November has traditionally been one of the quietest months for travel in the northern hemisphere. October half-term has finished, while the festive period is yet to come — although some Christmas markets are now opening towards the end of the month. The high season in the Caribbean and other parts of the tropics is similarly waiting until December. There are cheaper rates and no end of choice, whether you want to escape for some winter sun in Egypt, go Christmas shopping amid the glitz of Manhattan, sample Stockholm-style fika or just enjoy the lack of peak-season crowds in Florence. In southern-hemisphere countries you’ll feel the warm glow of spring, while the stormy periods in much of the tropics have reached an end. Here’s our pick of the best places to visit in November.
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Short haul
1. Stockholm, Sweden
The Stockholm waterfront
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Why go in November? For the Swedish ritual of fika
The downside of sampling fika — the Swedish custom involving chats, cups of coffee and cardamom or cinnamon buns (or both) somewhere cosy — is that if done properly, it also involves experiencing the country’s winter, a time when daylight ranges from limited to non-existent and temperatures plunge. The canny thing to do is visit southerly Stockholm in November, when there is still seven to eight hours of daylight and not yet endless snow. When the weather does turn, you might visit museums devoted to Abba, the Swedish way of life and a 17th-century warship, or go full fika by retreating to a snug café such as Skeppsbro Bageri on the quayside in the old town. Christmas markets start late in the month.
Make it happen
Daily fika is included in the room rates at Home Hotel Tapetfabriken, a red-brick former wallpaper factory converted into one of the coolest digs in Stockholm.
Enjoy two days in Stockholm during a November departure of Tralfalgar’s ten-day Capitals of Scandinavia group tour, along with time in Copenhagen, Oslo and Helsinki.
2. Malta
Why go in November? For sunshine just over three hours away by plane
In the southern Mediterranean, the two main islands of Malta (the eponymous one and the pretty, wilder Gozo) stay warm and quite dry into November, with the temperature reliably tipping into the 20Cs; while it cools in the evening, you’ll require nothing more than a light jacket after dark. It’s a good time for hiking, exploring neolithic temple complexes or roaming the handsome, harbourside capital, Valletta, which is full of baroque glories and is Unesco-listed in its entirety. After the autumn harvest, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and pomegranates infiltrate restaurant menus and wineries reopen for tastings and tours.
Make it happen
Looking out over the harbour in Valletta from your cute little balcony at the luxurious, stylish Iniala Harbour House boutique hotel is a treat on milder mornings and evenings.
Riviera’s Malta Uncovered group tour visits Valletta, Gozo, the atmospheric old capital of Mdina and St Paul’s Catacombs, a burial place of early Christians.
• Best hotels in Malta
• Best places to visit in Malta
3. Lanzarote, Spain
The Valley of a Thousand Palms in Haria
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Why go in November? For some peace and quiet
For anyone in search of an escape from grey skies in northern Europe, Lanzarote provides a startling break. The closest of the Canary Islands to the UK is also the driest — together with its neighbour Fuerteventura — and in Timanfaya National Park you’ll feel as though you’re on a Martian expedition. In November, temperatures are likely to be in the low 20Cs, and the three or so rainy days this month bring green growth to the valleys around Haria. The first week of November aside, there are few school holidays this month — a bonus for those seeking peace.
Make it happen
With gardens designed by the renowned Lanzarote architect César Manrique, Paradisus by Melia Salinas is a big-name resort with local flavour between two beaches.
There’s a call at Lanzarote, with many possible excursions, on Fred Olsen’s annual Canary Islands & Madeira Winter Warmth cruise.
• Best all-inclusive hotels in Lanzarote
• Best things to do in Lanzarote
4. Vatnajokull, Iceland
Sunset over Diamond beach, near Jokulsarlon
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Why go in November? For a glacial escape
Iceland’s name becomes increasingly accurate in November, as sub-zero temperatures arrive more frequently. This is the time of year for tours into the ethereal world of ice caves — more accurately, glacier caves — as these changing hollows need to be frozen before they can be safely explored. The most accessible caves are in the south of Iceland, especially at the edge of the vast Vatnajokull ice cap. The year-round wonder of Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon is also here, and with early-winter nights come increased chances of seeing the northern lights.
