seat in the tents without a reservation. Outside the festival Munich is a city of beer gardens, the Englischer Garten and the museums around Königsplatz.

The catch: hotel rates soar during the festival and weekends sell out. Book months ahead. Read our Oktoberfest guide and our Munich guide.

Louis Hotel: balconies above the market

Louis Hotel overlooks the Viktualienmarkt, Munich's food market, and its balconies face the stalls and chestnut trees. During Oktoberfest it is a calm place to return to, with trams to the Theresienwiese close by. Book a room with a balcony, as the smallest rooms are tight.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Louis Hotel

Milan: fashion week and a city at full speed

Milan Fashion Week for womenswear takes place in September, and for a week the city fills with shows, parties and people dressed to be seen. Most shows are invitation only, but the atmosphere spills into Brera and the Quadrilatero della Moda, the fashion district around Via Montenapoleone.

September suits the city in general. Climb onto the roof of the Duomo, see Leonardo's Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie if you can get a ticket, and end the evening with aperitivo by the Navigli canals.

The catch: hotels are full and expensive during fashion week. If you are going for the city rather than the clothes, choose the week before or after. Read our Milan guide.

Magna Pars: suites with their own scent

Magna Pars is in Tortona, the design district in the south of the city, in a former perfume factory where each suite is named after a fragrance. Behind the facade is a tree-filled garden, and the suites are large and quiet. It is a little way from the centre but close to the Navigli and several show venues.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Magna Pars

Naples: San Gennaro and pizza on every corner

Naples celebrates San Gennaro on 19 September with a mass in the cathedral and the hope that the saint's blood will liquefy. The ritual is repeated twice more each year, but September is the biggest occasion.

September is a fine month in Naples. It is warm without being scorching, and you can walk Spaccanapoli, the long straight street through the old centre, visit the archaeological museum and take a ferry to Procida or Capri while the sea is still warm.

The catch: Naples is loud, the traffic is chaotic and pickpockets work the crowds. Wear your bag in front. Read our Naples guide.

Hotel Piazza Bellini: the old town on your doorstep

Hotel Piazza Bellini occupies an old palazzo on the square of the same name, a couple of blocks from Spaccanapoli. Its garden and small library offer calm in the middle of the old town. The square outside fills with students and bars at night, so it can be late before things go quiet.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Piazza Bellini

Madrid: the city wakes up after August

In August many Madrileños leave town and plenty of restaurants close. In September the city returns, the terraces fill up again and the evenings are long and mild.

Spend mornings at the Prado or the Reina Sofía, walk Retiro Park in the afternoon and eat tapas in Las Letras and La Latina at night. Locals rarely sit down to dinner before half past nine.

The catch: early September can still be very hot. Mid-month usually brings the best weather. Read our Madrid guide.

Gran Hotel Inglés: art deco in the literary quarter

Gran Hotel Inglés is on a narrow street near Plaza de Santa Ana, in the literary quarter of Las Letras, with a dark, warm art deco bar on the ground floor. The Prado is a ten-minute walk and the tapas bars start at the door. The street is lively at weekends, so ask for a high floor.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Gran Hotel Inglés

Cyprus: a warm sea on the Akamas

The sea around Cyprus is at its warmest in late summer, and in September it is still warm enough for long days in the water. Many of the summer families have gone home and the beaches have more space.

Drive out onto the Akamas peninsula in the north-west, where the coast is wild and the roads narrow, and swim in the Blue Lagoon bay by boat. In Paphos the Roman mosaics are listed by UNESCO.

The catch: you need a car, and Cyprus drives on the left. Some Akamas tracks are unpaved and need care. Read our Cyprus guide.

Anassa: a village hotel by the sea

Anassa is near Latchi in the north-west, built like a village of white houses running down to its own beach. The Akamas begins next door, and in September the sand is far quieter than in high summer. It is an expensive hotel for couples and families who want the calm side of the island.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Anassa

Alicante: city and beach without the summer crowds

Alicante has a beach right in the centre, and in September the water is still warm. With most holidaymakers gone, it is easier to find a sunbed on Postiguet and a table on the Explanada, the wave-patterned seafront promenade.

Take the lift up to Santa Bárbara castle for the view, wander the old Santa Cruz quarter and ride the coastal tram north to Altea and Villajoyosa.

The catch: the city beach is small and busy at weekends. Take the tram to Playa de San Juan for more room. Read our Alicante guide.

Hospes Amérigo: a rooftop pool on an old convent

Hospes Amérigo occupies a former Dominican convent in the centre, with a rooftop pool that looks up to the castle. The Explanada and the old town are a few minutes away on foot. The pool is small and fills up in the afternoon, so go up early.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hospes Amérigo

Good to know before you book

• Oktoberfest pushes up prices: book Munich hotels early, especially for weekends.

• Check fashion week dates: if you are not going for the shows, pick another week in Milan.

• The sea is still warm: September is one of the best swimming months in southern Europe, with fewer people than August.

• The season winds down: some ferries and beach bars in the south close towards the end of the month.

September travel: frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to travel in September?

Munich for Oktoberfest, Milan for fashion week, Naples for San Gennaro and food, Madrid for a city break, and Cyprus or Alicante for swimming.

When does Oktoberfest start?

Oktoberfest begins on a Saturday in the second half of September and ends on the first Sunday of October, or on 3 October if that falls later.

When is the feast of San Gennaro?

The main celebration is on 19 September with a mass in Naples cathedral. The ritual is repeated on the Saturday before the first Sunday in May and on 16 December.

Is the sea warm enough to swim in September?

Yes. In southern Europe the sea is often warmer in September than in June because it has been heating up all summer.

Is September cheaper than summer?

Often, especially at beach destinations once schools are back. The exceptions are cities with big events, such as Munich during Oktoberfest and Milan during fashion week.

Read next

• Where is it hot in September?

• Best places to travel in August

• Best places to visit in October

• Where is hot in October?

• The best beaches in Spain