November is a sensible time to travel—between the summer and holiday busy seasons—and fall light and often-clear sky make it a terrific month for photography too. Below are some of your smartest November getaway alternatives. (For other months of the year, see Where To Go When.) Click the black links below to connect with a top local expert to create an amazing vacation for you. Here’s how to get a WOW vacation.
Northern Italy
In November come to Piedmont for truffle season; the White Truffle Fair in Alba spans the entire month. Try truffle hunting, sample the local Barolo wines, see artisanal cheese makers, ride among the vineyards (electric bikes are available!), climb the rolling hills beneath the clear blue skies…or enjoy it all with your family in a villa for Thanksgiving. This is also harvest time for olives and wine. Learn to cook al fresco in an olive grove, on a goat-cheese farm, or in a vineyard. November is when our editor Billie Cohen had her fantasy Italian cooking holiday.
Provence, France
The light in Provence in winter is why so many great painters relocated there, and the weather makes al fresco meals feasible long into November. Provencal marketplaces bustle in the fall, while truffle hunting starts in November. Hike amid the spectacular fall scenery and hilltop towns of the Luberon, and cycle through the wine area surrounding Gigondas and Vacqueyras, where there are few vehicles and superb cafés.
Andalusia, Spain
One feature of this lovely corner of Spain is the culture—an aspect that can be quite hard to experience during the summer high season, when the numbers of visitors and inhabitants are uneven. at November, by contrast, most of the visitors are gone, making it much simpler to mingle with locals (and to enjoy some breathing room at the region’s UNESCO World Heritage sites). The weather is still pretty comfortable, with temperatures reaching 70 degrees during the day.
Portugal
Temperatures persist in the 60s well into November, when it’s still warm enough for dining outside; heat lights aren’t needed till late in the month. Private river boats—which are considerably better for sightseeing than your regular river cruises—sail the Douro through the end of the month also. And the weather is even more moderate in the subtropical islands of Madeira—known for exceptional hiking opportunities—and the Azores, where you can also trek, cycle, and off-road around the postcard-perfect lagoons.
Greece: Crete, Corfu, or Rhodes
Many Greek islands shut down in late October or early November, while Crete, Corfu, and Rhodes operate year-round, giving traditional cultural and gastronomic experiences and festivals in the winter months. November is a fantastic season for sheep pastures, olive groves, and the wine harvest.
Sicily
If your objective is to mix culture with outdoor beauty, fall is this island’s greatest season. Autumn brings the olive, almond, and wine harvests, and bright, pleasant weather. Outdoor activities include touring Sicily’s Greek and Roman antiquities, hiking Mt. Etna, and cycling across natural reserves and wine region.
Read Also: Warm Places To Visit In November
St. Barts
Come November, many resorts, stores, and restaurants that shuttered during the height of hurricane season have reopened, and everything feels fresh and new. The Saint Barth Gourmet Festival also takes place this month, bringing top chefs from France and beyond. Plus, hotel and villa rates don’t spike up until mid-December.
Morocco
The weather is wonderful at this time of year: bright days and crisp, clear evenings that provide for great star-gazing in the desert. It’s also great for trekking in the Atlas Mountains, as it’s starting to chill down and the summits are frequently photogenically snowcapped. Plus, it’s harvest time: You can watch saffron being gathered, and olives transformed to oil, right in front of your eyes.
Argentina and Chile, including Patagonia
Most of Argentina and Chile are great at this time of year (think Buenos Aires, the Atacama Desert, even Easter Island), but Patagonia is an especially smart move in November because the lodges have a quieter, more relaxed ambiance and there is less traffic on the roads than during the busiest weeks of December and January. November is also the greatest time to view Patagonia’s elusive species, such as nandu, guanaco, puma, huemul, and condor, as all of the creatures are more active during their mating period. The region has a reputation for variable windy weather, but November seems like spring, with snows melting off the high peaks and flowers beginning to blossom. Rates are often even a bit lower as early in the season.