Make it happen
Near the southern point of Vatnajokull, the 125-room Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon has stark architecture that vies with the surrounding landscape.
There’s a chance to hike the Vatnajokull ice cap and visit Jokulsarlon on Intrepid’s small-group Northern Lights Escape tour of Iceland.
• Best hotels in Iceland
• Best things to do in Iceland
5. Athens, Greece
Historic Athens is ideal for a November city break
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Why go in November? For a city break minus the summer crowds
By November, tourism in the Greek islands has mostly shut down for the winter, but life in the capital, Athens, goes on. Average temperatures this month are in the mid-teens: not geared for a beach break, but good for the runners in the Athens Marathon, which begins 26.2 miles away in the town of Marathon itself. During this cooler time Athens is still among the warmest European capitals, and if you visit in November, you won’t find phalanxes of visitors at the Acropolis and other major attractions.
Make it happen
Stay at the Herodion hotel, just next to the Acropolis Museum, and you can take in rooftop views of the city’s prime monument from the warmth of a hot tub.
For a deeper dive into Greece, join Riviera Travel’s group tour: it starts in Athens before moving onto charming beach towns and more ancient sites.
• Best things to do in Athens
• Best affordable hotels in Athens
6. Florence, Italy
Galleria Palatina in Florence
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Why go in November? For hearty food with a dose of culture
Tuscany in late autumn may not have quite the same golden kiss of sun on its villa-crowned hills, but the season suits the region in other ways. Chillier weather calls for a cuisine among the heartiest Italy has to offer, with the flavours of game and — especially now — the prized white truffle. November can be a tough month for European city breaks, but in Florence at least there is a whole art history degree’s worth of indoor attractions if rainy weather sets in.
Make it happen
With decor partly inspired by the world of watchmaking, Hotel L’Orologio overlooks Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, which has a splendid fourth-floor loggia.
Jet2 can arrange packages at dozens of Florence hotels, including those close to the renowned Uffizi Gallery.
• Best affordable hotels in Florence
• Best things to do in Florence
7. Berlin, Germany
Why go in November? For getting into the festive spirit
Berlin is a city that loves its Christmas markets — more than a hundred pop up around the German capital each winter, some from as early as mid-November, and almost all of them by the end of the month. This is the best time to visit if you want to get into the festive spirit but don’t want to be pushing past crowds of people only to get into a long queue for the glühwein. Among the early openers are Christmas Avenue on Nollendorfplatz, Family Wonderland in Spandau and the Medieval Christmas Market at the RAW Compound. Once you’ve had your fill of the festivities, head to Berlin and some of its many cosy bars and restaurants or view poignant displays at museums such as the Jewish Museum Berlin.
Make it happen
Wilde Aparthotels Berlin is just a short stroll from Checkpoint Charlie and has family-friendly rooms with kitchenettes.
If you’re on a budget, easyJet Holidays has flight-inclusive packages to several hotels around Berlin — some of them very close to those markets.
• Best things to do in Berlin
• Best affordable hotels in Berlin
8. Alentejo, Portugal
Why go in November? To experience olive oil season at its peak
Most agrarian activities are done by the time November rolls around, but olive oil production in Portugal is just reaching its peak. Alentejo is where the bulk of the Portuguese olive oils are produced, with many farms open for guided tastings and tours around this time of the year. You have two options. One is to base yourself in one of the bigger cities, like Evora, where Roman ruins and magnificent churches abound, and take a day trip out to the countryside for tours and tastings. The alternative is to immerse yourself in the experience by booking a farm stay, where you can wake up and see the countryside in motion.
Make it happen
Luxury hotel São Lourenço do Barrocal is at the centre of a working farm that’s been family-run for some 200 years. And yes, it has its own olive groves and you can do tastings.
The eight-day Portugal Real Food Adventure from Intrepid Travel is a good introduction to the region’s culinary traditions and includes a visit to Galicia, across the border in Spain.
