From city breaks in the Czech Republic to off-season mountain trekking, here are the best places for a fall getaway.

Lower prices, cooler temperatures and fewer tourists: what’s not to like about travelling in the autumn (or “fall”, depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re on)? Throw in a selection of weird and wonderful events, quirky food-and-drink festivals and optimal photographic light, and you have the perfect conditions for one of the best holidays – and Instagram posts – of the entire year. Interested? Then these are, in our opinion, the five best places to be experienced in autumn.

Czech Republic

“Babí léto” is a phrase often used to describe the months of September and October in the Czech Republic: “Grandma’s Summer.” It’s a prolonged period when the days are still pleasantly sunny and warm, despite dusk creeping closer. Prague can get both overheated and overcrowded in July and August, so this is the perfect time to enjoy the Bohemian capital, particularly in the early evenings when its ancient spires are bathed in golden light. Better still, autumn is burčák season – when the locals uncork and share the “young wine” they consider a national treasure.

United States

The self-proclaimed Live Music Capital of the World, Austin lives up to its billing in the autumn, when it hosts the colossal Austin City Limits music festival. Add the city’s four-day Oktoberfest on legendary Rainey Street, then the Austin Film Festival and the United States Grand Prix – held at the spectacular Circuit of the Americas on the penultimate weekend of October – and you can see why the Texan capital is now the fastest growing city in the country.

Belgium

At this time of year, the trees overhanging Bruges’ picturesque canals ignite into fiery oranges, reds and yellows, with the resulting inferno reflected beautifully in the waterways. But it’s not just about the canals: this entire fairytale city of cobbled alleyways, church spires and turrets appears even more magical in a deep autumnal glow. Typical Belgian fare – rich beef carbonnades stew, hot stoemp mash and steaming portions of moules frites ­– is definitely suited to colder weather, too, particularly when washed down with one of the rich local beers (Bourgogne des Flandres is well worth seeking out). Throw in some of the best deals Eurostar has been offering in a decade (including free onward train travel from Brussels) and you have your next mini-break ready and waiting.

Peru

The Austral Spring – specifically September and October – is the perfect time to visit Machu Picchu, between the flood of tourists in July/August and the floods of the rainy season, from mid-November. During shoulder season, the flights are cheaper and the crowds are noticeably thinner on the most popular routes up to the 15th-century Inca citadel, but the weather remains reliably good. At the start and finish of your journey, the city of Cusco also appears in its best light at this time of year, hosting colourful religious festivals throughout the month of October.

Hungary

Perhaps above all cities, the elegant Hungarian capital embraces autumn the closest, with an abundance of festivals celebrating everything from art and wine to more unconventional subjects, from sausages and foie gras to “chimney cakes”, the country’s favourite sugar-dusted dessert. The city’s scores of thermal baths are also wonderful when the weather is colder too, including one of the newest additions, the Thermal Beer Spa beneath Széchenyi Baths. Here, comfortable wooden tubs are filled with mineral-rich hot water, infused with the natural extracts used for brewing. Plus, during your soak, you can drink unlimited amounts of beer served from taps within reach of your tub.