Larnaca ranked third for autumn getaways in southern Europe

Larnaca, Cyprus. Larnaca has been ranked the third-best destination in southern Europe for an autumn shoulder-season getaway in a new travel index assessing sunshine, temperatures, rainfall and accommodation costs.

The Cypriot city ranked ahead of several established Mediterranean destinations in the 2026 Shoulder Season Index compiled by UK travel insurance comparison company Quotezone.

Index rankings

Antalya in Turkey ranked first, followed by Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Larnaca took third place, while Crete in Greece and Malta completed the top five.

Changing travel preferences

The ranking comes as almost half of travellers appear increasingly willing to move their main holidays away from peak summer months amid concerns about extreme heat and rising holiday costs.

Quotezone found that 48 per cent of travellers would consider taking their annual holiday in autumn rather than during the peak summer season. A further 52 per cent said they would actively avoid southern Europe in summer because of high temperatures.

Weather concerns

The shift is taking place across age groups, with travel trade association ABTA describing the growing popularity of shoulder-season holidays as “Super September”.

The trend follows an exceptionally hot summer across parts of Europe. Western Europe recorded its hottest June-to-July period on record, while wildfires affected areas including France and Spain. This came one year after the European Union experienced its worst recorded fire season.

For some travellers, however, the appeal of autumn holidays goes beyond avoiding the heat.