9. Lyon, France
Why go in November? For a fun wine escape
The annual release of light and fruity Beaujolais Nouveau wines — always on the third Thursday in November — might have started as a marketing gimmick, but these days everyone’s in on it. If nothing else, it’s a good excuse to get together for a party at a traditionally gloomy time of the year. Use Lyon as your base. It’s the closest city to the wine region, making it an easy day trip. Alternatively stay in the city and book tickets to Beaujol’en Scène, where the highlight is the arrival of the first barrels of wine by boat followed by a tasting at midnight.
Make it happen
Stay at Cour des Loges Lyon, a Radisson Collection hotel that’s a short walk from Place Saint-Jean, where Beaujol’en Scène takes place each year.
Consider a cruise to take in more of the region. CroisiEurope Cruises has a four-day Fall Festival: Local History and Traditions on the Rhône River itinerary that starts and ends in Lyon.
Mid and long haul
10. Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
Snorkelling in the Red Sea
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Why go in November? For incredible dives
November is one of the best times of the year for diving in the Red Sea — though the summer heat has cooled to a more manageable temperature, the waters are still fairly warm. Perhaps more importantly, there’s good visibility and plenty to see below the waves. Tiny reef fish are everywhere, yet it’s the terrifying-looking moray eels and fleeting glimpses of octopus that will most catch your eye. If you come early in the month there’s also a possibility of spotting whitetip sharks.
Make it happen
Make Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort your base. As well as a private beach it has a pier that you can jump from to snorkel the house reef and an on-site dive school.
Tui has several all-inclusive resorts in Sharm, and its packages include airport transfers and baggage.
• Best hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh
11. New York City, US
Bow Bridge in Central Park
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Why go in November? For early Christmas shopping
November is generally a cheaper time to visit the Big Apple than the months just before and after: great for early Christmas shopping and the likelihood of autumn colours in Central Park, where they appear later than in surrounding areas thanks to Manhattan’s urban warmth. The first Sunday of the month is when the New York City Marathon takes place, and the fourth Thursday marks Thanksgiving, celebrated here with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and its giant balloons. Staying in Midtown puts you at the heart of the New York action, and competition between the many hotels can mean good prices.
Make it happen
The Arlo Midtown, in the Garment District, has calming decor with tropical plants and mid-century furniture.
Travel with British Airways to combine a hotel stay with the airline’s flights to NYC from London Heathrow, Manchester or Edinburgh.
• Best affordable hotels in New York
• Best things to do in New York
12. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Moped riders in Ho Chi Minh City
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Why go in November? For warmth without the humidity
Normally hot and humid, the southern provinces of Vietnam transition to a cooler and drier season from November. In Ho Chi Minh City, where average daytime highs are generally in the high 30Cs, it drops to a more comfortable average between the high 20Cs and low 30Cs — perfect, then, if you plan to go sightseeing during the day. Among the essential stops in the city are the Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum, where you can learn about the country’s tumultuous history. Popular day trips include visits to Cu Chi Tunnels, which were used for guerilla fighting during the Vietnam War, and the Mekong Delta.
Make it happen
Hilton Saigon in District 1 has a rooftop bar that provides striking views across the Saigon River.
Ho Chi Minh City, along with the Mekong Delta and island-speckled Ha Long Bay, features in Exodus’s introductory small-group tour of Vietnam.
• Best hotels in Ho Chi Minh City
• Best places to visit in Vietnam
13. Oaxaca, Mexico
Celebrating the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca
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Why go in November? For festivities in balmy climes
Dia de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead — is one of the liveliest annual events in Mexico, with colourful ofrendas (altars), costumed parades and candlelit cemetery vigils. Held on and around November 2, the festival is most fervently marked in the centre and south of the country. The celebrations in Michoacan state are well known, but Oaxaca is also a culturally rich place to experience them, with a beautiful and little-developed coast to enjoy as well. The rainy season should be over by this time of year, with temperatures pleasantly warm.
Make it happen
The Hotel Parador de Alcala is in an 18th-century mansion with a lovely central courtyard and a rooftop pool in the historic centre of Oaxaca city.
This G Adventures small-group tour is based around spending the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca.
