As we bid a long farewell to the great British summer, thoughts turn to those colder months. And while some people may dread those blustery and wet morning commutes, I secretly adore getting to open the wardrobe and get all my big winter coats out.

I also love autumn because I think it’s a great time to go for city breaks. Going places in the spring means having to pack for four seasons in a day while hitting up the likes of Barcelona and Amsterdam in the middle of summer is just asking for days where you’ll constantly feel clammy and go through your suitcase in half the day from the heat.

Autumn is great if you like to go on a little adventure as I do. You can wrap up warm to traipse around and see the sights, do a LOT of people watching on rainy mid-mornings and feel all autumnal in the parks. Most importantly, you don’t need an excuse to cosy up inside a bar as you can always blame the weather.

I’m in the middle of researching some quick 2-3 day breaks away around Europe right now as some of the airlines have sales for October-November time. As long as there are no more big strikes this year, I might be able to squeeze in a trip or two. Here are some of the big cities I think make great autumn city breaks.

London

You don’t have to go abroad to have a fun city break. Regardless of whatever hullabaloo Brexit will cause for travel plans around autumn, everyone is at most only a few hours away from London by train.

The city was made for autumn, in my opinion. You take a walk through Kew Gardens on an autumn morning and tell me it’s not absolutely gorgeous. I will admit any trip to London does ignite that spark to make a quick detour (only 2 or 3 hours) to Primark and Topshop on Oxford Street, but it’s a great way to burn off the calories after scoffing on some of the seasonal fayre at Borough Market.

Many of the hot food stalls will be dishing out soups this time of year, and the sublimeness of hot chocolate at Rabot 1745 is autumn in a cup in my opinion.

I recommend going to London on midweek breaks. Booking in advance and travelling after 10 am will see you get the best prices on tickets. For somewhere to stay, again during the week, hotels in Kensington will have lower rates and occupancy, so see if you can blag a deal and feel all fancy when you come to town.

Berlin

There is only one word you need to know when visiting Berlin in the middle of Autumn: apfelkuchen. 

Walk into any café and proudly ask in broken German if they have any. It’s a simple translation of apple pie, but around October-November time is when you’ll find all the little cafes making their versions of it as apples are in season. Trust me; getting to sit by a window on a rainy afternoon with a coffee and slice without a care in the world is something else.

Because Berlin is so easy to get around, you’ll rarely get caught out in bad weather, but there is a bit of a chill in the air that you’d need to wrap up tight for. This time of year is also ideal for visiting all the museums on Museum Island as they’ll be quieter after all the summer tourists have gone. 

With the holidays being over, a lot of hotels close to Museum Island will have midweek deals on the go, again giving you another great reason to take a midweek break.

Paris

I can already imagine the envy-inducing pics you’ll be able to snap around Paris in autumn. I think it’s just the best place to be able to throw on a coat and go for a long walk all around different parts of the city. If you’re up really early, the Seine will sometimes have a little mist that hasn’t settled yet, while grabbing a coffee and crepe to sit on a bench in Tuileries Garden and let the cold air wake you up is absolute bliss. 

Art lovers and history buffs should know that from October until the end of the year the city has it’s annual (aptly named) Autumn festival. It is a massive art festival that is spread across the city and has everything from live theatre to art exhibitions.

My top tip for staying in Paris is to try and live like a local. That means looking out for Airbnb’s and deals on serviced accommodation in Paris. It’s much better to have a place with a little balcony where you can lean out and soak up the atmosphere of the city.

Belfast

It may not have the same glitz and glamour as Paris, but Belfast has secretly become a top UK tourist destination in recent years. Thanks in large part due to the success of Game of Thrones and many Titanic related attractions, you can have a wildly different trip depending on what you like. Some tours look at everything from the history of The Troubles in Northern Ireland to visiting Game of Thrones locations to sampling Irish food on a foodie tour of the city’s restaurant hotspots.

Speaking of food, anyone planning a visit during the week will want to be on the lookout for tasting evenings which are extremely popular around Belfast right now. Six By Nico is the busiest and requires you to book weeks in advance, but places like The Merchant Hotel and Ox are also copying the style which diners are loving. If you happen to be in town on the first Monday of the month, The National Café does a rotating supper club based off themes like New Orleans, Jamaica and Spain for just £35pp (including unlimited cocktails).

And I’d be silly if I didn’t mention making the trip out of Belfast to see something magical. Lonely Planet recently revealed their top 10 UK experiences people have to do, and the Giant’s Causeway (just an hour up the road) made it to the Top3 over things like previously mentioned Borough Market, the Tate Modern and Stonehenge. The north coast of Northern Ireland makes a magical autumn day out as long as you don’t mind the wind.

Oh and make sure you fly into Belfast City Airport and not International; the city airport is less than two miles from the middle of town and only £8 in a taxi either way.

Need more travel inspiration?

Check the recent post on useful packing tips that you need to try. And stay up to date with all the travel posts on the blog here.