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Autumn flourishes transform the northern hemisphere with fiery foliage, temperate climes, and (for the most part) fewer crowds, making September a prime time for sightseeing and soaking up some culture.
Visit delightful Dublin for history, humor, and cozy evenings at the pub; travel back in time and discover Beijing‘s ancient treasures; spark the imagination at Tibet‘s magical Buddhist sites; and take a peaceful stroll through England‘s postcard-perfect villages.
Get a Taste of Dublin in Its Mellowest Season
Dublin in September, often the sunniest month, sees a diminishing number of tourists after the crowds of July and August have dispersed. This city is many things to many people. Yes, you’ll find lively pubs (and they deserve detailed examination), historic marvels, humor, and national pride, but Dublin is also a cultural powerhouse, boasting magnificent galleries and museums, notably the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle, one of Europe’s finest. Moreover, during September, the Irish capital welcomes hundreds of arts performances during the fortnight-long Dublin Fringe Festival.
Admire Old Beijing and an Even Older Wall in Autumn
The people of Beijing have an epithet describing this season: tian gao qi shuang – ‘The sky is high and the air is fresh’. After the steamy heat of summer, September brings relief with mellowing temperatures and falling humidity, creating a window of calm between summer and the national holiday in the first week of October. Therefore, get out now to wander its traditional hútòng (alleys), perhaps watching old men crouched around a table battling it out with mah-jong or cards, and to explore the city’s treasures: the Forbidden City’s gates, halls, and museums, Tian’anmen Sq, the Summer Palace, and the many temples and parks.
Moreover, autumn is the perfect time to visit the Great Wall, when maples are in their fiery fall finery; busy Badaling is picturesque, but other wall sections at Mutianyu, Simtai, and Huanghua are quieter and also rewarding.
Walk Between Some of England’s Loveliest Villages in Autumn Sunshine
In the golden autumn light of September, the Cotswolds seem to simply ooze honey. This land of rolling hills – ‘wolds’ – hiding wool towns and stone hamlets in their clefts and valleys has long attracted urbanites seeking an English idyll. Visit in September not just to miss the heaviest onslaughts of coach parties, but also to enjoy the countryside at its finest, and to admire the flaming hues at the wonderful arboreta at Westonbirt and Batsford.
True, this is hardly an undiscovered gem; chocolate-box favourites such as Castle Combe and Bourton-on-the-Water can be thronged with tourists. However, it’s not hard to find peace, especially if you’re prepared to stretch your legs: a comprehensive network of footpaths laces the region, while the 102-mile (164 km) Cotswold Way runs along the escarpment, linking charming sites between Chipping Campden and Bath.
Visit Holy Buddhist Sites in Some of Tibet’s Best Weather
The roof of the world, a land of soaring snow-capped peaks, remote valleys, turquoise lakes, and monasteries echoing with Buddhist chants – no wonder Tibet captures the imagination of so many adventurers. It’s not the easiest place to travel, physically or politically – special permits may be required on top of a Chinese visa, and journeys can be long and arduous – but the rewards are spectacular, from the imposing bulk of Lhasa’s Potala Palace and Jokhang temple complex to remote stupas and jaw-dropping Himalayan vistas.
Travel in September to enjoy warm days after the summer rains have eased, ideally prime time for trekking – perhaps the kora (pilgrimage circuit) of holy Mt Kailash, ‘navel of the world’ – before snow arrives in October.
Article first published July 2017 and last updated July 2019
