We came to the benefits of shoulder season almost by accident. With a little notice our jobs have allowed us to have some flexibility in what time of year to travel. This flexibility and our constant hunt for the great flight deal resulted in trips to Europe at time that were in off-peak, or shoulder, seasons.
Shoulder season can be defined simply as the time between high and low seasons. Shoulder seasons differ around the world but for Europe they are generally the spring and fall months. It is often during these times you’ll find the cheapest flights sprouting up on your flight search tools, so be ready!
Think of going to Disneyland the first weekends of summer: kids are off school, roller coasters, sweets, and pictures with characters. Of course, that sounds good to a lot of other people too so the crowds are huge, hotels booked, and prices high. How would the experience be on a weekday in the fall? That is shoulder season.
In Europe peak vs should might cut prices in half. On our Honeymoon we stayed at this hotel for 35€ per night on the island of Naxos and we had the entire beachfront to ourselves. A week later that price would triple and our host, Athina, told us the beach would be crowded enough to “hide the sand.” That is a dramatic example but consider summer lines at the Colosseum exceeding 3 hours or waiting 45 minutes to be seated for casual dinner in London.
With even a little flexibility in scheduling (first or last weeks of summer, spring or fall breaks from school) you might be able to save 20% or more on your vacation and enjoy pleasant weather, fewer lines, and less crowds.
Our shoulder season experiences:
2008 – 3 couples in Italy (mid March)
2010 – Honeymoon in Greece (early May)
2012 – Pregnant in Paris (late September)
2014 – Pregnant +18 mo old in Amsterdam & Paris (early October)
2016 – Back to Italy (late March)
2017 – Family of 4 in Spain (late March)
2018 – Paris!!! (late March)
While it may be tempting to aim for low season, be aware many sights may be closed or have very limited hours.
talk soon,
Dan & Betsy