Where to Travel in September: 5 Sunny European Escapes

Santorini looks the way it does because of one of the most violent volcanic eruptions in recorded history. Around 1600 BC, the Minoan eruption blew the centre out of what had been a single round island, and the middle collapsed into the sea – that’s the caldera you see today, with Santorini and its neighbouring islands forming the rim. The volcano is still technically active, sitting quietly under the water between eruptions.

I’ve been twice, both in September, and both times the weather did exactly what I wanted it to: warm, clear, and with a fraction of the crowds you’d get in July or August. First time round I stayed in Kamari, then Perissa and Fira the second time – and Perissa’s beach won, hands down, over Kamari’s. That first trip was the full itinerary: wandering Fira’s white houses and blue roofs, a day trip hiking up the active volcano at Nea Kameni with a stop at Korfos Bay and Thirassia, the Lost Atlantis museum, the Akrotiri excavations, a boat ride out to the White Beach, an afternoon in Oia, and sunset from Fira, which is exactly as good as everyone says. Second time round was quieter – more of Perissa’s beaches, another wander around Fira.

What I loved most both times is that it’s not just a beach destination. The history and geography of the place are genuinely wild once you start looking into them.

The Calanques, the string of turquoise limestone inlets between Marseille and Cassis, only became an official national park in 2012 – the tenth in France, and the only one in Europe that’s terrestrial, marine, and peri-urban all at once. Before that, protection was patchy, which is part of why the coves still feel so wild despite sitting right on the edge of a major city.

I loved the village vibe in Cassis itself, with a stop in Toulon on the way down. One thing to know before you go: the best beaches require a proper hike to reach, so come prepared for that rather than expecting a stroll.

Zurich started life as a Roman customs post called Turicum, founded around 15 BC on the Limmat river. It’s a small detail, but it explains a lot about the city’s whole personality: it was built to move people and goods efficiently through the Alps, and 2,000 years later it’s still doing exactly that. It’s also home to Europe’s first university to accept female students, back in 1833, if you want a genuinely good pub-quiz fact.

We based ourselves in Zurich, wandering the botanical garden and along the Zürichsee, then used it as a launchpad for day trips: Bern and Thun, Walensee, a bit of hiking at Seealpsee, and a full day out to Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen. Genuine tip: rent a car. Swiss public transport is excellent and punctual, but a car is so much easier and, unexpectedly, more financially sensible once you’re doing multiple day trips.

Málaga has been continuously inhabited for around 2,800 years, which makes it one of the oldest cities in the world, not just in Spain. It was founded by the Phoenicians around 770 BC, then passed through Carthaginian, Roman, and nearly 800 years of Islamic rule before the Reconquista in 1487 – you can still see all of that layered into the old town. It’s also where Picasso was born and baptised, in the cathedral that still stands in the centre today.

Palm trees, sun, genuinely good weather – Málaga delivered on all of it. We ate more tapas than I can reasonably count, walked the old streets and the seafront, caught a flamenco show, and booked ourselves a spa and wine-tasting afternoon, which might be one of the better decisions we’ve made on a trip.

Split’s old town is, quite literally, a Roman emperor’s retirement home. Diocletian built the palace between 293 and 305 AD, moved in when he abdicated, and stayed until his death. When Roman rule collapsed, locals fleeing invaders moved into the abandoned complex and never really left – around 3,000 people still live within its walls today, running cafes, shops and restaurants out of what used to be imperial rooms. It’s been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

This is genuinely one of the best holidays I’ve had. We spent time in the old town itself, walked Marjan Forest, and used Split as a base for an enormous list of day trips: Hvar, a five-island boat tour, the Blue Lagoon, the Blue Cave, Krka Waterfalls, and Plitvice Lakes. Good vibe the entire time, and enough day-trip variety that you could easily fill a full week without repeating yourself.