August 18, 2022

Ranking 2022's Best Autumn Getaway Destinations

Going on vacation allows us to experience the world through an entirely different lens by trying varied cuisines, seeing new sights, embarking on a host of exciting activities and sampling exotic cultures. Many of us view the summer months as the most desirable time of year to try these things, but here at DiscoverCars.com, we believe that autumn is just as great.

There are many reasons why it's great to travel during the autumn months, not least because there are fewer crowds, stunning scenery to get lost in, delightful weather and a full program of events to choose from.

In addition to this, traveling during autumn is one of the most cost-effective times to see the world, because with it, comes lower prices on flights, hotels, train tickets, activities and even food and drink.

With all this in mind, we're sure we've got you in the mood to see the many sights on offer around the world this autumn. We have therefore compiled the best autumn getaway destinations for 2022 and ranked them accordingly.

We've also created a new ranking for 2023, make sure to see which places remained on the list and which ones are new!

Methodology

We collected data for several ranking factors to find out the best autumn getaway destinations with the lifting of even more Covid restrictions. We explored the following ranking factors and then scored each location a score out of 80:

  • Closest airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow)
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week)
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week)
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants
  • Number of 'budget' hotels
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November)
  • Average temperature (September, October, November)
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November)
We looked at 10 European cities, all renowned for being tourist hotspots in the autumn months, using a seed list from The Telegraph.

We collected the data on the premise that the reader would be going away for a week and used the dates September 30 to October 7, 2022, for any data that required dates to be inputted.

We used Google Flights to establish the average flight cost and recorded the top 10 round-trip prices from London Heathrow to the city's nearest airport.

Additionally, we used Expedia to find out the average cost to stay at the location for a week and recorded the price of the top 10 recommended hotels in each city (not including advertisements) to create an average price.

We discovered the average cost of renting a car by using our internal data and recorded the average price for a car rental available in the city to create an overall average.

Finally, to find out the number of 'affordable' restaurants and hotels the location has on offer, we collected this from TripAdvisor. To find this data, we used the 'cheap eats' and 'cheap hotels' filter options.
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Budapest, Hungary

First on the list is Budapest, which is the capital of Hungary and scored 65 out of a possible 80 points. Budapest boasts the oldest Metro line in the whole of continental Europe and is the only system of its kind in the world that is classed as a UNESCO site.

Budapest is brimming with world-famous attractions to take in, such as roaming the streets of Castle Hill, strolling down Andrássy Avenue, educating yourself about the Communist era at the House of Terror or exploring the Great Market Hall.

  • Closest airport: Budapest Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £162
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £781
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £263
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 817
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 427
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 40
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 16
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November): 1

Barcelona, Spain

Coming in second place and scoring 62 out of 80 points is the city of Barcelona, which is on the coast of northeastern Spain. Barcelona is also the largest city in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Barcelona has two official languages; Spanish and Catalan.

Top attractions in Barcelona include visiting Park Guell, stopping by La Sagrada Familia, riding the cable car to the Montjuic Castle and even signing up for a class in the art of cooking Spain's national dish - Paella.

  • Closest airport: Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £165
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £1,006
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £270
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 2,044
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 530
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 77
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 22
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November): 11.2

Lisbon, Portugal

In third place is Lisbon, which scored 56 out of 80 points, and is located in western Portugal on the estuary of the Tagus River. Unbeknownst to some people, Lisbon hasn't always been the capital of Portugal. UNESCO World Heritage Site Guimarães, nicknamed the 'birthplace of Portugal', was the original capital.

There are a plethora of exciting and unusual things to do and see in Lisbon. These include searching for a bargain or two at Feira da Ladra, spending the day at Casa Independente or sampling a delicious pastel de nata.

  • Closest airport: Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £163
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £965
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £305
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 1,178
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 428
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 83
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 22
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November): 11.2

Berlin, Germany

Next on the list of best autumn getaway destinations is the city of Berlin in Germany, which is located in the North European Plain and scored 55 out of a possible 80 points.

Make the most out of your adventure in Berlin by entering the dome of the German Parliament Building, visiting one of the many museums the city has on offer, such as the Pergamon, marveling at the Brandenburg Gate, which Napoleon once went through, and round off your day at the world's longest beer garden.

  • Closest airport: Berlin Brandenburg Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £161
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £1,328
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £256
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 1,511
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 351
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 44
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 14
  • Averae daylight in hours (September, October, November): 10.7

Copenhagen, Denmark

Coming in at fifth place is Copenhagen, scoring 46 out of a possible 80 points for best autumn getaway destinations. Copenhagen is København in Danish and is the capital and largest city of Denmark. A fun fact about Copenhagen is that cycling is a huge part of the lives of those who reside in the capital. In fact, 55% of Copenhageners commute to work by bicycle.

Copenhagen has a range of inspirational attractions, palaces, and hidden gems for tourists to discover. These include visiting the crown jewels in Rosenborg Castle, losing yourself in the city's varied nightlife and finally taking a day trip to Tivoli Gardens, which features a 100-year-old rollercoaster that is one of Copenhagen's most loved treasures.

  • Closest airport: Copenhagen Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £134
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £1,109
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £202
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 362
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 33
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 63
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 12
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November): 10.7

Bruges, Belgium

Next on the list of best autumn destinations which are sure to pique your interest is Bruges, which scored 43 out of a possible 80. It is the capital and largest city of the region of West Flanders in the Flemish province of Belgium. Belgium has more castles than in any other area of the world and roughly 50 of these 470 castles are in Bruges.

Bruges has plenty to offer tourists too, and examples of some of the best things to do in this enchanting city include taking a break for a much-needed Belgian beer at a Bruges bar, visiting some of the independent shops along Langestraat and finally admiring the city's culture and history at the Groeningemuseum.

  • Closest airport: Brussels Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £123
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £911
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £371
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 93
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 12
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 80
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 14
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November): 10.8

Amsterdam, Netherlands

In seventh place we have Amsterdam, scoring 43 out of 80 points for the best destinations to visit during the autumn months. The city is situated in the western Netherlands on the IJsselmeer and connected to the North Sea. An interesting fact about Amsterdam is that the city has officially only been the capital of the Netherlands as recently as 1983.

There are endless things to do and see in Amsterdam in the autumn months besides the obvious that may come to your mind when you think of this city. For instance, you can cycle your way through the bike-friendly city, try herring from a cart, uncover the history behind the famous Anne Frank museum and finally get lost in the vibrant Jordaan district.

  • Closest airport: Schiphol Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £103
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £1,582
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £463
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 762
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 189
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 82
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 15
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November): 10.7

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Ranking in eighth place is Dubrovnik with a total of 42 out of 80 points for destinations to visit during autumn. It is situated on the southern part of the Croatian coast, in the region of Dalmatia. An impressive fact about the destination is that it was the first republic state to banish slavery in 1416.

The ancient medieval city on the Adriatic Sea has some amazing sights for tourists on offer, such as walking the Dubrovnik walls, getting lost in the old town of Dubrovnik, wandering along the Stradun and even taking a tour of King's Landing.

  • Closest airport: Dubrovnik Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £204
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £872
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £280
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 52
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 130
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 118
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 22
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November): 11.2

Edinburgh, Scotland

Nearing the end of the ranking of best destinations to go to during autumn is Edinburgh. It is the capital of Scotland and is located in the southeast of the second largest country of the United Kingdom, gaining a total of 39 out of 80 points. A cool fact about Edinburgh that you may not already know is that many of the scenes in the Harry Potter movies were filmed there.

There is no shortage of things to do and places to see in the bustling and vibrant city of Edinburgh. Some of these include visiting Edinburgh's historic castle, shopping on Victoria Street, which is home to Edinburgh's finest selection of independent boutiques and is among the most photographed locations in the city, and finally having a wander through the Royal Botanic Garden.

  • Closest airport: Edinburgh Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £139
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £1,286
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £552
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 439
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 120
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 62
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 13
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November): 10.7

Florence, Italy

In final place is Florence, scoring 38 out of 80 for best autumn locations. This beautiful city is in central Italy and is the capital city of the Tuscany region. It's generally most famous as being the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, but what many might not know is that nearly one-third of the world's most important art masterpieces reside here.

It's difficult not to fall in love with Florence and the best things to do are extremely varied in this famous city. Strolling across Ponte Vecchio, taking a ride in Piazza della Repubblica, dining just like a Tuscan by sampling some of the culinary delights the city has to offer, wandering through Piazza della Signoria and finally, possibly the most romantic activity is watching the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo.

  • Closest airport: Florence Airport
  • Average flight cost (from London Heathrow): £193
  • The average cost to stay there (for a week): £1,447
  • The average cost of car rentals (for a week): £532
  • Number of 'cheap' (affordable) restaurants: 664
  • Number of 'budget' hotels: 355
  • Average rainfall in millimeters (September, October, November): 100
  • Average temperature (September, October, November): 21
  • Average daylight in hours (September, October, November): 1

We hope we have demonstrated to you that no matter the time of year, there are exceptional places to visit all around Europe. Autumn is a great time to explore some of the many wonders of this beautiful world without having to take breaks every five minutes due to the heat!

If you're looking to rent a car for your next autumn trip, please consider choosing us as we are a leader in online car rental bookings. This is because we compare car rental deals from many companies so that you can choose the best deal for your individual family's needs.

We also operate in more than 145 countries and 10,000 locations, so we're sure to have the car rental deal for you, no matter which destination you choose for your next autumn adventure.

    Sources


    Aleksandrs Buraks

    Head of Growth at DiscoverCars.com
    Aleksandrs has over 10 years of experience in marketing with a focus on creating stellar content that provides topical insights using data. Having taken five road trips across Europe and one in the U.S., he is passionate about traveling by car. His favorite countries to visit are Denmark and Thailand. You can find him on Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter.