Don’t believe those who would tell you summer is almost over: book one of these September holidays to keep the summer spirit alive Ignore chat about summer being over – it’s wrong. The summer season officially lasts until 20 September, and plenty of the season’s biggest events are yet to happen. Travel network Virtuoso data shows that 47 per cent of luxury travellers are opting to book September holidays in what’s known as the ‘shoulder season’ that bridges summer and autumn, avoiding crowds and taking advantage of late-season sun.
With that in mind, here are the trips to book if you’re searching for that last taste of summer sun. BARCELONA There’s a week-long arts festival in Barcelona every September, after the tourists from the summer season have flown home. La Mercé has a strong billing of music and art and celebrates local traditions with parades and castells, the Spanish tradition of creating human towers.
The Hotel Arts Barcelona, the tallest hotel on the coast, provides an excellent vantage point from which to take in the festivities. OKTOBERFEST The famous beer festival actually kicks off in late September, so it works as an excellent chaser to keep the summer spirit alive. Expect traditional Oompah bands, parades with locals clad in lederhosen and a wider selection of German beers at the pop-up festivals taking place across Germany, but particularly in Munich, the focus of the celebrations.
If you’re heading to the Bavarian capital, the Koenigs.