Plan Your 2026 Euro Summer For the Fall

This year, I took my summer vacation in the fall.

That wasn’t always the plan. Like so many other New Yorkers, I dreamed of a leisurely two weeks in Europe for August, as I’d taken in all the years prior. But life gets in the way — this time, in the terms of New York real estate. As an intended June 15 move-in date eventually, excruciatingly turned into August 15, immediately followed by a mysterious stomach illness perhaps caused by the stress of navigating bidding wars on rentals (I digress, but truly, what insanity!), Labor Day rounded around with no miles added to my Delta account to show for it.

Come October, however, a clear side quest emerged. Twice a year, I have the privilege and pleasure as part of my job to travel to Paris for fashion week. The South of France had been high on my boyfriend and I’s list for August — why not go now, especially if already more than halfway there? So, our “Euro Summer” as TikTok has deemed it, became Euro Fall — and I could not recommend it more.

I’m not alone. Bustle and Elite Daily’s Editorial Director Christina Amoroso also saved her vacation for the fall. “Walking around hilly Deià in October, I kept thinking how grateful I was that I wasn’t traveling in mid-July like I’d originally planned,” she tells me. “It was quieter, cooler, and actually enjoyable to wander — my husband and I could truly soak in the village's natural beauty without feeling overwhelmed wading through crowds or soaking through our T-shirts.” Meanwhile, the same week that I was in Paris, a group of college friends had converged in Spain. “I found early October to be a great time to travel and still get that Euro Summer experience I desired,” one told me. “ A lot of my research into Menorca and Mallorca warned about difficulty getting to certain beaches due to crowds and lack of parking, but this was not an issue at all this time of year, and experiencing the pristine beaches of this place was the most amazing part by far of the trip. A few restaurants and beach clubs were already closed for the season, but we didn't feel like we missed out on anything.”

Post-Paris, the first leg of my own trip was to Marseille, followed by a few final days in Antibes. For both stints, we relied on AC Hotels, an extension of Marriott rooted in Europe with over 225 hotels in 33 countries, including locations in both Marseille and Antibes. For our first stop in Marseille, we stayed at the AC Hotel Marseille Prado Velodrome, located just outside the city center; in Antibes, the AC Hotel Ambassadeur Antibes - Juan les Pins, also just a quick five-minute drive from the bustling hub of the Antibes waterfront. At both, the amenities made the trip: secluded pools that felt miles away from any urban hustle and bustle; fully stocked lobby bars, including a signature gin and tonic; and attentive service throughout. The locations were not to be beat — easily accessible to the beach, but also within walking distance to shopping and sites.

Therein lies the beauty and balance of a shoulder season trip: this is not peak summer, so plan your trip accordingly. This means, every day is not going to be a beach rot day. For us, selecting locations that had both sea and city was the key, allowing us to follow the whims of the weather. 85 degrees in Antibes? To the beach club we go. 62 in Marseille? Welcome to some of the best vintage shopping you’ll find. One of the perks of going in the off-season is in fact the freedom to be so loose; in peak-summer, you’d have to make a reservation at that chic new wine bar or oceanfront seafood spot weeks in advance. Here, you can walk right in. And the best part of it all? You’re not going to run into a single person — or TikToker — you know.

Here, a rundown of some of the favorite places I visited on my shoulder season trip: