欧洲淡季旅行的8个最佳理由

结合预算旅行与完全的文化沉浸

作者：Volker Poelzl
资源通过国外过渡更新了2019年8月30日

法国南部的美丽城镇，例如尼姆，提供户外餐厅和咖啡馆，可在11月在完整的古罗马废墟或城镇广场面前提供美味佳肴。照片©国外过渡。

Most travelers choose the warm summer months to visit Europe, and there are many advantages: The days are longer, and the weather allows for a variety of outdoor activities. There are scores of cultural, music, and art festivals that take place all over the continent. On the other hand, traveling during high season also has many substantial drawbacks: Airline tickets are far more expensive, trains are crowded, hotels fill up quickly, the cost of room and board is much higher, and you are more likely to meet other tourists than locals. Regardless of your destination, there will be large crowds everywhere. Even travel off-the-beaten-path in most of Europe during high season has become more difficult over the years. You are likely to encounter tourists at locations you thought had not yet been explored. If you are seeking a less crowded and more affordable trip to Europe, you might want to consider a visit during off-seasons such as spring or fall. Some refer to this period as the "shoulder season." Fewer tourists remain, and most have returned to their home country. You will be able to take advantage of lower prices no longer jacked up as a natural economic reaction to mass tourism. You will almost certainly enjoy a more intimate travel experience including more typical contact with locals, culture, and daily rituals. You are also likely to be authentically welcomed by locals given the increasing在旋风之旅中迷恋高季游客有些城市实际上限制了访问或增加附加费。

1.淡季旅行是一种更亲密的体验

确定旅行目的地何时是淡季取决于各种因素。天气起着巨大的作用。夏天是整个欧洲大部分地区的主要旅游季节，但夏季夏季安静的山村在冬季滑雪季节充满了活动。除了地中海沿线的海滩度假胜地外，在淡季期间，欧洲很少有旅行目的地完全关闭。当地的天气状况使一些目的地比您预期的要深得多。在意大利北部，当然是正确的，在整个10月，温和的天气持续存在，吸引了许多旅行者参加徒步旅行，烹饪之旅，包括松露狩猎，品酒和简单的放松。另一方面，某些目的地的旅游设施一直关闭，直到夏季开始。如果您正在考虑在冬季前往欧洲旅行，请研究主要景点是否开放，并确保当地的天气模式确保您获得愉快的体验。

10月，葡萄刚刚被选为最好的葡萄酒，在意大利北部皮埃蒙特地区的淡季旅行。白色和黑松露季节如火如荼。在这里，您会发现无休止的起伏山丘上覆盖着葡萄藤，背景中的意大利和瑞士阿尔卑斯山。照片©国外过渡。

但是请记住，即使在淡季期间，仍然有许多庆祝活动和假期受到欧洲游客的欢迎。其中包括圣诞节，新年，狂欢节和复活节 - 这仅提及最常见的假期。在这些假期期间，酒店可能会上涨。火车，公共汽车和飞机将很快填满，许多城市和地区再次挤满了游客。几年前，我在巴黎度过了圣周，发现自己几乎到处都被游客包围。为了远离人群，我乘火车去附近的夏普尔（Chartre）参观了著名的哥特式大教堂，事实证明这实际上是空无一人的。同样，托斯卡纳和意大利其他地方的流行目的地在复活节期间挤满了宗教崇拜，或者只是为了享受愉快的一周。区域假期可能会让毫无戒心的游客感到惊讶，期待低价和大量酒店职位空缺。十二月肯定是葡萄牙的淡季，但在12月8日的周末，里斯本突然在邻近西班牙的度假者中充满了。我后来才发现，12月8日的圣母无染原罪假期是西班牙人为期3天的周末，许多人决定在里斯本度过。 To ensure that you are not bumping into a major local festival, holiday, or event held during the off-season, do some research before you go. Check your guidebook for festivals and holidays, visitfestival and holiday websites列出它们，或访问当地旅游办公室的网站，以了解您计划访问期间是否有任何重大庆祝活动。

跌倒在Trastevere社区上方的罗马的Gianiculo公园。照片©国外过渡。

2.欧洲的小型当地节日

欧洲大型夏季音乐节的季节在9月中旬结束。从9月下旬开始，事情变得有些安静，但是如果您前往乡村或小镇，您仍然可以找到许多值得参加的小节日。有许多当地的葡萄酒和收获节，小型文化和历史节，专门致力于当地历史，音乐，艺术，手工艺品，食品和传统 - 史密，异教，一神教，通常是有趣而独特的结合。由于当地人在很大程度上参加了这些活动，因此，如果您能够有能力，这是一个以自己的语言与他们互动的绝佳机会，并更多地了解他们的文化和生活方式。您经常发现自己通过迷人而丰富多彩的仪式重新制定将自己带回他们的神圣时间。

Small local festivals, often harvest festivals, are among the main attractions of off-season travel. Photo ©Transitions Abroad.

3.当地博览会和市场

博览会和市场是我最喜欢参观和参加的活动之一。如果您在夏季参观了法国普罗旺斯的农贸市场，那么您当然知道，游客通常比当地购物者更多。如果您在春季或秋季在同一市场购物，则主要是当地人。看到当地的城镇居民在市场日降落在附近的小镇上，以购买杂货并与蔬菜农民，屠夫，面包师和奶酪供应商聊天很有趣。在淡季期间，参观艺术博览会和跳蚤市场也提供了令人愉快的体验，也提供了很多优惠。

4. Sightseeing is More Pleasant During the Off-Season

For most travelers, a trip to Europe includes famous landmarks, museums, and other popular tourist destinations, but if you visit these places during high season, large crowds can often completely spoil the atmosphere. If you travel during the off-season you avoid the disruptions of excessive tourism. A few years ago, in northern Italy, a museum curator took an hour of his own time to talk to me in depth about Gothic art. I was the only visitor at the time, and I gained a much deeper appreciation of medieval art from a man who was excited to share his knowledge.

