Where it's hot in September

Top 10 destinations in September

1. 1.Dubrovnik, Croatia

   27°couples

   September is Dubrovnik's finest month. The Adriatic holds a sea temperature around 24°C, perfect for swimming from the rocky coves below the city walls, while the air cools just enough to make the Old Town's white limestone streets a pleasure to walk rather than an endurance test. August's cruise-ship congestion eases noticeably after the first week. Hotel prices soften by as much as 25 percent. Sunset from Srj Hill or the cable car turns the terracotta rooftops amber without the summer haze that blurs July evenings.

2. 2.Athens, Greece

   29°culture

   Athens at 29°C in September is the city operating particularly gracious. The Acropolis Museum is easier to navigate, Monastiraki's flea market recovers its neighbourhood character, and taverna tables spill freely onto the pavements of Psirri and Koukaki. The Aegean ferries are still running full schedules to the islands, making Athens a natural base for combining urban culture with a quick sail to Hydra or Aegina. Prices across accommodation and restaurants fall perceptibly from their August highs, and the locals return from their own summer holidays refreshed.

3. 3.Tuscany, Italy

   27°couples

   The vendemmia, Tuscany's grape harvest, begins in September and transforms the landscape and the mood. Vineyards around Greve in Chianti and Montalcino open their gates to visitors willing to pick alongside the workers, and cantinas offer barrel-room tastings of the previous vintage. The light shifts from white summer glare to a softer gold that makes every cypress-lined road look freshly painted. At 27°C it is warm enough for swimming in agriturismo pools but cool enough for proper walking in the Val d'Orcia. White truffle season opens in the Mugello.

4. 4.Santorini, Greece

   28°couples

   Santorini's summer overloads are well documented. September closes that chapter. The famous sunsets over Oia can be enjoyed from a terrace rather than a scrum, the black sand beaches at Kamari and Perissa are spacious, and the sea at 24°C is the year's warmest. Wine tours at Santo Winery take on a harvest dimension, with assyrtiko grapes being pressed. Flights and cave-house hotels drop in price. The island reveals itself as a place of volcanic drama and quiet Cycladic charm rather than a selfie queue with accommodation attached.

5. 5.Chobe, Botswana

   28°luxury

   September is Chobe National Park at its finest. The dry season has concentrated wildlife around the Chobe River for months, and the herds that gather to drink in the evenings are among the largest elephant congregations on the continent, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Buffalo, lion, leopard and hippo are reliably visible. River safaris at dawn offer photography conditions that no studio could replicate. The heat at 28°C is manageable in an open-sided game vehicle, and the absence of rain means tracks are accessible throughout the park.

6. 6.Rome, Italy

   27°culture

   Rome in September occupies a sweet spot between the stupefying heat of August and the colder months ahead. At 28°C, the days are warm enough for a gelato every hour but cool enough for serious museum-going. The Borghese Gallery is bookable on reasonable notice. Trastevere's restaurants fill with Romans returned from their summer break, giving the neighbourhood its authentic character back. Autumn produce floods Campo de' Fiori market: figs, late-season tomatoes, wild porcini, and the first sharp pecorino of the season.

7. 7.Cape Town, South Africa

   20°families

   Cape Town's September is one of the southern hemisphere's most quietly spectacular months. The Namaqualand wildflower season peaks in the first two weeks, carpeting the landscape north of the city in orange and yellow daisies visible from satellite imagery. Southern right whales arrive in Walker Bay near Hermanus to calve, offering some of the world's best shore-based whale watching. The Winelands around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek emerge refreshed after winter. At 19°C the days are bright and crisp, evenings call for a layer, and Table Mountain is frequently cloud-free and climbable.

8. 8.Vermont, USA

   21°hiking

   Vermont's famous fall foliage season technically peaks in October, but September delivers something more rewarding: the very first colour, appearing on the higher elevations of the Green Mountains around the third week of the month, before the leaf-peeping crowds arrive in force. The days at around 21°C are ideal for hiking the Long Trail or cycling the back roads around Stowe and Woodstock. Farm stands overflow with apples, cider doughnuts and pumpkins. Country inns are still bookable without months of advance planning, and the late-afternoon light on the hillsides is unforgettable.

9. 9.Queenstown, New Zealand

   13°hiking

   September is Queenstown's secret season. The ski fields are closing or recently closed, the summer adventure-tourism rush has not yet begun, and the town regains a sense of proportion. The Remarkables range still carries snow on its upper flanks while the valleys turn a tentative green. Walks around Lake Wakatipu and the Routeburn Track's lower sections become accessible. At 13°C the air is sharp and clear, the kind of clarity that makes the lake colours look implausible. Accommodation prices sit well below summer rates, and the restaurants cook with noticeably more care.

10. 10.Sevilla, Spain

    32°culture

    Sevilla in August is a commitment: the city regularly exceeds 40°C and even the locals leave. September brings the temperature down to a still-warm 32°C average high, enough for outdoor dining and rooftop terraces without the oppressive heat that defeats sightseeing. The Feria de Pedro Romero in nearby Ronda, one of Andalusia's most authentic festivals framed by the famous gorge, takes place in early September. The city's tapas bars fill with Sevillanos, the orange trees begin their faint autumnal shift, and the Alcazar gardens recover their greenery after the summer's parching.

