Larnaca has been ranked the third-best destination in southern Europe for an autumn 2026 holiday, placing ahead of resorts in Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy, according to a survey by British travel insurance comparison site Quotezone.
Only Antalya in Turkey and Tenerife in the Canary Islands ranked higher in Quotezone’s list of the 10 best shoulder-season destinations. The ranking considered factors including sunshine, temperatures, rainfall and accommodation costs.
Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram
Warm Weather And Low Rainfall
Larnaca scored highly for its autumn conditions, with average sea temperatures of 27°C, average air temperatures of 25.5°C and only 12 millimetres of rainfall across the two months covered by the survey.
Nearby Nissi Beach was also highlighted as one of Europe’s top beaches.
Quotezone created its 2026 Shoulder Season Index to identify destinations offering warm weather without the extreme temperatures and higher prices associated with the peak summer season.
Autumn Travel Gains Popularity
According to the research, hotter summers are encouraging more travellers to reconsider when they take their holidays. Some 52% of respondents said they would actively avoid southern Europe during summer because of the heat, while 48% would consider moving their annual holiday from the peak summer period to autumn.
Price is another factor. Around 26% cited lower costs as a reason to travel in autumn, while 42% said they would wait for a last-minute price reduction before booking. Another 11% said they always wait for an autumn deal.
Fewer crowds are also appealing, with 21% identifying reduced congestion as a key reason for choosing autumn travel. A further 16% valued having fewer children around, while 3% said autumn made it easier to take time off work.
Quotezone said the shift towards shoulder-season travel is increasingly visible across different age groups, rather than being limited to older travellers.
