Summer is just around the corner, and while the cold weather continues to reign supreme in the UK, many of us are eagerly awaiting the summer by starting to plan our holiday.
While summer is traditionally the time that many of us plan our annual getaway, the travel market has expanded to allow holidaymakers to explore the world all year round. Many destinations are best visited at other times of the year.
We have created our Travel Pocket GIFbooks to help you find the best time to visit the European destination of your choice, or to find the best place to see when you want to travel.
Whether you’re looking for a destination that is sunny in April, a low-cost deal in the peak of summer or a place where there is still plenty for holidaymakers to enjoy in the winter, our new GIFbooks are a handy tool for planning your perfect holiday.
We have created a series of GIFs which showcase weather conditions, prices, events and other important factors for every European country throughout each month of the year.
We created this information as GIFs to provide the data quickly and easily, allowing travellers to get a quick glimpse into the best destinations for them.
Please have a look at our GIFs below and start planning your next escape.
Note: Scroll through the image slider above for a closer look
Temperature
When deciding where to visit and when, one of the first considerations for most of us is the weather, particularly the temperature. Many holidaymakers query where they can find late summer or spring sunshine, while others look for places where they can enjoy slightly cooler and comfortable temperatures in summer. For example, some travellers may prefer Cyprus during the peak summer heat, while the moderate temperatures from March to May would be a better time for others to visit. Whether you’re looking for the ultimate sun-soaked European escape or prefer a cooler climate, our GIF of the average temperatures for each month should help you find your ideal getaway.
Note: Scroll through the image slider above for a closer look
Rainfall
Another key weather consideration when planning a holiday is levels of rainfall. Some destinations can be warm but experience heavy rain. Russia, for example, experiences greater rainfall in the summer, so it may be best to visit here in the spring. If your ideal holiday involves lazy days of lounging in the sun, you’re best planning your travel around the months where rainfall is at its lowest. We analysed the average rainfall across Europe for each month of the year to help you out.
Note: Scroll through the image slider above for a closer look
Flight Price
Of course, for many of us, finding a great value deal plays a significant role in deciding where and when to travel, and some destinations experience substantial price fluctuations throughout the year. One of the most critical cost factors when planning a holiday is the cost of travel. If you know the best months to snap up a bargain flight, you can make substantial savings on your overall holiday cost. Please have a look at our guide to the cheapest months for finding flights below and start searching for that great value getaway.
Note: Scroll through the image slider above for a closer look
Hotel Price
Of course, another significant cost factor when booking a holiday is the cost of accommodation. While we wouldn’t want to skimp on quality or other important considerations, such as location, there are different ways to help find a great value hotel stay. One of the best ways to reduce hotel costs is to travel during the months when hotel rates are lower. If saving on hotel costs is an essential factor in where and when you choose to travel, have a look at our guide below to find the best value months for hotels across Europe.
Note: Scroll through the image slider above for a closer look
Peak Season
Peak season is another key consideration for many travellers when planning a holiday. For some, peak season is the preferred time to travel – all tourist amenities will be open, the streets will be buzzing with other holidaymakers, and the bars and restaurants will be filled with atmosphere. For others, off-peak is the best time to visit for a more authentic experience, where you can have the streets to yourself and spend more time living among the locals. Either way, our guide to peak and off-peak seasons around Europe will help you plan the best time for your holiday.
Note: Scroll through the image slider above for a closer look
Events
If you’re the type of traveller who likes to be on the go through your holiday, whether attending music concerts, food festivals or art exhibitions, you’ll want to plan your visit during the most active months of the year. For many countries the summer months are when local celebrations and festivities pop up, however there are also plenty of places where events are ongoing all year, or where the cities and towns come alive in the winter months with Christmas and New Year celebrations – such as in Italy where the winter season is filled with Epiphany events and the Venice carnival. Have a look at our guide below to find the best times to visit if you’re looking for a fun-packed calendar of local events during your stay.
Methodology
To create our GIFBooks, we analysed a variety of online data for every country in Europe throughout each month of the year. To establish temperature and rainfall averages, we utilised trusted online weather resources and used the capital city of each country as our base city.
For flight and hotel prices, we utilised trusted price comparison sites. Again, we used the capital city of each country as our base city. For the flight price, we used the lowest available return flight for each month, while for the hotel, we utilised an average price.
To create our peak season and events GIFs, we scoured trusted travel resources as well as tourism boards and local event calendars.
Key Sources
Key sources are listed below. A full list of individual sources is available upon request:
www.iexplore.com/
www.telegraph.co.uk/
www.lonelyplanet.com/
www.ricksteves.com/
www.frommers.com/
www.skyscanner.net/
www.trivago.co.uk/
www.holiday-weather.com/
www.timeanddate.com/weather/
