Where to go in October for warm weather

October is the month when you can stretch the summer one more time. In northern Europe it turns cool and wet, while further south it is often still warm enough for the beach – and much quieter after the summer holidays. The sea has warmed up over the summer and at many coasts is still pleasant for swimming in October. On top of that, many schools have their autumn half-term. We looked at the weather of the Octobers 2015 to 2024 for 20 destinations.

One thing matters when choosing: October is a month of transition. In the eastern Mediterranean, the Canaries and North Africa it still feels like late summer. In the western and northern Mediterranean the first autumn storms arrive and rainfall rises sharply.

The table: 20 destinations in October

Temperature and rain: average of the Octobers 2015–2024 from the ERA5 reanalysis (via Open-Meteo), rounded. The values describe a grid cell of about 25 km and are often 1 to 2 degrees below what you measure on the beach. Flight times: typical direct flights, rounded.

1. Lisbon 22.9°
2. Seville 26.6°
3. Málaga 24.0°
4. Palma 23.6°
5. Madeira 24.4°
6. Tenerife 25.7°
7. Gran Canaria 27.0°
8. Fuerteventura 25.3°
9. Agadir 27.2°
10. Marrakech 29.6°
11. Djerba 27.4°
12. Malta 24.3°
13. Athens 23.4°
14. Chania 23.1°
15. Rhodes 25.3°
16. Antalya 27.2°
17. Paphos 26.4°
18. Hurghada 29.9°
19. Dubai 35.3°

Base map: Natural Earth

Late summer in the eastern Mediterranean: Rhodes, Cyprus, Antalya

If you still want a beach holiday in the October break, head east. Cyprus averages 26.4 °C by day in October with only 22 mm of rain, Rhodes 25.3 °C, and nights stay pleasantly warm at 19 to 20 °C. Antalya is even warmer by day at 27 °C, but the autumn rains begin there in October (73 mm on average), and nights cool down more, to 16 °C.

Crete is a little cooler than Rhodes at 23 °C in Chania and wetter (58 mm). Athens, at 23.4 °C and 28 mm of rain, is ideal for a city break in October: the summer heat is gone, and you can visit the Acropolis without 35 degrees.

Athens trip planDay by day, with map and tips

Your home mobile plan often does not cover roaming in Turkey. A travel eSIM is usually much cheaper:

Almost 30 degrees on a short flight: Red Sea, Morocco and Cape Verde

If you want real warmth, fly to Hurghada: almost 30 °C by day, 23.5 °C at night and only 4 mm of rain on average. Marrakech is similarly warm by day at almost 30 °C, but much cooler at night (15 °C) – October is a good time for the city because the great summer heat is over. Djerba in Tunisia reaches 27.4 °C and is one of the quickest places to reach for reliable late summer.

Marrakech trip planDay by day, with map and tips

Cape Verde is very warm in October at 29 °C and 25 °C at night; its short rainy season from August to October is ending (13 mm). Dubai is still hot at 35 °C – beach in the morning and evening, air conditioning in between. It becomes pleasant there from November.

Canaries and Madeira: reliable into winter

In October the Canary Islands are almost as warm as in high summer: 27 °C in southern Gran Canaria, 25.3 °C on Fuerteventura with only 12 mm of rain, and 25.7 °C on Tenerife. The advantage over the Mediterranean: temperatures fall only slowly into winter – southern Gran Canaria still averages 24.6 °C in November and 22.3 °C in December. Madeira is warm at 24.4 °C, but October is when its wetter months begin (83 mm).

Spain, Portugal, Malta: autumn with warm days

In the western Mediterranean and on the Atlantic, October is a lovely but changeable month. Seville is still very warm at 26.6 °C, but at 87 mm October is one of its wettest months. Málaga (24 °C), Mallorca (23.6 °C) and Lisbon (22.9 °C) are ideal for city breaks and walks; for swimming you need sunny days. Malta, with 20 °C at night, is the mildest place in this part of the Mediterranean.

Málaga trip planDay by day, with map and tips Mallorca trip planDay by day, with map and tips

Further north, October already feels like autumn: Barcelona averages 21.7 °C with 105 mm of rain, Naples 22.3 °C with 122 mm. Both cities are pleasantly quiet for culture now – but plan beach holidays there for September.

Where to be careful in October

In Thailand October is still rainy season: Bangkok averages 240 mm, Phuket 269 mm. In the Caribbean the hurricane season lasts until the end of November. Both are possible in October but not reliable – the good season there starts in December.

Planning the trip

For the October half-term, look at the night temperature: if you want to eat outside in the evening, the Canaries, Hurghada, Malta or Rhodes are a better choice than Marrakech or Antalya. For a long weekend, places up to about 3 hours away such as Mallorca, Málaga, Lisbon or Djerba work well.

In YesTrip you enter your destination and dates and get a day-by-day plan with a map and the weather for your travel days. There are ready-made city plans for Málaga, Mallorca, Athens and Marrakech. In October the packing list thinks of both – swimwear and a jacket for the evening.