Help Needed 2026 fall suggestions needed!

[Bisonbythesea]

Hello my wife and I are retiring a few years early and plan to slow travel for 2 and half or 3 years in 3 or 4 month segments spending summers back in Canada then on the road. We are planning on Europe in the fall of 2026 mid September to early December. We are SO confused on where to base ourselves. We thought 3 month long stays on have arrived on Ghent, Lyon and Bratislava (in that order) The plan as it stands is to use a rail pass to do 1 or 2 day trips a week and base out selves in each place for 28 or more days. We love to walk, eat/cook history music culture which doesn't really say much I know. So thoughts on these 3 locations as a starting point in Europe? We have not spent much in time in Europe other than the UK and we are trying to stay to a $5000 - $5500 a month budget not including flight there and back. New here so if this is too vague or broad please let me know, look forward to some help and advice thanks! John

 

[Pauline]

It isn’t always easy to find one month vacation rentals because they may have bookings here and there so it is good you are planning a year ahead.

Why have you picked these 3 places? How far do you plan to travel for these days trips?

Lyon is the second largest city in France and is a foodie destination so that is good for you, but why not the obvious choice of Paris? I think there is more to see on day trips from Paris.

And why isn’t Italy on your list?

Thanks for posting. It is fun to be involved in the early planning. I am sure others will have comments. I’m going to move this to the France forum because more people will see it there.

 

[Bisonbythesea]

Thanks! We feel 2 hr one way as max day trip length and a couple a week. Why these 3 great question food diversity but close enough to get a flavour for a few regions. Also budget trying to be a bit cautious we plan to do this for a few years. Feel that Paris might just kill the budget and we like more manageable cities. Dijon was a place we talked about as well. Italy was also off at the moment for cost though iBologna was suggested by a friend recently. Yeah as you can see wide open to ideas so starting early plus it makes the last year of work fly by

 

[Pauline]

Feel that Paris might just kill the budget and we like more manageable cities. Dijon was a place we talked about as well.

Good point about Paris. I would pick Dijon over Lyon because it is a smaller place and you could day trip into the Burgundy area. But probably this is just because I’ve been to Dijon but not to Lyon.

Did you read Bill Buford's latest book about living in Lyon - Dirt. That might give you a sense of Lyon.

Bill Buford - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I don’t think Italy is more expensive than France in general, probably cheaper. You could stay in a smaller town in Umbria - Spello, Spoleto, Assisi, even Perugia. All on the train line and you could get into Rome or Florence in 2 hours.

Since this is your first longer trip of many, you could take one month and divide it between 2 places so you can experience a bit more and see which countries you like.

 

[KathyH]

What fun that you get to plan a trip like this! I agree for you to consider Italy as well, but that’s because it’s my favorite country. My daughter liked Bologna and she’s a foodie.
Apologies in advance if you already know this, but be watchful of the Schengen limits of 90 days total (not 3 months) for visiting any countries in the Schengen area. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Bisonbythesea]

Thank you both, and yes appreciate the 90 days not 3 months reminder it is easy to mess up!! Ok our long weekend project is to investigate Italy a bit more, likely over a good meal and some Italian wine. I'm definitely the planner in the couple so I'm loving this though given that we plan to be on the road for 3 years it is a bit daunting! My wife has the harder job she is spearheading the downsizing efforts. As we firm things up I will definitely be looking for lots of recommendations on day trips accommodation etc. Will report back! take care John

 

[IslaWanderlight]

Hello my wife and I are retiring a few years early and plan to slow travel for 2 and half or 3 years in 3 or 4 month segments spending summers back in Canada then on the road. We are planning on Europe in the fall of 2026 mid September to early December. We are SO confused on where to base ourselves. We thought 3 month long stays on have arrived on Ghent, Lyon and Bratislava (in that order) The plan as it stands is to use a rail pass to do 1 or 2 day trips a week and base out selves in each place for 28 or more days. We love to walk, eat/cook history music culture which doesn't really say much I know. So thoughts on these 3 locations as a starting point in Europe? We have not spent much in time in Europe other than the UK and we are trying to stay to a $5000 - $5500 a month budget not including flight there and back. New here so if this is too vague or broad please let me know, look forward to some help and advice thanks! John

Ghent is lively with great food and easy rail links but pricier. Lyon is bigger, cultural, and a food hub with excellent day trips though costs more. Bratislava is quieter and cheaper with easy access to Vienna. Your budget should cover all three, with Lyon and Ghent tighter than Bratislava. Rail passes make sense for day trips, and your order works fine though you could swap if you want to start with Lyon’s energy.

