When to go

November transforms Cyprus from a beach destination into something fundamentally different: the sea is still +22–24°C and swimming is perfectly realistic, the air reaches +23–26°C during the day, rain does happen but not every day. Most importantly — Cyprus in November is cheaper than at any other point in the warm season, there are a third fewer tourists, and all the sights, mountain villages and evening restaurants are yours. We break down who this works for and who it doesn't.

The velvet season in Turkey is not a marketing invention - in early October the sea is at +25–27°C, there's no scorching heat, prices are 20–25% lower than the August peak, and you can finally do excursions at any hour of the day. But October has a catch: the first and second half of the month are fundamentally different, and the choice of resort changes everything. We break it down by dates, by region, and by holiday type.