For sun in October, go to Seville, Málaga, Sicily, Crete or the Algarve. For sun in November, go to Gran Canaria, Madeira or Cyprus. All eight destinations in this guide, from Andalusia to the Turkish Riviera, still reach 20°C to 29°C during the day and have direct flights from Belgium, while Brussels averages 15°C in October and 10°C in November. The timing matters this year because the school holidays fall on different weeks: the French Community has its autumn break from 19 to 30 October 2026, and Flanders has its herfstvakantie from 2 to 8 November 2026. This guide to where to go in Europe in autumn shows where it is warm in each month, how long the flight from Belgium takes, where your Belgian plan works as at home and how much mobile data you really need.
When is the autumn holiday in Belgium in 2026?
The French Community is off from 19 to 30 October 2026 and Flanders from 2 to 8 November 2026, so book around your own community's dates, because flight prices rise in the holiday weeks.
Community | Autumn holiday 2026 | Best month to look at |
|---|---|---|
French Community (Wallonia and Brussels) | Monday 19 October to Friday 30 October, plus Monday 2 November | October |
Flemish Community | Monday 2 November to Sunday 8 November | November |
Where is it warm in Europe in October and November?
Cyprus, Seville and Gran Canaria are the warmest in October, and Gran Canaria, Cyprus and Madeira stay the warmest in November. Pick the column that matches your travel month, because the answer to where to go in Europe in autumn changes between early October and late November. The temperatures are average daytime highs.
Destination | October | November | Direct flight from Belgium | EU roaming rules apply? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cyprus | 27°C to 29°C | 23°C to 24°C | About 4 hours | Yes |
Gran Canaria, Spain | 26°C | 24°C | About 4 hours 30 | Yes |
Seville (Andalusia), Spain | 27°C | 21°C | About 2 hours 45 | Yes |
Madeira, Portugal | 25°C | 23°C | About 4 hours | Yes |
Málaga (Andalusia), Spain | 24°C | 20°C | About 2 hours 45 | Yes |
Sicily, Italy | 24°C to 26°C | 20°C to 21°C | About 2 hours 30 | Yes |
Crete, Greece | 24°C | 20°C | About 3 hours 30 | Yes |
Algarve, Portugal | 23°C | 20°C | About 2 hours 45 | Yes |
Antalya, Turkey | 27°C | 22°C | About 4 hours | No |
Best destinations for October
In October, go to Seville, Málaga, Sicily, Crete or the Algarve, where it still feels like late summer and the sea is warm enough to swim in at most places.
Seville and Málaga: Andalusia without the summer heat
Seville is too hot for many people in July, and in October it averages a comfortable 27°C, which makes it ideal for the Alcázar, the cathedral and long evenings outside. Málaga is less than three hours away by train or car, so you can combine a city break with a few days at the beach.
Sicily: food, ruins and a warm sea
Palermo and Catania both stay around 24°C to 26°C in October, and the sea is still about 22°C. Use the cooler days for Mount Etna, the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento or the baroque towns of the southeast, and expect a few rainy days, because autumn is the start of the wet season in Sicily.
Crete: the last weeks of the Greek season
Crete offers beaches, gorges and Minoan history, and in October the sea is still around 23°C. Go early in the month, because direct flights from Brussels Airport become less frequent once the summer season ends and the sea cools to about 20°C in November.
Algarve: golden cliffs and quiet beaches
The Algarve reaches about 23°C in October, and the coastal walks between Lagos and Sagres are at their best when the summer crowds have gone. The Atlantic is cooler than the Mediterranean, at around 20°C, so this is a destination for walking more than for swimming.
Best destinations for November
In November, go to Gran Canaria, Madeira or Cyprus, because the warmest places in Europe are now the islands in the Atlantic and the far east of the Mediterranean.
Gran Canaria: the most reliable sun in November
Gran Canaria averages 24°C in November and has about seven hours of sunshine a day, and the south around Maspalomas is usually drier than Las Palmas in the north. The Canary Islands are part of Spain, so your Belgian plan works there as it does at home.