The Roman Forum during the off-season is often almost tourist-free, as opposed to the huge crowds roaming in truly oppressive heat during the peak summer months. Photo ©Transitions Abroad.

5.便宜的住宿

在旺季，酒店经常在一天早些时候填满，而晚期旅行者则争先恐后地为房间。在淡季期间，即使在当天晚些时候，面对面或在线找到便宜宜人的酒店通常也不是问题。在小镇，您可以期望当地人在铁路或公交车站接近您，并邀请您留在他们的养老金，旅馆或床和早餐。随着客人的减少，您还可以期望在酒店和餐馆更友好，更专心的服务。由于价格较低，因此在夏季您可能无法负担的城镇或市中心找到负担得起的酒店也很容易。住在历史中心是一个很棒的体验，因为步行并探索周围景点要容易得多。重要的是，还有很多度假屋出租available at lower than peak prices should you wish to stay in one location longer and have more space, including a kitchen in which to cook the foods you gather at the local markets and stores.

秋季罗马的酒店在肩膀季节通常相对便宜和空缺。照片©国外过渡。

6.不太拥挤的交通工具

暑假的月份是欧洲公共交通工具的高季节。孩子和大学生毕业，每个人都在旅行。夏季，欧洲自发和计划外的旅行的缺点之一是火车和公共汽车经常充满。我记得几年前从奥地利到意大利乘坐过夜的火车，即使是铁路车的走廊也被无法坐下的旅行者挤满了。我最终在旅行者上方蹲下的狭窄行李架上睡觉！这就是为什么春季和秋季是乘火车或公共汽车旅行的季节更愉快的原因。在淡季期间，即使在不需要座位预订的火车上，您也不会找到座位。

7.与当地人的更多接触

I grew up in one of Europe’s top tourist destinations (Salzburg, Austria), and I know from my own experience that locals avoid areas frequented by thousands of tourists every day. By traveling off-season, you have the opportunity to mingle with the locals in their daily activities, especially in smaller cities and towns. I went to a flamenco bar in Seville in January a few years back, and there were only locals and a few international students. I had many lively conversations with the local crowd and partied with them deep into the early morning hours.

在秋天，当地的葡萄酒收获和葡萄酒的节日吸引了欧洲各地小镇的游客。照片©国外过渡。

8.有机会探索您最喜欢的目的地

根据我多年来的经验，我汇编了我在欧洲最喜欢的淡季目的地的简短清单，可以以智能预算进行管理：

Amsterdam in April

享受女王的生日庆祝活动（Koninginnedag），这是4月30日在整个城市举行的大型街头节日。

十月阿尔卑斯山

对于那些喜欢在山上和远足的旅行者来说，阿尔卑斯山最愉快的天气在初秋。当时，孩子们回到学校，您只会与当地徒步旅行者分享宏伟的山脉。

5月的希腊群岛

早春是一个没有人群的希腊享受希腊的好时机。天气很愉快，海滩是空的，您只会在群岛上找到友好的当地人，这些当地人通常挤满了游客。

普罗旺斯在9月

法国南部的普罗旺斯是该国最迷人的地区之一，但在夏天很拥挤。从秋天开始，当地的生活开始恢复正常，游客可以慢慢来，同时享受当地文化和自然美景的更安静和真实的体验。

Early May, a view of the ancient village of Eze overlooking the French Riviera in southern Provence. Photo ©Transitions Abroad.

Tuscany in Spring

复活节结束后，托斯卡纳的游客更少，直到夏季开始。这是一个旅行的好时机：景观是郁郁葱葱的绿色，树木和花朵在开花，商店和市场几乎可以为任何预算旅行者提供负担得起的食物，您可以体验到城市和城镇的魅力，而无需通常人群四处走动，看上去很迷失，完全不合适。不完全是bella figura— the importance of always presenting a respectable appearance so obvious in Italian Renaissance art — in which Italians take so much pride.

托斯卡纳景观在春末。照片©国外过渡。

阿尔加维2月

葡萄牙最南端的省最著名的是海滩目的地，但对于那些对壮丽的风景和文化感兴趣的人来说，冬季和早春是美好的时光。杏仁树在花朵中，该地区的历史悠久的城镇和古迹没有游客。在冬季，繁忙的旅游目的地再次承担着他们作为小型渔村的传统角色，当地人像往常一样，希望永远都会从事业务和日常仪式。

葡萄牙美丽的南部海岸在冬季很少有游客。

冬季的安达卢西亚

Southern Spain experiences cold spells from time to time, but the weather is usually quite pleasant in the winter. This is a great time to visit the region’s immense cultural treasures such as the Alhambra in Granada, the Alcázar palace in Seville, and the historic center of Córdoba. Andalusia is one of the most enchanted regions in Europe year-round, and tapas and local wine are a great budget treat.

Given a choice, it is almost always a better experience and easier on the budget to visit Europe, especially locations that are magnets for mass tourism, during the off-season.

Volker Poelzl是TransitionSabroad.com的国外贡献编辑。金宝搏8世界He has extensively traveled in Europe, mostly during the off-season.