Sometimes you need more reason to travel than great weather and the chance to escape.
Autumn is a wonderful time for adults to go out exploring. It’s after the summer rush, after the busy school holidays, and the weather is turning bleak at home.
This is also when festivals and events transform already great destinations, in Europe and beyond.
In this article we present our favourite eight autumn experiences for 2024, all best for adults only.
International Alba White Truffle Fair, Italy
Weekends between October 12th and December 8th
The world’s most revered truffles set the scene for one of Italy’s most impressive showcases of haute gastronomy. It’s a wonderfully interactive experience with Italian cooking and wine.
The fair is centred upon white truffles from the woods of Langhe Roero and Monferrato. It’s evolved into a festival of cooking classes and shows, wine tasting and taste workshops, and some very special dining.
Piedmont is one of Europe’s most important culinary destinations and Alba is an enchanting UNESCO World Heritage town an hour south from Turin, Italy, next to the wine regions of Barolo and Barbaresco.
The fair takes place every weekend between 12th October and 8th December. This event plus the harvest makes autumn the best time to visit Piedmont.
We highly recommend the unusual dinners, with iconic Italian chefs leading one-night-only dinners in historic venues across Alba.
Momiji Season in Japan
November
Famous cherry blossoms make spring the popular time to visit Japan. Yet the autumn foliage is hugely underrated.
Our partners in Japan say that this momiji season is the most beautiful season in Japan. It’s not as crowded as spring either.
Starting mid October, leaves change into vibrant shades of orange, yellow and red. Koyo describes red and yellow foliage, Momiji means the intensely red maple leaves, and momijigari is the art of finding the most striking ref leaf.
November is the best time to visit as foliage is at its peak in the heart of the country, notably the city parks of Tokyo and the forested grounds of Kyoto’s temples.
Designing a great trip to Japan requires a few months preparation, as the country’s best accommodation and guides are booked up far in advance. Summer is the time to enquire about November.
Champagne Harvest
September
Life revolves around the harvest in Champagne, which usually begins in the first half of September. All Champagne grapes are picked by hand and it is possible to pick the grapes for a morning, an interesting and traditional experience.
More insightful is seeing the producers at work as Champagne production begins, with the pressing and first fermentation. You can taste wine straight from the press. The traditional harvest lunch includes plenty of tasting too and it’s a different experience each day, depending on the winery.
Most smaller wineries are closed to the public during harvest time, as they’re flat out working on making wine. However, we do know opportunities to spend a day with winemakers, exploring the intricacies of their Champagne production.
Hotel & Restaurant les Avises is in the heart of Cote de Blancs and the neo-classical mansion is owned by Jacques Selosse, one of the region’s best small growers (the hotel’s Champagne list is legendary). Also consider classical French luxury at Domaine Les Crayères and the more contemporary Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa.
A winter travel idea is the feast of St Vincent on January 22nd, honouring the patron saint of winegrowers with a procession, banquet and countless tastings.
If you prefer Brunello di Montalcino to Champagne then September 12th to 24th is the time to visit Tuscany, with Rosewood Castiglon del Bosco offering a very hands-on experience in Tuscan viticulture.
Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix
November 21st – 23rd
After the huge success of last year’s inaugural event, the Las Vegas Grand Prix is Formula 1’s new glitzy, glamorous and unmissable event for racing fans. While there were issues with drain covers on the track, the off-track action was loved by all.
It’s a nighttime race through the heart of the world’s entertainment capital, on a track weaving through the neon heart of The Strip.
Las Vegas is a similar experience to Monaco, with the racing a sideshow to a few days of partying. It’s a huge Vegas-style party, complete with massive opening ceremony, then practice, qualifying and racing all taking place after dark.
We can arrange hospitality packages that provide the full VIP racing experience, from the paddock to the parties and tailgating.
You will be going to bed very late and waking up late, so consider a few days of downtime at Amangiri in the Utah Desert, quickly accessible by helicopter from Vegas.
Alma Festival at Six Senses Ibiza
November 6th – 9th
A festival of wellness and spirituality, at the stunning Six Senses Ibiza on the quiet northern tip of the Balearic island.
This year’s festival theme is Rewild Your Spirit and explores themes of reconnection, soul, longevity, vital health, movement and celebration.
There are two full days of workshops, in areas like Holotropic breathwork, yoga, sound healing, kundalini activation process. Plus hikes, keynote addresses and community dinners.
Even without this festival, autumn is an excellent time for couples to visit Ibiza. It’s after the busy party season yet the weather generally remains dry and warm.
Ibiza is a beautiful island and there’s a lot more than famous parties. Autumn is the time to discover it.
Start of the Oyster Season in Brittany and Bordeaux
September & October
Oyster season in France runs from mid September to April.
Oysters naturally spawn in April and spend the summer fattening up and reproducing. During summer, the oysters produce a tasteless, soft milky-like roe. It’s not the time to eat them. Harvesting then starts in September.
During autumn freshly harvested oysters are celebrated in oyster bars, restaurants and village.
This is when you can do your own oyster harvesting, knee deep in the water. You can meet local experts and understand oyster production. And taste many hundreds of oysters in a weekend.
The best destinations for these experiences are Cancale in Brittany and Arachon and Marennes-Oléron, north of Bordeaux (you could combine oysters with the Bordeaux wine harvest!).
Their surrounding villages are also fun places to hop between bars tasting the oysters and just marvelling at the sheer abundance of the delicacy.
Art Basel Miami Beach
December 6th – 8th
The largest art fair in the Americas will feature 277 modern and contemporary art galleries this year, at venues all across the city.
It’s the centrepiece of Miami Art Week, which features dozens of satellite fairs and events, which are not part of the official program. This includes a lot of street art too.
Last year we loved the concept of No Vacancy, Miami Beach, where 12 artists created site-specific art pieces in 12 Miami Beach hotels.
Add in the great weather and transformation of an already vibrant city, to make a sunny week away from home. It’s a great time to visit the Everglades too.
Also consider New York for a two-destination holiday, with December 4th the day the city’s Christmas lights turn on.
Dia de los Muertos, Mexico
November 2nd & 3rd
Mexico’s annual Day of the Dead celebration is a colourful and fun experience that truly celebrates, rather than mourns, the dead.
Most Mexican families create shrines in their own houses. Graveyards are overflowing with flowers, candles and gifts for the spirits.
It’s celebrated across the country and wild processions take place in most Mexican cities, with Mexico City being the biggest and Oaxaca the original and most spiritual.
This festival is a lot of fun although we wouldn’t say it’s the reason alone to go to Mexico.
Dia de los Muertos is an immersion in traditional Mexico and is great as one part of a Mexican holiday.
We suggest also spending time on the beach, at one of the top resorts on the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, and trying some Mayan spa rituals at a remote all-villa property like Chablé Yucatán.
Your Autumn Escape?
These were just some of the inspirations being shared around our team of travel designers. We have more suggestions too! And we’re sure there’s an event or place you really want to experience.
September to November is a popular time for our clients to be travelling with their loved one. Where will you explore this autumn?
