Where is hot in September? Our top 11 destinations
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Whether you’re wondering where is hot in September because summer has passed you by in a drizzly flash or because the school holidays have finished and you’re seeking an adults-only escape, there are plenty of sizzling destinations to enjoy. While September typically marks the start of autumn for much of northern Europe, things are notably balmier further south – on the shores of the Italian lakes or in Portugal’s verdant valleys, for instance. Some of the other best places to visit in September for sunshine and good vibes are found further afield, with New York City a delightful temperature for grab-and-go treats and exploring, and the spectacular beaches of Australia’s Queensland soaking up the rays. These are the warmest destinations in September we return to time and time again to extend our summers – plus tried-and-tested recommendations of where to stay.
Getty ImagesItaly's lake district
Average September temperature: 21°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 2 hoursThere’s a reason Italy’s lakes have been fashionable since Roman times: they’re bloody gorgeous. Whether that’s snow-dusted Alps peeping over Lake Maggiore, luxurious lakeside villas lining Lake Como or the low-key romanticism of Lake Iseo, there’s not a duff spot in the region. And while high season lingers into early September, it provides just enough buzz to keep things interesting without making everything frustratingly full. For something decidedly local, give Iseo a go. Traditional trattorias specialise in lake fish, polenta, and flutes of local Franciacorta sparkling wine. Family-run Hotel Rivalago, located right on the lakefront, features a heated pool and serves sunset aperitivos in the garden.
Where to stay: Passalacqua has been the hottest stay along Lake Como’s shores since its high-profile opening a few years ago. For classic glamour on the water’s edge, you can’t beat the beauty of Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como.
Getty ImagesNew York, USA
Average September temperature: 25°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 8 hours; fly direct from London Heathrow and Manchester with Virgin AtlanticSeptember in New York City is a wonderful time. Summer is technically fading away, but the sun sticks around with the odd smattering of rain, with a weather forecast over a long weekend offering the perfect excuse to shelter in galleries and museums before curbside dining in the suburbs and Central Park picnics. Things get particularly buzzy as New York City Fashion Week takes over the city’s glitziest hotels and restaurants – secure a table in one of our favourite spots and you may well spot an A-lister or two. Visit from the second week of the month onwards and the Feast of San Gennaro is quite the sight to behold, as thousands of hungry diners descend on Little Italy for a lip-smacking street fair.
Where to stay: Live out your Big Apple fantasies from the comfort of Nine Orchard, where 113 residential-inspired guest rooms sit atop a chic all-day restaurant inspired by classic taverns, and a glitzy cocktail lounge.
Getty ImagesRhodes, Greece
Average September temperature: 27°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 4 hoursIf your understanding of Rhodes only extends as far as Faliraki, you’re in for a surprise. The largest of the Dodecanese, this perennially summery island has plenty of secluded, sandy beaches; picturesque, hilltop towns spilling white, sugarcube houses; and, in the Old Town, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities. Far from the Faliraki frenzy, and just steps from the maze-like town of Lindos and its crowning acropolis, the Melenos Lindos is an atmospheric boutique hotel with sweeping Mediterranean views, a twinkling terrace restaurant, and Ottoman-esque styling, featuring raised wooden sleeping platforms and hand-painted tiles. Bonus: it’s right by one of the island’s most striking beaches, at St Paul’s Bay.
Where to stay: Adults-only Casa Cook is a chic little number that breaks all the rules about package holidays. See our guide to the best Greek Island hotels for more.
Getty ImagesPorto and Douro Valley, Portugal
Average September temperature: 23°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 2.5 hoursLisbon’s little sister is having a moment. There’s always been lots to love about Porto’s crumbly medieval streets and petiscarias (Portuguese tapas bars). But a new energy is now giving this stubbornly old-school enclave some contemporary pep. Local street artists such as Hazul and Costah have made an outdoor gallery of its cracked façades. In Serralves Park, there’s the super-minimalist Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves, by Pritzker-winning Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. The food scene, too, is fizzing. Semea by Euskalduna is the latest must-get table, focusing on Portuguese produce. Then escape to the Douro Valley’s vine-covered hills – its Six Senses hotel complex, spread over a 19th-century manor house, is a stunner.
Where to stay: Quinta da Corte, a low-slung, 19th-century building converted into an elegant rural hideout in the Douro Valley.
Getty ImagesAlacati, Turkey
Average September temperature: 26°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 4 hoursThe Turquoise Coast is still simmering in September, though temperatures are more manageable than summer’s blazing heat, and the high-season crowds have gone home. Bail on Antalya and Bodrum to discover Alaçatı instead: widely labelled ‘Istanbul’s answer to the Hamptons’, it’s where urban elites come to soak up the simplicity of an unspoilt fishing village, and relax in some rather lovely hotels. La Capria, in particular, is a beauty, with Moroccan-style daybeds around the pool and pretty gardens lit by Turkish lanterns. And if you can rouse yourself from lingering over coffee in bougainvillaea-filled streets or snoozing on chalk-white beaches, it’s one of Europe’s finest kite-surfing destinations, too.
