Being in the right place at the right time: it seems that this is one of the secrets of happiness, even when travelling. To achieve this, not only according to the month of the year, but also by following the red thread of a theme, a passion or an interest, there is now our new photographic Where to go when: Europe. Because even when a destination is relatively close, getting there in good time is the talent that distinguishes the true traveller.
Saint-Malo, aerial view © Antoine2K / Shutterstock
Brittany: a literary break - November
Are you the kind of person who, when the cold weather arrives, loves to curl up on the sofa with a book and a blanket? Then come to Bécherel. This Breton village, which has earned the title 'Petite cité de caractère', was once a centre of the textile industry built around a 12th-century castle, and has been a 'city of books' since 1989. It now boasts 15 bookshops; some specialise in specific topics, others have charming cafés, and all encourage readers to brush up on their books. The Maison du Livre cultural centre is open all year round, and a large second-hand book market is held every first Sunday of the month. Thanks to its flax and hemp cultivation, Bécherel was also named the country's first Paper Town, and from June to October, it is possible to attend individual calligraphy classes with local experts. Bécherel is not large, so combine a literary break with long walks among the ramparts caressed by the sea breeze of Saint-Malo, delicious oysters sampled on the harbour of Cancale and strolls along the narrow streets lined with gabled houses of Dinan.
Innsbruck, with those mountains so close by... © Tatiana Popova / Shutterstock
Innsbruck, enjoy the snow - December
In winter Innsbruck resembles the inside of a snow globe. Its Old Town, as graceful as a jewel, sparkles with lights, is home to magical creatures and is topped by the white-capped Nordkette. The capital of the Tyrol has not one but six Christmas markets (mid-November to early January), which add a festive gracefulness to the medieval centre; and at this time its streets are adorned with effigies of folkloric creatures. Spend a few days in the city browsing the stalls, museums, Habsburg Palace and Baroque cathedral, sip mulled wine and praline almonds, and enjoy the views of the Bergisel ski jump designed by Zaha Hadid. Then head out of town to Seefeld, which has hosted the Winter Olympics four times and offers some of the best cross-country skiing trails in Europe. Here you will find 280 km of runs (including some that are illuminated at night) gathered around a cluster of five towns, suitable for athletes of all levels. There are also 142 km of hiking trails that are cleared of snow in winter.
Algarve, ready to surf © Pawel Kazmierczak / Shutterstock
Algarve, ride the wave - January
The south-western tip of Portugal boasts magnificent waves in winter. Being tapered, the area catches waves coming in from all directions; in winter they are often mighty swells slapping Cabo de São Vicente and Sagres. This means that experienced surfers will find plenty to enjoy: waves that are pleasant to watch even for those who don't intend to ride them. And in the area you are sure to find a sheltered cove suitable for beginners; the surf schools here are open all year round. Admittedly, it is not the right climate for wearing a bikini, but for a winter it is pleasant: temperatures are around 13°C, in the water around 14°C, so wearing a 4/3 wetsuit will suffice. There are also few tourists during this period - this area of the Algarve has a more relaxed atmosphere, especially in the low season. Take refuge in a surfer town like Sagres, where you will find nice clubs and plenty of outdoor activities.
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Turin, appointment at the Bicerin © Clara Bonitti / Shutterstock
Turin, ode to chocolate - February
Elegant, culturally flourishing and gastronomically rich, Turin is the ideal destination for a sophisticated getaway. For a start, February in the former Savoy capital is often cold, but it is also one of the months with the least rainfall. And the Alps surrounding Turin provide a magnificent backdrop against which the city is silhouetted (for a breathtaking view, you can take the panoramic lift up to 85 metres of the 168 Mole Antonelliana). And the food? Turin is also at the origin of the love affair between Europeans and chocolate: the first chocolate shops were established here in the 17th century. Take refuge in one of the city's art nouveau cafés and order a traditional bicerin (a coffee and chocolate drink with milk cream) or enter one of the many confectionery workshops to buy the excellent local gianduja. Still hungry? In Turin, you can satiate yourself with an aperitif. There are many bars in Turin where you can enjoy a vermouth with more than generous buffets featuring everything from cheese to savoury pies to pasta. The most bohemian establishments, those in the student quarter of San Salvario, offer the most generous portions.
Denmark, the Jutland coast © BigDane / Shutterstock
Denmark, dancing in the black sun - March
In the late afternoon, as the sun sinks into the calm waters of the Wadden Sea, a strange silhouette appears in the sky. It rises, changes shape, almost seems to dance: it is a cloud formed by tens or hundreds of thousands of starlings, returning safely to their nests on the marshes near Ribe and Tønder. The sight of a 'murmuration' is mesmerising wherever you happen to catch a glimpse of it, but in spring and autumn, on the south-west coast of Jutland, it is a particularly impressive sight, and it even has its own name, Sort Sol: 'Black Sun'. March is a perfect month to discover the other wonders of this national park, a crucial stopover point for over 12 million migratory birds; vie with them for seafood by going out on the bay to hunt for oysters, in season from mid-October to the end of April.