Kari Pettersen
November is a sensible time to travel—between the summer and holiday busy seasons—and fall light and often-clear sky make it a terrific month for photography too. Below are some of your smartest November getaway alternatives. (For other months of the year, see Where To Go When.) Click the black links below to connect with a top local expert to create an amazing vacation for you. Here’s how to get a WOW vacation.
Northern Italy
In November come to Piedmont for truffle season; the White Truffle Fair in Alba spans the entire month. Try truffle hunting, sample the local Barolo wines, see artisanal cheese makers, ride among the vineyards (electric bikes are available!), climb the rolling hills beneath the clear blue skies…or enjoy it all with your family in a villa for Thanksgiving. This is also harvest time for olives and wine. Learn to cook al fresco in an olive grove, on a goat-cheese farm, or in a vineyard. November is when our editor Billie Cohen had her fantasy Italian cooking holiday.
Provence, France
The light in Provence in winter is why so many great painters relocated there, and the weather makes al fresco meals feasible long into November. Provencal marketplaces bustle in the fall, while truffle hunting starts in November. Hike amid the spectacular fall scenery and hilltop towns of the Luberon, and cycle through the wine area surrounding Gigondas and Vacqueyras, where there are few vehicles and superb cafés.
Andalusia, Spain
One feature of this lovely corner of Spain is the culture—an aspect that can be quite hard to experience during the summer high season, when the numbers of visitors and inhabitants are uneven. at November, by contrast, most of the visitors are gone, making it much simpler to mingle with locals (and to enjoy some breathing room at the region’s UNESCO World Heritage sites). The weather is still pretty comfortable, with temperatures reaching 70 degrees during the day.
Portugal
Temperatures persist in the 60s well into November, when it’s still warm enough for dining outside; heat lights aren’t needed till late in the month. Private river boats—which are considerably better for sightseeing than your regular river cruises—sail the Douro through the end of the month also. And the weather is even more moderate in the subtropical islands of Madeira—known for exceptional hiking opportunities—and the Azores, where you can also trek, cycle, and off-road around the postcard-perfect lagoons.
Greece: Crete, Corfu, or Rhodes
Many Greek islands shut down in late October or early November, while Crete, Corfu, and Rhodes operate year-round, giving traditional cultural and gastronomic experiences and festivals in the winter months. November is a fantastic season for sheep pastures, olive groves, and the wine harvest.
Sicily
If your objective is to mix culture with outdoor beauty, fall is this island’s greatest season. Autumn brings the olive, almond, and wine harvests, and bright, pleasant weather. Outdoor activities include touring Sicily’s Greek and Roman antiquities, hiking Mt. Etna, and cycling across natural reserves and wine region.
Read Also: Warm Places To Visit In November
St. Barts
Come November, many resorts, stores, and restaurants that shuttered during the height of hurricane season have reopened, and everything feels fresh and new. The Saint Barth Gourmet Festival also takes place this month, bringing top chefs from France and beyond. Plus, hotel and villa rates don’t spike up until mid-December.
Morocco
The weather is wonderful at this time of year: bright days and crisp, clear evenings that provide for great star-gazing in the desert. It’s also great for trekking in the Atlas Mountains, as it’s starting to chill down and the summits are frequently photogenically snowcapped. Plus, it’s harvest time: You can watch saffron being gathered, and olives transformed to oil, right in front of your eyes.
Argentina and Chile, including Patagonia
Most of Argentina and Chile are great at this time of year (think Buenos Aires, the Atacama Desert, even Easter Island), but Patagonia is an especially smart move in November because the lodges have a quieter, more relaxed ambiance and there is less traffic on the roads than during the busiest weeks of December and January. November is also the greatest time to view Patagonia’s elusive species, such as nandu, guanaco, puma, huemul, and condor, as all of the creatures are more active during their mating period. The region has a reputation for variable windy weather, but November seems like spring, with snows melting off the high peaks and flowers beginning to blossom. Rates are often even a bit lower as early in the season.