Autumn is a great time to get away for a final blast of sunshine not too far from home. Not only have the crowds thinned, allowing you to find space on the beaches and enjoy the sights without the queues, but midday temperatures have receded - perfect for donningwalking shoes and exploring rural areas that are wonderful at this time of year. Best of all, many hotels slash their rates as soon as the summer crowds head home. We pick our top 10 spots for that perfect autumn getaway …
1. Sardinia, Italy
Average maximum temperature: 27C
Visit Sardinia in autumn and you can discover one of the island's best-kept secrets: Autunno in Barbagia (Autumn in Barbagia). Running from September to December, a series of festivals take place across 27 villages in Barbagia, a mountainous area of inland Sardinia (sardegnaturismo.it). Streets are transformed into markets, local craftsmen hold workshops, locals throw open their doors - and dining rooms - to visitors and walks are held through the hills. Or you can just kick back on one of the island's near-empty beaches and soak up some rays.
Stay: Agriturismo Testone (+39 0784 230 539, agriturismotestone.com), tucked in a forest of cork trees in the heart of Barbagia, near the village of Nuoro, is an old stone farmhouse with eight bedrooms, hearty home cooking and log fires in the sitting and dining rooms. Doubles from €38 per person per night, including breakfast.
Get there: British Airways flies from London Gatwick to Cagliari from £138 return.
2. Andalucia, Spain
Average maximum temperature: 32C
Autumn days in Andalucia are still exotically warm, often hitting the low 30s. While the beaches are great this time of year - far quieter than in July and August - this is the time to head to the cooler climes of the hills for some rambling. Sierra de Aracena national park, just north of Seville, is one of the least-known of Andalucia's parks. Lace up your boots and explore its wooded valleys, whitewashed villages and groves of chestnuts - their leaves turning red and golden. Don't miss the lively market town of Aracena, with its limestone caves and 13th-century church built by the Knights Templar. Stop for tapas at Café-Bar Manzano, opposite the square - this is the season to try the region's famous setas (wild mushrooms).
Stay: Finca el Moro (+34 959 501079, fincaelmoro.com), in the heart of the Sierra de Aracena national park, is a 75-acre hill farm with three cottages, sleeping between two and six, each with its own pool. There's no Wi-Fi, no TV, just excellent walking from the farm - take the donkey, Violetta, to carry your picnic, or set off on one of the farm's horses (experienced riders only). From €500 per week for a one-bedroom cottage.
Get there: Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from London Stansted, London Gatwick and Bristol to Seville from £40 return.
3. Cyprus
Average maximum temperature: 33C
Cyprus's southerly position means it enjoys a long, hot autumn, with temperatures well into the 30s. While Cypriot resorts are not among the most beautiful in the Med, an increasing numbers of village houses are being converted into cottages and inns, many in remote rural areas that - on cooler autumn days - are perfect for exploring on foot. After a day's romp, cool off with a dip in the sea, still blissfully warm at this time of year; Coral Bay, a large horseshoe-shaped cove backed by steep limestone cliffs and with blue flag status should do just the trick.
Stay: Amarakos (+357 22 313374, amarakos.com), situated in the sleepy village of Kato Akourdalia - close to Coral Bay and Paphos - is a family-run guest-house with seven rooms around a flower-filled courtyard. Guided walks, cooking lessons and visits to archaeological sites can all be arranged. Doubles from €77 per night, including breakfast.
Get there: Easyjet flies from London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol and Manchester to Paphos from £105 return.
4. Dubrovnik, Croatia
Average maximum temperature: 25C
Dubrovnik is extremely busy in the summer months; accommodation is hard to find and endless cruise ships dock in its port, adding to the already overcrowded streets and beaches. Autumn however brings out the best of Dubrovnik; it takes on a tranquil, laidback atmosphere, the weather is less humid, the sea is still warm enough for swimming and accommodation and ferries prices drop considerably. Hop on a 50-minute ferry to the tiny, car-free island of Lopud; it's renowned for having one of the best beaches in the Dubrovnik region, Sunj (pronounced "shoon"); in summer everyone in the region with a motorised vessel heads there for a swim. Come autumn it's the Adriatic at its best.
Stay: The Amoret Apartments (+385 20 324005, dubrovnik-amoret.com), in the old town, is made up of 10 apartments (sleeping two-three) housed in three former palaces, each mixing antiques with modern paintings inspired by the city. Doubles from €70 per night, accommodation only.
Get there: Flybe flies from Birmingham and Exeter to Dubrovnik from £250 return.
5. Dahab, Egypt
Average maximum temperature: 31C
Visit this small Bedouin coastal resort in summer and you'll face unbearably high temperatures of up to 38C; by late September, they've dropped - to the low 30s - and unlike in winter, nights are not too cool. Located 100km north of its more commercial neighbour, Sharm el-Sheikh, it has a chilled backpacker vibe and is renowned for its diving, thanks to its diversity of reefs, and also its windsurfing (the resort has about 270 days a year of wind a year). Now's also the time to visit stunning locations nearby – doable as day trips – such as the Coloured Canyon, with its dramatic rock formations, and St Catherine's Monastery, situated at the foot of Mount Sinai.
Stay: Dahab Paradise (i-escape.com/dahabparadise.php), on the Red Sea, is right among the action. It has 35 bedrooms with high ceilings, terracotta tiles and handcrafted reclaimed furniture. The hotel also works in conjunction with one of the diving schools. Doubles from €58 per night, including breakfast.
