Shoulder season: why the best time to travel is often now
Travelling just before or after the peak brings smaller crowds, lower prices and a more relaxed experience.
Ask a seasoned traveller when to visit a popular destination, and many will give the same answer: not in the height of summer, nor the dead of winter, but in the shoulder season — the weeks on either side of the peak, when the crowds thin, prices drop and the experience is often far richer.
The advantages are considerable. In the shoulder months, typically spring and autumn in many destinations, the weather is often pleasant, the queues at famous sites are shorter, hotels and flights are cheaper, and locals, less overwhelmed, tend to be more relaxed and welcoming. A city or beach that feels overrun in August can be a delight in May or October.
Shoulder season also offers its own particular pleasures: the cherry blossoms or autumn foliage, the grape or olive harvest, festivals tied to the changing year, and landscapes transformed by the season.
There are trade-offs to weigh. Some attractions, restaurants or ferry routes may keep reduced hours or close entirely outside the peak, and the weather, while often fine, can be less reliable. A little research into local conditions pays off.
But for travellers with flexibility, the shoulder season is one of the great secrets of a better trip. By simply shifting the dates by a few weeks, you can trade crowds and high prices for space, value and a more authentic encounter with a place, enjoying the world's great destinations much as they are meant to be experienced.