Where to stay: The Beyevi, a very friendly boutique hotel at the quiet end of Alaçatı's main street.
Getty ImagesCroatia
Average September temperature: 27°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 2.5 hoursIf hygge best describes the Danes’ cosy contentment in winter, then the Dalmatian fjaka is a byword for Croatia in September. It’s the feeling of lazy, hazy days in the sunshine, when the water’s warm and the sun is warmer – and there’s not a tour group in sight. Of course, Croatia is such a mainstay now that Dubrovnik is always crowded. So, if you really want to feel the fjaka, best escape to an island. Dugi Otok, maybe, with its hilltop hamlets and toes-in-the-sand beach bars; or Rab, where Edward VIII once whisked Wallis Simpson. Here, Harbourfront Arbiana Hotel is a gorgeous throwback, with elegant rooms dressed in cream and a candlelit garden restaurant.
Where to stay: Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel for muted bedrooms, contemporary decor and the best sea views in town.
Getty ImagesSouth Africa
Average September temperature: 25°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 11.5 hours; fly direct from London Heathrow with Virgin AtlanticSeptember is peak spring in South Africa, and what a glorious season it is. The weather is warm in all regions, making it an ideal time to explore everything on offer: southern right whales breaching off the coast of Hermanus; the Garden Route at its lushest; and optimum game-viewing, particularly as newborns begin taking their first shaky steps. Combine the country’s most famous road trip with primo surfing at Mossel Bay en route; close to Mossel, Gondwana private game reserve has guests track the Big Five in 4x4s, on horseback and on foot. Thrilling safari days end in the Gondwana spa, swimming pool and suites-on-stilts.
Where to stay: Silo Hotel in Cape Town for eclectic design and wraparound views.
Getty ImagesMallorca, Spain
Average September temperature: 27°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 2.5 hoursWith its classic Mediterranean charm – golden sands, pine-clad cliffs, sapphire seas – this Balearic beauty is enduringly popular. But a newly glamorous side to the island poses a chic alternative to its built-up resorts. Five-star boutique hotels such as Predi Son Jaumell, set in forested seclusion on a 17th-century estate, offer Michelin-starred food and yoga programmes; Purobeach Palma, an all-white beach club propped on a peninsula, gives Ibiza’s finest a run for their money. And, with more than 250 beaches to choose from, finding your secret slice of paradise is easy. The island life fantasy, but for real.
Where to stay: Finca Serena, a 13th-century finca on a 40-hectare estate surrounded by the unkempt farmlands of Montuïri. See our pick of the best hotels in Mallorca for more.
Getty ImagesCosta Rica
Average September temperature: 27°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 14 hoursWhile the rest of Costa Rica hunkers down for the rainy season, the Caribbean side enjoys its best weather. This is also the lesser-visited shoreline, which means cheaper rates, relaxed boutiques rather than resorts and terrific Caribbean food, spiked with sunny flavours such as coconut and ginger. The wildlife that so many come to Costa Rica to see is every bit as abundant: Tortuguero National Park is chock-full of green turtles, exotic birds and, yes, sloths. Better still, they’re best seen by canoe. Then, when it’s time to relax, retreat to the rainforest in wall-free, stilted suites at family-owned eco retreat Almonds & Corals, or hole up in Banana Azul’s beachfront villas.
Where to stay: The Harmony Hotel for wooden deck-fronted bungalows and one-off wellbeing retreats.
Getty ImagesLos Angeles, USA
Average September temperature: 28°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 11.5 hours; fly direct from London Heathrow with Virgin AtlanticThe summer never ends in Southern California – particularly Los Angeles, which is basically a sun-drenched party packed with good-looking people year-round. Peak tourist season has been and gone by September, leaving you free to live the Cali dream in peace. Give Hollywood a miss and do as the Angelenos do: pair seafood with Santa Monica sunsets at Blue Plate Oysterette, or brunch at Malibu Farm Restaurant, run by model-turned-farmer Helene Henderson (natch). The preachy bleat of “No culture!” is fast receding, thanks to big-hitting art museums such as the Getty Center and The Broad. Or you could just grab an In-N-Out Burger and rollerblade a boardwalk or two – your call.
Where to stay: The Hoxton in Downtown LA, a trendy neighbourhood hotel surrounded by the city's coolest restaurants and bars.
Getty ImagesQueensland, Australia
Average September temperature: 24°C
Flight time from the UK: Around 24 hoursHome to the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsundays, this north-eastern state is an Aussie paradise. And the spring shoulder season might just be the best time to go. Sunny, dry days and mild evenings are especially excellent for exploring the Sunshine Coast’s chic seaside towns. Noosa, greened by subtropical rainforest and blessed with crystalline waters, is relaxed, refined, and winningly diverse: offering up designer boutiques around one corner, and wild coastal trails dotted with koalas the next. Brisbane, too, is worth a linger: newly cosmopolitan, with smart galleries, a shiny new riverfront development and slick design hotels.
Where to stay: Check into The Calile in Brisbane for a beach-city split in a chic hideout with poolside cabanas and cork-and-concrete rooms.