Get there: Easyjet flies from London Gatwick, Luton and Manchester to Sharm El Sheikh from £190 return.
6. Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Average maximum temperature: 29C
Just 70km from the Western Sahara, Lanzarote has a more desert-like climate than the Mediterranean, and is at its best come autumn: the north-easterly trade winds – which blow across the island from March to August – drop considerably; the sea, heated by the summer sun, is at its warmest; air temperatures still average around the mid-20s and the tourist crowds have subsided. This is the perfect time to don your walking shoes and trek the island's volcanic peaks, for example Timanfaya national park (Fire Mountain), with its striking red and ocre lunar landscape and seismic activity.
Stay: Casa El Morro (+34 928 830392, casaelmorrolanzarote.com) is an 18th-century mansion, located above the village of Uga on the outskirts of the Timanfaya national park, that has been transformed into seven self-contained suites sleeping two to five, furnished with collections from Arabia, the Orient and Indonesia. From €107 per night, room only, sleeping up to three.
Get there: Easyjet flies from London Gatwick and Liverpool to Arrecife from £62 return.
7. Kas, Turkey
Average maximum temperature: 29C
Still sunny but not scorching, autumn is the perfect time to visit this relaxed old fishing village, situated on the Lycian coast in south Turkey. Especially if you're planning on exploring the Lycian Way, a long-distance footpath that stretches for 500km from Fethiye to Antalya through the ancient land of Lycia (Kas is a good base for exploring the southernmost sections). If it's watersports you're after, the locals say the best time to dive is after the first autumn rain (usually between late September and early October), as this is when you can see the most fish activity.
Stay: Villa Hotel Tamara (+90 242 836 32 73, hoteltamara.com.tr) in Kas has 26 rooms and suites - all with sea views - two swimming pools and terraces that lead down to the private beach. Doubles from €100 per night, including breakfast.
Get there: Monarch flies from Birmingham, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester to Dalaman from £91 return.
8. Saint-Tropez, France
Average maximum temperature: 25C
Summer playground of the glitterati, the flashiest seaside resort in the Côte d'Azur takes on a whole new identity come autumn. While temperatures can still reach the mid-20s, most of the crowds are long gone, leaving behind a more laid-back town. Beaches which are usually packed - such as Plage de Pampelonne and Plage des Salins - are blissfully quiet, as are its posh boutiques and restaurants. If it's the Saint-Tropez buzz you're after, visit between 25 September and 3 October, when the annual Regatta Les Voiles de St Tropez (societe-nautique-saint-tropez.fr) sees 300 sailing yachts, from all over the globe, compete in a week of racing and festivities - and the jet-set return in throngs to watch.
Stay: Pastis Hotel (+33 4 98 12 56 50, pastis-st-tropez.com) has nine beautiful bedrooms, complete with objêts d'art, leather armchairs, contemporary four-posters and their own private balcony or breakfast terrace. Doubles from €175 per night - down from €450 in peak season.
Get there: Ryanair flies from London Stansted to Toulon from £30 return.
9. Rhodes, Greece
Average maximum temperature: 28C
Whichever Greek island you pick in autumn you're likely to find warm sunshine and few crowds. But if there's one island that is particulary lovely at this time of year it's Rhodes. Its medieval Old Town is teeming with tourists in July and August. Visit in the autumn, however, and you can have its narrow alleys, lined with Ottoman mansions, and tranquil squares virtually all to yourself. September is also the best time to visit Petaloudes (Butterfly Valley), the island's most popular tourist attraction; out of season, this lovely green dell in the middle of the island is tourist-free, so it's the best time to spot the thousands of brightly coloured insects (don't leave it too late, they only inhabit the valley between May and September). The thermometer will hover around the mid to high 20s, perfect for catching some rays on the nearby beaches; head to Kalithea, just 8km south, famous for its hot medicinal springs.
Stay: Spirit of the Knights (i-escape.com/spiritoftheknights.psp), in the centre of Rhodes' Old Town, is a family-run hotel with six elegant rooms, all stone arches, marble floors, iron candelabras and stained glass windows. Doubles from €145 per night, including breakfast.
Get there: Easyjet flies from London Gatwick to Crete from £66 return.
10. Île de Ré, France
Average maximum temperature: 23C
A longtime favourite with French holidaymakers, this tiny island, just off the west coast of France and connected to the mainland by a bridge, can be rammed during the summer. By September however, most have returned to the mainland. Île de Ré is one of France's sunniest regions; though with temperatures a few degrees lower than in summer it's one of the best times to saddle up and explore the island's 100km of cycle tracks, all wonderfully flat. Cruise past endless sandy beaches - many empty this time of year - vineyards, pine forests and oyster farms (Île de Ré is one of the country's major producers), ending up at Saint Martin, the island's capital, overflowing with gourmet restaurants. Re-fuel on ocean-fresh lobster at La Baleine Bleue (baleinebleue.com), the island's most renowned restaurant, which out-of-season you conveniently don't have to book weeks in advance.
Stay: Hôtel de Toiras in Saint Martin (+33 5 46 35 40 32, hotel-de-toiras.com) is a handsome 16th-century merchant's house which has just been awarded five-star classification (the only one on the island) and has 20 lavish rooms and suites, some with open fires, for those cooler autumn nights. Doubles from €205 per night, room only - down from €305 in peak season.
Get there: Rail Europe has fares from London to La Rochelle from £111 return. Buses run between La Rochelle and Île de Ré regularly.