Dolomites hut trips: opening dates, costs and route checks
Book the beds and check the paths separately. Rifugio prices and services vary, even on the same walking route.
Written by William BernardRead guide
When to Go
Shoulder season savings, month-by-month European travel dynamics, and avoiding peak crowds.
Featured planning guides
Mostar as a day trip or an overnight stay?
Choose by the time you can give the journey, and leave room for the old town beyond a quick stop at the bridge.
Written by William BernardRead guide
Visiting the Amalfi Coast in August
An August trip can work if you choose a useful base, plan around heat and crowds and keep each day's travel simple.
Written by William BernardRead guide
All When to Go guides
Showing 1 to 18 of 28 published articles
Rome in spring or autumn
Plan around your booked visits, leave room for rain and holidays, and use a quieter outdoor day to balance the busiest sights.
Checking school holidays before booking a European trip
Use the right local calendars, then compare real fares and rooms to see whether moving your dates would help.
When to visit Italy for cities, coasts and walking
Plan around the kind of trip you want, and treat summer heat, Ferragosto and seasonal transport as practical details rather than reasons to rule out a month.
Choosing the right season for a European trip
Plan by region and activity, then check local transport and opening dates instead of relying on one best month for the whole continent.
When to visit Andorra for skiing, walking or a town break
Match the travel date to the actual lift, activity and valley, with different plans for winter, summer and the weeks between.
The French Riviera in May or September
Compare walking conditions, sea time and event dates, without expecting either month to be quiet or inexpensive everywhere.
When to visit Switzerland for walking or snow
Choose by altitude and activity, then check the lifts and trails your trip depends on before booking around a season label.
Planning an Alsace Christmas market trip
Check each town's market dates, book a practical base and leave time for the train rather than trying to see every village in one day.
When to visit the Netherlands for flowers or city walks
Choose spring if flowers are the priority, or another season for museums and canals, with realistic expectations about weather and busy dates.
When to visit France by region and activity
Choose dates for the part of France you will actually visit, with separate plans for cities, coasts and mountains.
Planning a spring trip in Central Europe
Enjoy longer days and outdoor time, but keep a rain plan and check holidays before choosing dates in April or May.
Choosing the right season for Prague
Balance daylight, weather and busy event dates, then build a city break with enough indoor time for the season.
Walking in the Cinque Terre in spring or autumn
Check the exact trail before buying a card, and keep trains and village visits as alternatives when weather closes a route.
Travelling in Spain and Portugal during summer heat
Keep long walks for cooler hours, choose accommodation that helps you rest and check local warnings before planning an outdoor day.
Portugal from November to March
Plan a slower stay with indoor options, suitable heating and realistic expectations about rain, daylight and coastal services.
Swiss hiking seasons depend on the route
Use the trail grade, current conditions and transport dates together. A summer visit does not make every high route a summer walk.
A comfortable winter city break in Paris
Build the trip around museums and short neighbourhood walks, with realistic expectations about prices, daylight and closures.
When to visit Belgium for the trip you want
Choose between longer walking days, festivals and winter lights, with a practical indoor plan whatever month you visit.