Plovdiv, ruins of ancient Plovdiv © RossHelen / Shutterstock
Plovdiv, amid glories of the past - April
The ancient Thracians founded it some 7000 years ago. In the 4th century BC, Alexander the Great's father, Philip II the Macedonian, renamed it Philippopolis. It was later remodelled by the Romans, sacked by the Goths and conquered and expanded by Bulgarians, Byzantines, Crusaders and Ottoman Turks in the following centuries. Today, Plovdiv is proud of its multi-ethnic past, but the nightlife and culture of this lively student city are anything but old-fashioned, especially since it was named European Capital of Culture in 2019 and following the restoration of the Kapana arts district and Tsar Simeon's Garden. The mild days of April, before the May rains and summer crowds arrive, are ideal for a break in an unconventional city: by day explore the Roman ruins, imposing Nationalist Revival-style villas and innovative art exhibitions; by night wander around the clubs. Surrounded by vineyards on the Thracian plain, Plovdiv offers you Mavrud reds and the country's best restaurants, all inexpensive.
Along the Moselle © Boris Stroujko / Shutterstock
Moselle Valley, gently flowing - May
A wonderful ribbon of water meanders through Germany, its banks streaked with vines and topped with ridges and fairytale castles. No, it is not the Rhine, but one of its tributaries, the Moselle, which has many of the qualities of the larger river, but without its large trading ships and crowds of tourists. The Moselle enters Germany from Luxembourg, near Trier, an ancient city with Roman ruins, and unfolds between towns with medieval castles, such as Bernkastel-Kues, Traben-Trarbach, Beilstein and Cochem, before disappearing into the Rhine at Koblenz. May is the ideal time to cycle along the Moselle: the vineyards, in these parts twisted on reeds bent into the shape of a heart, begin to bud; it is already wine festival season and the vineyards are open for tastings.
Frisian Islands, low skies and mud © A Jellema / Shutterstock
Frisian Islands, vigorous mud - June
For an alternative and more vigorous mud cure, head for the Frisian Islands off the north coast of the Netherlands: Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog are four long, flat strips of sand separating the Wadden Sea from the North Sea. Here experienced guides take you on wadlopen (walks) in the mud on immersive (literally and figuratively) expeditions: participants sometimes sink to their waists, for a challenge and an uplifting experience at the same time, in this beautiful environment populated by waders and seals. It is even more enchanting on long days in June, when the weather is warmer, but before the many tourists arrive in July and August. The islands themselves offer various attractions, from the deserted beaches and dunes of Schiermonnikoog National Park to the pavilions and cafés of Vlieland and Terschelling.
Sea and sand on Nida, Curonian Peninsula © Michele Ursi / Shutterstock
Dutch Peninsula - July
The small strip of land stretching almost 100 km along the south-eastern Baltic coast was created by the giantess Neringa to protect the coastline from a dragon. Or so the legend goes, and indeed the landscape of the Curonian Peninsula is magical, with 50 m high dunes, pine forests inhabited by elks and pretty wooden villages. In the 19th century, it became a haven for German artists and writers seeking peace and inspiration: visit the summer home of Nobel Literature Prize winner Thomas Mann and admire the peninsula's wealth of public sculptures and other works of art. Cultivate your creative spirit among the unspoilt landscapes in a warm, sunny summer, ideally on two wheels: a wonderful cycle path winds its way north from Nida, a former fishing village turned artists' colony.
Dundee, harbour front © ROBIN MACGREGOR / Shutterstock
Dundee, the new capital of beauty - August
In August, Edinburgh is overrun with culture lovers for the events of the annual Fringe Festival. For a quieter alternative, choose Dundee, the sunniest city in Scotland, which, since the launch of an ambitious renovation programme, is undoubtedly also the most modern. After its industrial and newspaper heyday, the city had let itself go, but today it has recovered and is home to an enviable array of cultural sites, including the avant-garde Dundee Contemporary Arts centre. The cultural scene has been bolstered by the opening of the V&A Dundee in 2018, Scotland's first design museum. A focal point of the restored waterfront, it is housed in an extraordinary building created by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.
Turkey, more turquoise than that! © Nick Brundle / Shutterstock
Turquoise Coast, a dip in the Aegean - September
If your idea of paradise includes diving from the deck of a sailboat into the azure blue sea of the Mediterranean on a hot day, you are not alone. In the 1920s, the famous Turkish writer Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı began chartering sponge fishing boats to sail along the so-called Turquoise Coast from Bodrum, in what he called 'Blue Cruises'. In the decades that followed, more and more Turks and foreign tourists heard the same call, and today many vessels, some traditional and some purpose-built, ply the waters along Turkey's Aegean and Mediterranean coasts from Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye, stopping to visit ancient sites like Letoön and Patara, swim, relax on the beach, eat and drink.
Umbria in autumn © Stefano Termanini / Shutterstock
Umbria, beautiful and good - October
Autumn offers sublime products of the earth, and this applies all the more to Umbria, which is at its best when it comes to flavours and precious ingredients during this season. The region's rolling hills and fortified villages (e.g. Orvieto, Amelia and Narni) are bathed in warm autumn light and free from the usual hordes of tourists. Sit down at the table to enjoy the area's exquisite legumes, mushrooms, chestnuts, black truffles, saffron and olive oil. Umbrian menus are filled in October with game specialities, including wild boar and pheasant. Not to mention the grape harvest, which makes the region an unmissable destination for following wine routes such as the Strada del Sagrantino, which passes through beautiful towns and guarantees excellent tastings. And then there is chocolate. Every year, Perugia hosts Eurochocolate, a celebration of cocoa in all its forms - not least the Baci, the famous chocolates that originated here.