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Summer crowds will soon be fading, but the autumn travel bargain isn’t quite as guaranteed as it once was.
New data from Expedia shows that hotel prices are rising in some destinations this autumn but, in better news, other parts of Europe get noticeably less expensive once peak season ends.
From the Algarve and Greek islands to emerging hotspots in the Balkans, here are the European destinations where travellers can still find an autumn deal, plus the places seeing the biggest surge in interest.
Across much of the UK, Expedia data reveals that hotel prices are actually higher in the autumn than in the summer, with the largest increases in Birmingham and Liverpool, which are 30% and 20% higher respectively.
Outside of the UK, though, hotel rates tend to fall by an average of 7%.
In Albufeira and Faro in the Algarve, and Mykonos and Kos in the Greek Islands, rates are up to 30% lower when autumn comes, and the likes of Benidorm, Alicante and Istanbul are also less pricey in the -ber months – especially November.
“When you travel matters,” Melanie Fish, travel expert and spokesperson for Expedia, said.
“International stays on Expedia are, on average, 10% cheaper in November than in summer, making it the sweet spot for savvy travellers looking to unlock the best deals.”
One trick to finding a well-priced shoulder season trip is to plump for less obvious destinations which don’t tend to attract huge crowds in the autumn.
Expedia has revealed its fastest-growing autumn destinations, which are well worth looking at if you’re after an affordable trip which is relatively off the beaten track.
Expedia’s trending autumn destinations
To establish which destinations are trending for next season, Expedia looked at searches made on Expedia.co.uk between April 13, 2026 to July 12, 2026 for travel between September 1, 2026 to November 30, 2026 and compared it to the same period in 2025.
Seven out of the top ten trending autumn destinations are in Europe, with a relatively little-visited country coming in first place.
Luxembourg, with a popularity of fewer than 700,000, is hugely trending, according to Expedia’s findings.
In fact, interest is surging by 470% among Britons, presumably seeking out city breaks in places not overrun with tourists.
In neighbouring France, searches for the pretty cities of Strasbourg and Annecy are up by 170% and 165% respectively, while Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, best known as a ski resort, has seen a rise of 115%.
Elsewhere in Europe, it seems as though travellers are opting for less established destinations for autumn breaks.
Sarandë in Albania (+110%), Budva in Montenegro (+85%) and Ljubljana in Slovenia (+80%) are in 8th, 9th and 10th places, which suggests autumnal travellers are keen to explore places fewer people have visited previously.
Expedia’s top ten international trending destinations for autumn 2026
- Luxembourg +470%
- Curaçao +210%
- Strasbourg, France +170%
- Annecy, France +165%
- San Juan, Puerto Rico +160%
- Beijing, China +150%
- Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy +115%
- Sarandë, Albania +110%
- Budva, Montenegro +85%
- Ljubljana, Slovenia +80%
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