Where to go in September: sea, harvest and events

September suits several kinds of trip, so start with what you want from it. Greece, Croatia and Portugal still have warm sea for swimming. Austria, Georgia and Italy are in grape harvest season. In Iceland, the northern lights season is back, and the nights are dark enough to see them. Each country needs its own route, so pick the trip type first and compare from there.

Two events can set a trip on their own. Oktoberfest in Munich usually opens in late September, and the Venice Film Festival usually wraps up in early September. If one of them is your reason to travel, confirm the dates first, then build the rest of the route around them. Otherwise, compare the destinations above by swimming, harvest or northern lights before you book a flight.