 

[michele29]

I’d look into Poland,esp Krakow..Interesting, friendly, not overly touristy, inexpensive..

 

[Bisonbythesea]

I’d look into Poland,esp Krakow..Interesting, friendly, not overly touristy, inexpensive..

Thanks Poland is a great call! We have a flight now we fly into Vienna (great points deal for us) arriving mid September so a move north then head west toward France makes sense) my wife is pushing for some seaside time now so Croatia entered the picture but it doesn’t seems anywhere near as affordable as it once was.

 

[Bisonbythesea]

So here is what we have nailed down so far. Flight into Europe is mid September to Vienna. We are in DIJON for 32 days last week of October through November So we have space for a 28 day stay and some travel up front. I think we will do a little Christmas market visiting before coming home too many great places to visit

 

[Tina]

Bologna is probably the most expensive place in Italy for accommodation except for Milan. There are a lot of towns and cities especially centre and south but not only where your budget would go a very long way that time of year if you decide to head to Italy on your second trip

 

[Bisonbythesea]

Bologna is probably the most expensive place in Italy for accommodation except for Milan. There are a lot of towns and cities especially centre and south but not only where your budget would go a very long way that time of year if you decide to head to Italy on your second trip

Thanks Tina if you had to suggest 1 home base for a month in Italy for late September and October for month where would you suggest. So many folks have said we would be remiss not to hit Italy. Impossible ask I’m sure but……

 

[Ian Sutton]

Thanks Tina if you had to suggest 1 home base for a month in Italy for late September and October for month where would you suggest. So many folks have said we would be remiss not to hit Italy. Impossible ask I’m sure but……

I'd certainly narrow it down by cheap / logistically good flight options. Transfer days are rubbish, so we try to limit the travel hassle.

Aside from that, it's a favourite time of year for us in Italy. Warm and often settled, without being hot, so it's easy to get out and do stuff. Seasonal foods such as mushrooms, chestnuts etc. shine brilliantly.

 

[michele29]

Thanks Poland is a great call! We have a flight now we fly into Vienna (great points deal for us) arriving mid September so a move north then head west toward France makes sense) my wife is pushing for some seaside time now so Croatia entered the picture but it doesn’t seems anywhere near as affordable as it once was.

I am by no means a Poland expert , but we visited Krakow 2 years ago and spent a week there..loved it. We were in Warsaw and Gdansk this September,about a week in each city, fascinating.
Gdansk ..do not miss the Solidarity museum , inspiring and WW 2 museum, grim, but that’s history. Poland got a losing ticket in the geographical lotto..bad neighbors.

Warning: Gdansk gets the Cruise Crowd. It isn’t Venice, but the historical areas can be crowded.

 

[Tina]

A difficult question if this will be your first visit to Italy. If you had already visited places like Rome, Venice etc it would be easy:
Trani in Puglia - a beautiful town with a vibrant historical centre with a lot of local people and few tourists on the main east coast train line for a load of day trips:

Why I love Trani

A blog about travel, vacations and holidays in Italy and Spain with advice, tips and trip reports

slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com

The food in Puglia is fantastic.