• Best family hotels in Mexico
• Best places to visit in Mexico
14. Kyoto, Japan
Red maple leaves in Kyoto
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Why go in November? For autumnal colours
Though Japan’s momiji (autumn leaf) season is less of a quick-burn affair than its celebrated cherry blossoms, it can also be tricky to predict the ideal time to catch the wave of colour, falling in early October in some northern or mountainous areas or as late as December in Tokyo. The historic capital, Kyoto, skews late, similar to its modern equivalent. Aim for the latter half of November to see crimson-coloured maple leaves dropping in the gardens of Zen temples. Book ahead to stay in Higashiyama, the eastern hills of Kyoto.
Make it happen
The Hyatt Regency In the east of Kyoto brings a contemporary take on the city’s thousand-plus years of artisan traditions.
Devoted to Momiji, Princess Cruises’ 13-day Circle Japan Fall Foliage cruise calls at Kobe for excursions to Kyoto.
15. Boa Vista, Cape Verde
Why go in November? For guaranteed winter sun
Off the western tip of Africa, the nine inhabited islands of Cape Verde are emerging from their (rather modest) rainy season. Further from the UK than the Canary Islands but reachable with a shorter flight than those to Dubai or the Caribbean, the archipelago has bankable winter sun. The island of Boa Vista is second only to Sal in its choice of hotels — each is very dry, with dazzling white-sand beaches, though Boa Vista has a wilder feel. For greener mountain scenery and African-Portuguese culture, hop to neighbouring islands with simpler accommodation.
Make it happen
On the south side of Boa Vista, Hotel Riu Touareg is an all-inclusive resort with kasbah-style architecture on an otherwise deserted stretch of beach.
Package holidays with First Choice include direct flights, luggage provision and transfers along with your beach resort stay.
• Best hotels in Cape Verde
• Best things to do in Cape Verde
16. Antigua and Barbuda
The Yoga Pavilion at Galley Bay Resort & Spa
Why go in November? For tropical beaches before the high season
The Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda throws a party for its independence day on November 1, as it gears up to go into the tourism high season in December. In the intervening month, rain showers may come but should clear quickly, the threat of hurricanes is almost gone and there are good hotel deals to be had. Antiguans claim the main island has 365 beaches, so there’s no lack of choice, but if you’re after sunsets over the Caribbean, head to the west coast near the capital St John’s.
Make it happen
Galley Bay Resort & Spa has rooms in villas lined up along a dreamy beach, or more private suites with plunge pools in a tropical garden next to a lagoon.
The Caribbean specialist Blue Bay Travel arranges flight-inclusive holidays to Antigua’s west coast, across a range of resorts suiting all budgets.
• Best all-inclusive hotels in Antigua
• Best things to do in Antigua
17. Buenos Aires, Argentina
A jacaranda tree in full bloom in Palermo
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Why go in November? For southern hemisphere spring
One of the most splendid symbols of southern hemisphere spring is the jacaranda tree, and in its native Argentina, the streets of Buenos Aires are festooned in purple blossoms from November (there may be a smaller second flowering in February, too). Citizens of the capital have already been shaking off the winter blues for a good month, but November is a great time for events such as the Buenos Aires Jazz Festival and Argentine Open Polo Tournament, before the busy period around Christmas.
Make it happen
The leafy Palermo district is a centre for dining and nightlife, where the Vain Boutique Hotel has much to preen about: a century-old townhouse with stylish yet unfussy rooms, and discreet courtyard spaces.
Starting in Buenos Aires, Explore! has a group tour which travels on to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil via the Iguazu Falls.
• Best things to do in Argentina
18. Chiang Mai, Thailand
The Wat Mahawan temple in Chiang Mai
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Why go in November? For Thailand at its most temperate
Thailand goes through one of its three main seasonal changes in November, marked by the country’s king changing the decorative attire on the statue of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok. The rainy season officially ends (except for some east-coast locations such as Koh Samui, where it peaks), to be replaced by a drier and cooler winter. As tempting as it is to make a beeline for southwestern beaches, the rains clear earliest in the north of the country. Chiang Mai is Thailand’s second city in cultural terms, and a starting point for trekking in the hills.
