Home > 3 Places to Take an Early Autumn Break in October
3 Places to Take an Early Autumn Break in October
Why would anyone want to take a short break in October? Well, August is busy. And September can still be hot. Queues are everywhere, even in late in summer, and so many places still come with a forest of mobile phones taking selfies. Sometimes even in the tail end of September the only single table left in the piazza is the one at the back, wedged next to the bins.
Nope. Not for me.
October can be a different experience entirely. Temperatures drop to something more manageable, and who doesn’t love a jumper of an evening? By now, most coach parties of tourists have mostly gone home to write their reviews (“and update their blog posts, hmmm?”), and right across much of Europe it’s harvest season. Grapes are being crushed, truffles are being snuffled, and the food can take a noticeably more serious tone.
So if you like your travel with a glass in your hand, a natty jumper, and nobody standing in your way while they take photos, October is your month.
Here are my recommended three places to book this year.
Affiliate Disclosure This post doesn’t actually contain affiliate links. If you book through them, I won’t earn a penny. They are my gift to you
Trieste is confused, bless it. Sitting at the top of the Adriatic, over the centuries it has variously been claimed by the Habsburg Empire, the French Empire, Italy, Yugoslav Partisans, and most recently Italy again. This is reflected in the culture, the food and the language.
For a city where the locals drink roughly twice as much coffee as the average Italian, it might come as no surprise, Sherlock, to find that coffee culture is HUGE. (“At least he’s not rabbiting on about wine again”)
What to do in Trieste
Apart from eating truffles, there’s probably 2 things which are almost compulsory if you’re visiting Trieste.
Drink coffee like a local
Trieste coffee shops have their own names for drinks. Try to blend in with the locals and order your coffee using the correct local slang
Un nero: A standard espresso.
Un capo (o capo in b): A small cappuccino served in a glass (in bellarino) rather than a ceramic cup.
Un gocciato: An espresso with just a drop of foamy milk on top.
Nero in b: An espresso served in a small glass.
3 great coffee shops to visit in Trieste:
Caffè San Marco So chilled it has it’s own restaurant and bookshop.
Urban Caffè Join the locals and urban hipstermax over an Aeropress
Spend half a day doing something new
Santuario di Monte Grisa. Photo by Simone Mascellari on UnsplashGo visitMiramare Castle. This mid 19th century marvel was builtby the man who would eventually become Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico . It’s only a short hop out of the centre by train (pick up a takeaway coffee and get off at Miramar Station) as much as for the gardens as for the building. Buy tickets to the castle here.
Take yourself on a civilised enoteca crawl around the bars in the Piazza della Borsa. A glass of wine here, a Campari spritz there, take your time to sample the local tipples.
Loiter in the Piazza Unità d’Italia. One of Europe’s largest sea-facing squares, fill up your IG here.
How to get to Trieste
You can fly direct toTrieste Airport from London (both Gatwick and Stansted have direct flights) as well as many other cities across Europe. From there it’s only a 30 minute journey by train into the centre of town
At this time of year, nights can be chilly, specially down near the water in the evenings. Pack a comfy jumper or snuggle partner.
Turin
Why an October break in Turin
Cuddled by the Alps, Turin is the capital city of Italy’s northern Piedmont region. As the nights draw in and temperatures drop, this is a great time of time of year to treat yourself to warm comforting Piedmontese food and a glass or two of the local Barolo or Barbaresco wine. And with hotel rates being typically 30% to 40% less than they are in peak summer (important for us solo travellers) just think of all the money you’re saving. (“Really??”)
In October you can probably grab a deluxe room in the glorious baroque splendour of the centro for roughly the same price as a basic room in some crappy chain in July. More coin for wine. Yay! (“Oh lord, he’s back on the booze train, isn’t he?”)
Alba white truffles. Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
October is the start of white truffleseason in the nearby Langhe hills, an hour or so away by car. Turin’s daily markets fill with white Alba truffles and their earthy aroma fills the Porta Palazzo market by seven in the morning as serious buyers barter under the covered arches. But you don’t need a car or even a tame truffle-hound to get your fill of this delicious musty fungi goodness. Many restaurants in Turin are more than happy to shave fresh truffle over delicious ribbons of handmade pasta without you breaking the bank – just keep an eye out for daily specials.
For something less earthy and way WAY more sweet, try the local speciality bicerin — a tiny glass of layered espresso, chocolate and cream. Caffè Al Bicerin (open since 1763) is the place to pop your bicerin cherry if you love candlelit rooms and wood panelling. (“So the plan is eat fungus then drink pudding? I’m worried for him….”)
If you want to go further afield, take a day trip to Alba (about 1.5 hours away by train) where you can eat your own body weight in white truffles.
The centro is full of museums. Literally it feels like there’s one on every other corner. The Museo Egizio is one of the best Egyptian collections outside Cairo, and quieter during October weekend afternoons in than during the summer when you’re likely to be battling tour groups.
The official Turin tourist board has crafted itineraries for people on a 1-day or 2-day trip.
How to get to Turin
You can fly direct toTorino Airport from London (both Gatwick and Stansted have direct flights) as well as many other cities across Europe. From there it’s only about €40 or so for a 30 minute cab ride to downtown Turin. You can also take the train to and from Turin Porta Susa station to Turin Airport.
If you want to truffle-up in Alba, you’ll find it less busy on a weekday. Try Thursday or Friday rather than Saturday.
Dijon and the Burgundy
Why an October break in Dijon and Burgundy?
Photo by Peter Herrmann on Unsplash
Burgundy is where to go if you take your truffles and wine slightly more seriously. (“Wine? Again??? Knew it wouldn’t take long”).This is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay’s home turf, and with that comes the September-October grape harvest season and celebrations across the region. Everywhere, plump grapes are being lovingly stripped from their vines before brutal being crushed into pre-wine (“juice, you weirdo. JUICE”). Cellars are ramping up and working overtime and the region is full of harvest energy, specially now that peak tourist-season has gone.
Dijon itself is an easy, walkable base. You won’t need a car to enjoy the city, though if you do have one this will open up the wider region if that’s what you fancy.
Outside of taking one of the many wine tours, October is the start of proper Burgundian eating weather. Think boeuf bourguignon (the beef stew, not the folk dancing. Do keep up) escargots, and regional cheeses. Leafy green salads of summer have made way to more robust dishes that better match a large glass of fine Burgundy.
How to get to Dijon
Getting to Djion can be a challenge tbh. There isn’t really an airport close by, but it is about a 6 hour drive from the channel ferry ports (I’ve done London to Dijon in 1 day via the tunnel a few times now, but it’s a schlepp). You can also take the TGV from Paris in just under 2 hours.
Things to do in Dijon
Photo by Peter Herrmann on Unsplash
Book yourself on a wine tour. There are plenty, from half-day tastings to full private days out through the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune
Get your culture fix. The Musée des Beaux-Arts, housed in the Palais des Ducs, and the Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne (Burgundian folklore and traditions, not the beef stew) are both worth an afternoon potter.And the Trail of Owl gives you a self-guided way to wander about town on your own by following little bronze owls (“awwwww. Sounds like a hoot! Geddit?”) at your own pace.
Spend the morning at the Halles de Dijon. This is Dijon’s indoor foodie market, and operates every Tuesday trough Saturday. Find out more here.
One thing to know about Dijon and Burgundy
If you’re travelling solo without a car, your easiest option for exploring the Burgundy an the Côte d’Or will be to take a guided tasting tour. Small villages are pretty, but public transport can be “informal”.