BUT since you haven't been to Italy before, here are some other ideas:
- Desenzano del Garda on Lake Garda - on the main train line from Venice to Milan and beyond to Turin etc (or Peschiera del garda). Not as touristy as Sirmione, popular with locals from Brescia. Easy access to Brescia, Verona, Vicanza, Padova, Venice, day trips by boat on the lake, some of the mildest atumn/winter weather in Northern Italy
- Lucca (or Pisa) - as a base for visiting Florence, Pisa, Pietrasanta, the coast south towards Livorno and beyond and north towards Cinque Terre
- Arezzo, on a hill but with escalators etc. On the high speed Freccia Rossa train line so you can be in Florence in one hour and Rome in 90 minutes, also Orvieto and By other trains or bus Cortona. I'd be inclined to rent a car for at least a few days to better explore the area.
- Salerno - a lively (means chaotic!) city in the south but more manageable than Naples. To get to Naples, Some bits of Amalfi Coast, Pompei type places, but also Rome by Freccia Rossa in 1h 40mins
Ideas - you need to investigate. Google Maps is invaluable for calculating transfer times - places which look near on a map aren't necessarily by train and vice versa

 

[Pauline]

There are many great places to choose from in Italy. Tina’s list is very good. I like the idea of Lucca because of all the places you can easily get to.

Good choice with Dijon! Have you found accommodations?

 

[Lexma90]

I liked your original ideas of Gent, Lyon and Bratislava, though I love Italy as well. If you decide to add Italy, consider Modena or Parma; they are close to Bologna, which is a great city as well, and on a good train line if you want to take the train vs. driving. Emilia Romagna is not as beautiful as Tuscany, but the area is interesting, with many places to visit, and the good is great! If you want to spend time in Tuscany, consider Siena, another of my favorite small cities.

My spouse that I have been semi retired for several years, and have taken two one-month trips each year (late Spring and mid-Fall). Some things to consider re your three destinations: Do you like the idea of three different cultures? Do you want a mix of city vs. countryside? Bigger city vs. smaller city? What activities do you enjoy? For us, we realized that one month is our mental limit for being away from home. I start missing our pets, and my bed and my shower! Also, we really like museums, particularly art museums, so for us, including one big "art city" is ideal. On the other hand, we like the countryside, so we always include time in smaller places. But, based on our preferences, a place big enough to have a variety of restaurants. So think about what you have enjoyed in your prior trips (close to home or in Europe), so help you develop your plan for your wonderful trip.

 

[Fioridave]

Thanks! We feel 2 hr one way as max day trip length and a couple a week. Why these 3 great question food diversity but close enough to get a flavour for a few regions. Also budget trying to be a bit cautious we plan to do this for a few years. Feel that Paris might just kill the budget and we like more manageable cities. Dijon was a place we talked about as well. Italy was also off at the moment for cost though iBologna was suggested by a friend recently. Yeah as you can see wide open to ideas so starting early plus it makes the last year of work fly by

I always feel that a 2-hour one way is long for a day trip. That’s 4 hours just on the train, excluding getting to and through the station. Also, many towns that are referred to as “a day trip” often have enough for 2 days.
That said we used Bologna as a hub a few years ago,mand there are enough day trips to fill many days like Ferrara, Ravenna, Modena, and others that are all worth more than one day. Alvo Vicenza in Veneto is worth considering

 

[Ian Sutton]

That's a decent challenge.

We like Italian trains, especially the fast Freccie trains, and if paying the modest increase to go 1st class, the journey can be an appealing part of the day trip.

Conversely any day trip with train/transport changes, or where the station is a long way from the centre (not at all uncommon in Italy), can kill the enjoyment by the time you arrive.

We've used day trips as 'samplers' before. Not racing round to see all the sights the location has to offer, but instead taking a more relaxed approach and focusing on getting a feel for a place. Is it somewhere we'd want to return to, to explore it more thoroughly?

 

[Shannon]

@Bisonbythesea for your post-2026 travel, Croatia is expensive in the summer, but after the season (let’s say end of September} ends you can find accommodation costs go down substantially and you can find many landlords who will give a good deal on a month stay. Anywhere on the coast south of Zadar you will find restaurants and bars stay open, on the islands it gets harder, but even so the islands can be bliss when there are not many people around. Even into November the sea is still warm enough for swimming.