The world’s most beautiful autumn towns and cities

Here, we’ll be revealing:

• The UK's most beautiful autumn towns and cities
• The world's most beautiful autumn towns and cities
• Methodology

Our study revealed that Bath was the most eye-catching British city overall, with participants lingering on images of the city for an average 1.74 seconds. Found in Somerset in the south-west of England, the Georgian city is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its beauty and Roman roots. Though particularly popular in winter due to its famous Christmas market, it’s worth visiting Bath ahead of this too, to see the beauty of the city in autumn.

Following in second place is Cornwall’s famous town of St Ives. Like the rest of the county, St Ives is predominantly known for its range of outdoor activities, such as swimming, boating, and surfing. However, with a thriving art scene, there’s more to do in St Ives than water sports alone - though the autumn months are the perfect time to experience the beaches without the crowds!

A close third, Bristol completes the top three most beautiful autumn cities in the UK. With plenty of things to do in the city all year round, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the most popular city break destinations in the country. However, with the city named European Green Capital in 2015, in part due to its many parks and green spaces (over 450!), the city truly comes into its own in the autumn months as the colours change. Why not take a walk through the Downs and along to the Clifton Suspension Bridge to take a look for yourself?

Just 0.01 seconds behind Bristol for average fixation time, Cambridge ranks in fourth place. One of the UK’s most picturesque cities and famed for its university, it’s not hard to see why people flock there each year. With plenty of narrow cobbled streets to explore, there are all kind of cosy spots to snuggle up in during the cooler months. However, the meandering River Cam provides a more natural backdrop, alongside the many greens and parks in the city, which truly steal the show in the autumn.

Aberdeen rounds off the top five cities alongside Birmingham, and also places as the highest-ranking Scottish city, with Edinburgh sneaking into the top 10 in ninth position.
 

As well as topping the charts for the UK’s most beautiful autumn city, Bath makes it a clean sweep by topping the charts globally. Chicago in the USA follows in second place on the world stage, with an average fixation time of 1.66 seconds, just 0.08s away from the top spot. The ‘Windy City’ is certainly worth visiting and has recently grown in popularity, with 48.9 million visitors in 2022 - an increase of 60% on 2021. With numerous outdoor spaces to explore, the city is particularly eye-catching in the fall, as the trees coat the city in russet-coloured leaves. From Lincoln Park to Millennium Park and Lurie Garden to Jackson Park, there are plenty of opportunities to see the beauty of the city from every angle.

Following in third position is Cape Town in South Africa, though autumn here is slightly different to the other cities listed so far. Sat in the southern hemisphere, the autumn season in Cape Town runs from March to May, offering an alternative time of year for northern hemisphere visitors to experience the city in all its autumnal glory. With fewer tourists than in the summer months, the season offers opportunities to experience Cape Town and the rest of the Western Cape at a lower cost and with less need to pre-book the top attractions, such as the many vineyards. For those who’re into more active holidays, this also makes a great time of year to tackle Table Mountain!

Boston joins Chicago as the second city in the USA to make it into the top ten, although it’s also the last, with Dallas only making it into 35th position, and New York failing to make it into the top 40.

Florence and Ljubljana rank in tied fifth position, with the two European cities each capturing the attention of the study participants for 1.36 seconds. Though they’re typically cities visited in the height of summer, both European destinations continue to hold their own in the autumn. In particular, those visiting Florence are in for a treat – autumn marks wine season as harvesting gets underway, making it the perfect time of year for any wine lovers to visit a vineyard and indulge in some world-class vino. 

Travellers to Ljubljana will be able to experience the phenomenon that is the city’s frequent fog by visiting in the autumn months. The city sits at the bottom of a basin, surrounded by high mountains with peaks of more than 2500m, which can create temperature inversions and fog that cloaks the city. However, the fog often burns through to leave beautifully sunny days in its wake - perfect for sightseeing!

The first Asian city to make it into the charts, Tokyo features in eighth position, with Kyoto joining in 16th position. Though Japan is famed for its beautiful cherry blossom season in the spring, those visiting in the autumn will get to see another side of the country. October visitors will also get the chance to experience Halloween in the city, which is quite the spectacle thanks to cosplayers taking to the streets and showing off their costumes.

Not a fan of hot weather? Autumn may be the ideal time to visit Istanbul, our ninth-ranking city, when temperatures sit around a comfortable 20 degrees Celsius. With the weather still warm, visitors can continue to enjoy outdoor dining and river cruises, while the rest of Northern Europe begins to wrap up warm.

Rounding off the top ten beautiful autumn cities is Munich in Germany’s stunning Bavaria region. However, perhaps unlike many other cities, autumn is the obvious season for visiting the city thanks to its world-famous Oktoberfest. Taking place from the end of September and into October each year, the festival attracts millions of visitors and is the world’s largest beer festival, which also includes many parades, traditional food, and live music.
 

Fancy booking up your own autumnal trip? Check out our travel guides for a little more innspiration.