September picks by traveller type

• Tuscany

  The vendemmia harvest gives children a hands-on agricultural experience that no museum can replicate. Agriturismo properties offer pools, farmyard animals, and simple pasta-making lessons. At 27°C the days are warm but not punishing, and the rolling landscape provides an endless backdrop for slow, unhurried family travel at shoulder-season prices.

• Cape Town

  September combines whale watching at Hermanus, penguin colonies at Boulders Beach, and the Namaqualand wildflower bloom into an itinerary that works for every age group. At 19°C it is comfortable and never oppressively hot. Table Mountain's cable car and the Two Oceans Aquarium fill any day that needs a structured anchor.

• Sydney

  Sydney in spring at 20°C is ideal for families. The zoo at Taronga, the beach walks from Bondi to Coogee, and the Royal Botanic Garden in full bloom provide days of activity without heat stress. The city's spring energy after winter makes for an atmosphere that is welcoming, easy to navigate, and joyful.

September by region

Average temperatures by destination

Readings come from the last ten years of daily weather data, so they reflect the climate as it is now, not as it was decades ago. Data: Visual Crossing global historical archive. How we compute this

What to pack for September

September's global spread demands a versatile bag. For the Mediterranean and southern Africa, pack lightweight breathable clothing, high-SPF sunscreen, and a light layer for evenings that turn surprisingly cool after dark. Beach destinations require reef-safe suncream and a rash vest. For Vermont, Queenstown, or Patagonia, a proper mid-layer fleece and a waterproof shell are essential: spring weather at altitude changes quickly. Comfortable walking shoes serve every itinerary. A compact umbrella or rain jacket covers Bangkok and Mumbai's lingering wet-season afternoons. Light linen works for cities; merino wool is the cross-climate traveller's best friend.

Where to avoid in September

The Caribbean in September is statistically the peak of hurricane season, with the Atlantic basin most active from late August through mid-October. Cancun, Jamaica, Barbados, and the eastern Caribbean islands all carry genuine storm risk, and travel insurance premiums reflect this. Thailand's Gulf coast islands, including Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, face their worst weather of the year with heavy rainfall and rough seas. Mumbai's monsoon has not fully cleared. The Sahel from Mauritania across to Chad remains brutally hot and humid. The Mekong Delta and central Vietnam face increasing rainfall and early-season tropical disturbances.

Frequently asked

Where is hot in September in Europe?

Sevilla averages 32°C in September, making it the warmest major city in Europe that month. Athens sits at 29°C, Rome at 28°C, and the Croatian coast around Dubrovnik at 26°C. The Mediterranean sea temperature is at its annual high of 24 to 26°C. For consistent heat and warm swimming, the Greek islands, southern Spain, and southern Italy are your best European choices in September.

Is September a good time to visit the Mediterranean?

September is the best month to visit the Mediterranean. The peak summer crowds have thinned, hotel and flight prices are 20 to 30 percent lower than July, and the sea is warmer than it was in June. The weather remains reliably sunny and warm across Greece, Italy, Croatia, and Spain. You can visit the Acropolis, walk Dubrovnik's walls, or tour a Chianti vineyard in comfort that August simply does not allow.

Where should travellers go in September for a beach holiday?

For the warmest European beach options, the Greek islands and southern Spain are ideal at 27 to 29°C sea temperature. Further afield, Bali offers 28°C water and drier conditions at the tail of its dry season. The Maldives is in a transitional phase with improving conditions and lower prices. Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt combines 33°C air temperature with exceptional Red Sea diving visibility. Avoid the Caribbean due to hurricane risk.

What is the best safari destination in September?

September is the peak month for Botswana's Chobe National Park, where the dry season has concentrated wildlife along the Chobe River in striking numbers. The Masai Mara in Kenya also delivers the final river crossings of the wildebeest migration in early September. Both destinations require advance booking. Chobe is particularly famous for its elephant herds, which can number in the hundreds at the riverside in the evenings.

Is September good for New York or New England?

Yes. New York in September at 24°C is one of the city's best months: the cultural season opens, the heat is gone, and the city operates particularly energetic. New England, including Vermont and the Berkshires, begins its fall foliage season in the final week of September at higher elevations, offering a preview of October's colour peak with fewer crowds. Boston at 23°C is excellent for walking, eating, and attending the newly opened arts season.

Which warm-band destinations are reliably dry in September?

In the 19 to 27 degrees warm band, the driest and most consistent averages in September are: Lima (19 degrees, about 0.6 rain days, swings plus or minus 4 degrees). Also dry, but with a wider day-to-day swing: San Pedro de Atacama (24 degrees, about 0.2 rain days, swings plus or minus 5 degrees); Los Angeles (27 degrees, about 0.3 rain days, swings plus or minus 10 degrees); San Francisco (24 degrees, about 0.4 rain days, swings plus or minus 10 degrees).