Make it happen
Traditional teak houses and vibrant tropical plants create an idyllic, village-like ambience at Villa Mahabhirom, at the foot of Chiang Mai’s western hills.
Contiki’s escorted tour of northern Thailand, for 18-35-year-olds, finishes in Chiang Mai, with a full free day to explore.
• Best things to do in Chiang Mai
• Best places to visit in Thailand
19. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The Palacio Consistorial in Santo Domingo
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Why go in November? For a slice of history without the rains
The Dominican Republic has the second-largest area of any Caribbean island nation, with long beaches screened by coconut palms, and mountains that reach 3,000m (9,840ft). Its climate is quite location-dependent, and in November the heaviest rains move from the south coast to the north. Tourist high season is still a month away. Punta Cana in the east receives the most international flights, but you should explore beyond its resorts to discover the diversity of the country in south-coast national parks and the capital Santo Domingo, the earliest European-built city in the Americas.
Make it happen
Seven historic homes, some dating back to the 16th century, make up Casas del XVI — a hotel filled with antiques and modern art in Santo Domingo’s Colonial City.
Caribbean Warehouse offers a few resorts in La Romana, much nearer to Santo Domingo than glitzier, busier Punta Cana.
caribbeanwarehouse.co.uk
• Best all-inclusive hotels in the Dominican Republic
• Best things to do in the Dominican Republic
20. Muscat, Oman
A camel rests in the Wahiba Sands
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Why go in November? For exploring the desert without the heat
At the easternmost end of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman has a desert climate, whether you’re in the rippling dunes of the Wahiba Sands or mountain villages with plantations of date palms. By November, though, temperatures should mostly be in the 20s, making it a great time to explore away from air-conditioned spaces. There is plenty to see even on day trips from the capital Muscat (Oman’s historic forts are a national point of pride). The city itself is quite spread out, and split by mountain ranges.
Make it happen
Against a mountain backdrop east of Muscat’s centre, the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah is part of a complex of three luxury beach hotels, including family-focused Al Waha, and the more exclusive Shangri-La Al Husn.
If you’d rather see more of Oman, including canyons, cattle markets, banana plantations and a turtle reserve, sign up for Exodus Adventure Travels’ A Week in Oman small-group tour.
21. Patagonia, Chile
The Torres del Paine National Park
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Why go in November? For the summer season without the summer prices
It rarely gets hot at the southern end of South America, but at this time of the year you can start to expect temperatures at least in the double digits. Chilean Patagonia is one of the most impressively rugged corners of the planet, with the emblematic peaks of Torres del Paine as its biggest draw. High season in the national park begins in December — the main holiday period in Chile — so in this local equivalent of early summer you’ll find hotel prices in and around the gateway town of Puerto Natales a tad cheaper.
Make it happen
The Singular Patagonia is a waterside former cold-storage warehouse turned luxury hotel, en route from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine.
Taking two weeks, this escorted Chile: Top to Toe tour from Wendy Wu swaps the Atacama Desert for lakes and Patagonia’s peaks.
• Best places to visit in South America
22. Victoria, Australia
The Twelve Apostles, limestone stacks near the Great Ocean Road
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Why go in November? For the start of the Melburnian season
On the first Tuesday in November, Melburnians get a special public holiday to mark the Melbourne Cup: the most prestigious horse race in Australia. Despite the city’s “four seasons in a day” reputation, this is late spring in the state of Victoria, and with the Australian summer school holidays still a month away, it’s a less busy time to see favourite destinations west along the Great Ocean Road. Alternatively, head east to the winelands of the Yarra Valley and several national parks beyond, home to the superbly tall mountain ash, and icons of Australian wildlife.
Make it happen
Laneways by Ovolo is full of urban verve, and its super-central Melbourne location places it between landmark buildings and the city’s namesake, street art-covered laneways.
After exploring Victoria, sail off from Melbourne on a Silversea cruise to New Zealand.
• Best hotels in Melbourne
• Best things to do in Melbourne
Any we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments