No quarantine, but plenty of sun: Your safest bets for a holiday this autumn

September and October are lovely months for a short-haul break with a good dose of sunshine – and many of our autumn favourites are now on the amber list, so double-jabbed travellers don’t have to quarantine on return. 

Meanwhile, the likes of Portugal, Spain and Morocco have, in turn, eased their restrictions on Britons – so armed with a negative Covid test or vaccination certificate, you’ll be free to savour those last few rays of late summer sun.

While of course nothing is guaranteed, the following destinations are the ‘safest’ bets for restriction-free holidays this September and October, with currently no quarantine for the fully vaccinated (on arrival or return), direct flights, and no Foreign Office warnings (making travel insurance simpler and cheaper).

We’ve also selected some of the best hotels to stay in – many with cool pools for languid toe-dipping, as well as easy beach access and cultural fascinations on their doorstep. 

THE GREEK ISLANDS

Rhodes winds down in pace from mid-September onwards and there’s a more authentic feel to the island. Hotel prices are generally lower, temperatures remain balmy and sun beds are easy to find on the beaches for which Rhodes is famed. Less-crowded streets make driving a pleasure too, so this is a lovely time to make the stiff climb to Lindos’ Acropolis or seek out the Knights along the near-deserted cobbled streets of Rhodes old town. 

Any restrictions? To enter amber-listed Greece you’ll need proof of full vaccination at least 14 days prior to travel (via the NHS app or an NHS letter) – or a certificate from a negative test, or proof of recovery from Covid.

Rhodes

October high: 24.5°C | October average: 21°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Rhodes

MAINLAND PORTUGAL

The Algarve is at its best in late summer when the crowds have left and the golden beaches empty out, calling for early morning walks. The blistering heat of August has lifted and the start and end of the day begin to have a welcome coolness in the air, whilst the bougainvillea gives one last final gasp of vivid colour. Lunch can still be enjoyed under cloudless blue skies, making an al fresco meal of freshly caught sea bass, a tomato salad drizzled with a local olive oil and a crisp white Portuguese wine a real joy.

Any restrictions? If you can not prove you have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to travel, you must quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Portugal. You must also show proof of a negative Covid test. 

The Algarve

October high: 25°C | October average: 19°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in the Algarve

MADEIRA

The island’s sub-tropical climate means that, as most of Europe cools, Madeira is still cloaked in sunshine – with perfect temperatures for eating outdoors, walking along the picturesque levada waterays, and exploring its many botanical wonders. Yellow popcorn cassia bushes, kapok trees and huge poinsettia trees are in bloom and November sees camellias at their best, particularly in the Palheiro Gardens.

Any restrictions? If you have recovered from Covid in the last 180 days (and have a certificate to prove it), or have had both doses of the vaccine at least 14 days prior to travel, you do not need to take a test to enter Madeira, or quarantine on arrival.

Funchal

October high: 23°C | October average: 19°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Madeira
 

MAINLAND SPAIN

September and October – when the high-verano crowds, temperatures and accommodation prices have eased off – are great months along Andalucía‘s beach-strung coasts. Málaga, where sun-soaked 20°C days often stretch into December, makes a terrific late-summer city, with its art-world wonders, Moorish fortress and chiringuito-lined beaches. Or head further southwest along the Costa del Sol for Marbella’s luxe-hotel scene and cobbled old town. On the Atlantic Costa de la Luz, the blonde beaches turn pleasantly quieter post-August. Learn kitesurfing and day-trip to Morocco from riad-like Tarifa, flit between low-key seafood restaurants in Zahara de los Atunes, poke around Bolonia’s Roman ruins, or wander the gleaming-white alleys of crag-top Vejer de la Frontera.

Any restrictions? To enter amber-listed Spain, you must show a negative Covid test or proof of full vaccination 14 days prior to travel.

Costa del Sol

October high: 22°C | October average: 19°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Andalucía
 

Costa de la Luz

October high: 24°C | October average: 20°C

Where to stay

• The best place and cities to visit in Spain – and where to stay

BALEARICS AND CANARY ISLANDS

From the middle of September, the Balearic and Canary Islands are quieter – but still very much in business. This is a much better time than the full-on summer season to combine sunbathing with a bit of activity, whether in the water or in the countryside. Resorts in the Balearics are extending their season for this very reason, as the warm but not sweltering days are ideal for cycling or hiking, or perhaps helping with the grape and olive harvests. Temperatures between 20°C and 28°C in the Canaries in autumn make the islands extremely well suited to beach holidays, and there are bargains to be had before the winter sun season starts in the run up to Christmas.  

Any restrictions? Just like mainland Spain, the Balearics and Canaries require a negative Covid test or proof of full vaccination 14 days prior to travel.

Ibiza

October high: 24°C | October average: 21°C

Where to stay

• The best agroturismo hotels in Ibiza 

Majorca

October high: 28°C | October average: 24°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Majorca

Menorca

October high: 23°C | October average: 20°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Menorca

Tenerife

October high: 26°C | October average: 23°C

Where to stay

• Affordable hotels in the Mediterranean

Gran Canaria

October high: 26°C | October average: 23°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Gran Canaria
 

Fuerteventura

October high: 26°C | October average: 23°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Fuerteventura

Lanzarote

October high: 29°C | October average: 23°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Lanzarote

MALTA & GOZO

The sun shines 300 days of the year in Malta and Gozo – and many of them are in September and October. Autumn sees the occasional storm but most of the time it is hot enough for sunbathing and sea temperatures are at their peak in September. After mid-September the beaches are uncrowded during the week too, and with the sun a little gentler than in high summer, this is the perfect time to combine beach and sightseeing. The islands have extraordinary historic attractions, from the second oldest stone buildings in the world to the Baroque legacy of the Knights of Malta.  

Any restrictions?Though firmly on the UK’s green list, Malta and Gozo currently have somewhat tighter restrictions on Britons: you will need proof of full vaccination at least 14 days prior to your trip. If unable, you must test negative pre-travel and quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

Malta

October high: 24°C | October average: 21°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Malta

Gozo

October high: 24°C | October average: 21°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Gozo

MOROCCO

Unlike much of the rest of Morocco, which is still sweltering in September and October, Essaouira takes on the golden glow of an Indian summer with long, sunny days cooled by Atlantic breezes. It’s perfect for strolling on brown-sugar beaches that go on forever, combining bracing ocean dips with snoozes in the shade, seafood lunches on beachfront terraces and late-afternoon shopping trips into the souks. If it does get chillier when the sun goes down, it’s also big on charming little restaurants – many with log fireplaces – designed to keep you cosy.  

Any restrictions? UK vaccine certification is not yet formally recognised in Morocco, so you should secure a negative PCR certificate.

Essaouira

October high: 29°C | October average: 21°C

Where to stay

• The best hotels in Essaouira

Contributions by Annie Bennett, Carole French, Matthew Hirtes, Lizzie Frainier, Heidi Fuller-Love, Mary Lussiana, Andrea Montgomery, Anna Nicholas, Isabella Noble, Hazel Plush, Juliet Rix, Tara Stevens, Nicky Swallow, Rebecca Tay and Tina Walsh.