At some point, everyone is ready for the island. But going on vacation can be very expensive. You may also opt for timeshare ownership to enjoy your vacation, however, be careful on buying a timeshare to avoid timeshare scams 2022.
Therefore, the search for the cheapest possible travel is a big market. Early booking, last minute, Made in Turkey Tours – there are many ways to spend a great vacation at low prices.
But a big point that is still overlooked by many vacationers is traveling outside the peak season. This has many advantages, even beyond the mere cost factor. That’s what’s behind the off season travel and these destinations are particularly suitable for us Germans.
What exactly is the low season?
For any destination, there are large fluctuations in the number of visitors throughout the year due to several factors. At the peak, which is the main season, there is extremely busy because the conditions for the particular place are perfect and the time coincides with the vacation dates of the countries in the catchment area.
For places on the Mediterranean, this would be the summer months, as beach vacationers then get their money’s worth, in the Alps rather the winter time for skiers. In the time in which the conditions are not optimal, there is then rather little going on.
These weeks and months are then called low season. But this is not without reason – there are certainly not many who would call two weeks at 15 degrees and drizzle a dream vacation.
So the trick is to find the perfect transitional period when the high season is already winding down, but the weather is still acceptable. For recreational vacations, that means it should at least still be acceptably warm, even if maybe one or two more rainy days and a cooler sea have to be accepted as a compromise.
Especially for destinations that are in the catchment area of European vacationers, this is a very good option. Instead of planning the vacation during the summer vacations – which are over in most European countries by mid-September at the latest – one simply flies in the time directly following.
The difficulty is then rather to choose the appropriate destination. There are plenty of places where it is still pleasantly warm at this time, but in contrast to high summer, you can get a rather dull vacation in many places with a little bad luck. Therefore, depending on the destination, you should perhaps plan a little more flexible and not expect a pure beach vacation.
A tip: Since water keeps the temperature longer than air, early fall is still good especially for trips to the sea – in many places you can still go swimming. The early season in spring, on the other hand, is ideal for hiking vacations inland. Then the air is already pleasantly warm, the sun is not yet so extreme and you are not dependent on the still cold sea.
Advantages of an off-season vacation
There are many reasons why you should schedule your vacation outside the main season. One of the most important arguments is very obvious. The question of cost, which determines a lot about the possibilities, especially for a one-time annual vacation.
After all, the prices for a vacation during the high season and the absolute low season are at least as far apart as those for a week of camping and the same time in a luxury hotel with a resort.
In southern Europe, you pay an average of 140 euros for a hotel room in July. Just check https://karta.com for example. Depending on the resort, however, prices vary widely between seasons – up to fifty percent price fluctuations for accommodations are not unseen. Therefore, it is quite possible to either save a lot of money with a clever booking in the off-season, or alternatively book a higher class hotel that you could not afford otherwise.
In addition, one can benefit from the fact that mainly families can travel rather infrequently during this time, as they are dependent on the children’s vacation times. This eliminates a large part of the vacation travelers, with one consequence: there is much less going on.
Compared to the overcrowded tourist magnets of the high season, it is then downright peaceful in many places. Especially on the beach and in idyllic alleys in the city, you have much more space to develop freely. You can also experience more of the real flair of the region and the local culture and come into more direct contact with the locals.
By having fewer vacationers on the road, this also makes it easier to book accommodation. While popular hotels and vacation homes are often booked out months in advance during the peak travel season, you can make much more spontaneous and free decisions during the transitional or low season. Restaurants are also rarely fully booked, so you always have a free choice.
Especially in combination with inexpensive flights, short trips are worthwhile to get some warm air and sunlight just before the cold season sets in and to build up some energy for the long winter.
Disadvantages of traveling in the low season
Of course, the lower prices are not only due to the fact that demand is not so high due to school vacations. Because there are also some clear disadvantages to reckon with.
One of the main problems arises from the above-mentioned reason – for families, traveling in the off-season is more difficult, as you are mostly bound to the local vacation seasons. Only those who want to fly a little further in the summer vacations can catch the transition period in some southern countries such as Mexico or North Africa – however, tourism there is rather weak because it is too hot for many during this time.
Of course, you also have to keep in mind that the low season also depends on the weather to be expected. Although the transitional period is still more than acceptable in many places, you have to make some sacrifices, especially with the guarantee of super weather.
Furthermore, it is possible that especially in smaller cities some offers such as recreational facilities, stores or restaurants are already closed when the large influx of tourists breaks off. Therefore, one should urgently inform oneself before the trip whether the infrastructure still offers enough before or after the summer time.
In particular, cultural attractions such as museums, which attract just enough visitors when there are large numbers of tourists, are often closed during this time.
Perfect destinations for off-season travelers in Europe
In principle, there is a region at absolutely any time of year where you can still find the weather you want – but you would have to fly all the way to South America or Southeast Asia, for example.
But also for car vacationers or for shorter air trips, which are readily available in this country at low prices, there are some destinations that offer themselves very well for a trip in the transitional period.
Turkey: it is particularly well suited for those looking to save money. If you are looking for warm weather at low prices, this is the place to be. The ideal time to travel for a great low season is late September or October. Temperatures between 25 and 28 degrees are still very common. Even in November you can still find warm days with a good six hours of sunshine per day – just like we have in August.
Portugal: If you don’t necessarily want to go to the sea, you can find a real bargain in Portugal. A city vacation in beautiful Lisbon can entice you to dine outdoors even in November or March with a good 20 degrees on beautiful days.
Croatia: With a little search effort, a great beach vacation can be spent in Croatia – either on the coast of the mainland or on one of the many islands – at acceptable prices. Until September and, with a little luck, October, the weather is still wonderful and prices for accommodations are already dropping at this time.
Southern Spain: In the inland around Seville, temperatures of up to 30 degrees prevail even in October on sunny days. Almost as warm it is also in April and May – perfect for hiking or relaxing in beautiful Andalusia.