Madeira: hiking and gardens in mild weather
Madeira stays around 23°C in November and is a good choice for travellers who prefer hiking to lying on the beach. The levada trails, Funchal's gardens and the cliffs of the north coast are at their best in mild weather, and you should pack a light rain jacket, because the rainy season starts in mid October.
Cyprus: the warmest island in the EU
Cyprus is the warmest EU destination in this list, with 23°C to 24°C in November and a sea that is still around 22°C. Paphos and Limassol combine beaches with Roman mosaics and mountain villages in the Troodos.
Outside the EU: the Turkish Riviera
Check your phone plan before you fly to Antalya, because Turkey is not part of the EU roaming rules and your provider sets its own prices there. Inside the EU, leave roaming on and use your Belgian plan as at home. Antalya itself stays at 27°C in October and 22°C in November and has plenty of all inclusive resorts. A Turkey eSIM gives your phone mobile data as soon as you land.
How much mobile data do you need for an autumn trip?
Plan for about 100 MB a day. A typical holiday day of maps, messages, a ride and a few AI questions uses far less than most people expect. These figures are based on Firsty's guides on Google Maps, WhatsApp and ChatGPT:
Activity | Data used |
|---|---|
Google Maps navigation | 3 to 5 MB per hour |
Offline map, downloaded on WiFi | 0 MB |
WhatsApp text / photo | under 1 KB / 100 to 500 KB |
WhatsApp voice call | 0.3 to 0.5 MB per minute |
Boarding pass or ticket | under 1 MB to download, nothing once saved |
Ride app | a few MB per ride |
ChatGPT or another AI app, text chat | 1 to 5 MB per hour |
One day usually stays under 100 MB, and about 1 GB covers a full week.
Chase the sun, stay connected everywhere
With Firsty, there is no SIM card to swap, no roaming setting to remember, no zone chart to check and no surprise bill, whether you land in Funchal or Antalya. Every connection Firsty sells also connects someone in Belgium who needs it, not as charity, but as how the business works. Things are moving, so keep an eye on what Firsty is building and discover more at Firsty.app.
FAQ
Where should I go in Europe in autumn?
Go to Seville, Málaga, Sicily, Crete or the Algarve in October, and to Gran Canaria, Madeira or Cyprus in November. All of them reach about 20°C to 29°C during the day and have direct flights from Belgium, and your Belgian plan works in all of them under the EU roaming rules.
Where is it warm in Europe in November?
Gran Canaria, Madeira and Cyprus are the warmest places in Europe in November, with average daytime highs of 23°C to 24°C. Seville, Málaga, Sicily and Crete are cooler at around 20°C, which is still about 10°C warmer than Brussels.
Where is it warm in Europe in October?
Cyprus, Seville and Gran Canaria are the warmest European destinations in October, with average highs of 26°C to 29°C. Málaga, Sicily, Crete and the Algarve are close behind at 23°C to 26°C, and the sea is still warm enough to swim in most of them.
When is the autumn holiday in Belgium in 2026?
In the French Community, the autumn holiday runs from Monday 19 October to Friday 30 October 2026, and Monday 2 November is also a day off. In Flanders, the herfstvakantie runs from Monday 2 November to Sunday 8 November 2026.
Is Madeira or Gran Canaria warmer in November?
Gran Canaria is slightly warmer, with an average daytime high of about 24°C in November compared with about 23°C in Madeira. Gran Canaria is also drier, while Madeira is better for hiking and gardens.
Does EU roaming work in the Canary Islands and Madeira?
Yes. The Canary Islands belong to Spain and Madeira belongs to Portugal, so the EU roam like at home rules apply there and your Belgian plan works as it does at home.
Does EU roaming work in Turkey?
No. Turkey is not part of the EU roaming rules, so calls and mobile data are charged at the rates your Belgian provider sets for Turkey. Check your plan before you travel, or install a travel eSIM for mobile data.
How much mobile data do I need for a week abroad?
About 1 GB covers a week of light use. Google Maps navigation uses 3 to 5 MB per hour and a WhatsApp voice call 0.3 to 0.5 MB per minute, while offline maps and saved boarding passes use no data at all.
