Autumn 2026 · Latest tips

Where to go this autumn?

My latest recommendations, fresh from my Facebook page – the newest always at the top: eight quiet weekend destinations with wellness from Zurich, Andalusia when it turns grey at home, and motorcycle holidays on Italy’s winding roads. Each tip comes with a direct link to the hotels.

UpdatedNovember 2026 – new tips are added at the top
For whomAnyone who still wants to get away at short notice this autumn
MoreNew tips every day on Facebook

Fancy an autumn weekend? 8 little insider tips with wellness, all within 2½ hours of Zurich

In autumn many people don’t quite know where to go. The big names like Colmar or Baden-Baden are well filled on fine weekends – so here are my quieter alternatives right next door. And because autumn is also thermal-bath season: the right wellness tip for every place.

Konviktstrasse in Freiburg’s old town with cobblestones and Bächle streams
Freiburg, Konviktstrasse: cobblestones, the little “Bächle” streams and small shops – a Sunday side trip from Staufen.
The red Historisches Kaufhaus on Münsterplatz in Freiburg
The Historisches Kaufhaus on Münsterplatz in Freiburg – red, with oriels and statues, and the book market in front.

Eight destinations for a weekend

  • Eguisheim & Turckheim (Alsace, approx. 2 hrs) – Colmar’s little sisters: half-timbered houses, wine taverns, winegrowers pouring their new vintage, hardly any coaches. Wellness: spa at the Resort Barrière in Ribeauvillé (20 min) – thermal pools with a view of the Vosges. Hotels in Eguisheim on Booking.com · Resort Barrière Ribeauvillé
  • Staufen im Breisgau (approx. 1 hr 45) – The Faust town south of Freiburg: market square, castle ruins overlooking the vines, wine estates on the edge of town. Wellness: Vita Classica thermal baths in Bad Krozingen (10 min) – one of the finest spas in southern Baden, with a large sauna village. Hotels in Staufen on Booking.com · Hotels in Bad Krozingen
  • Gengenbach (Black Forest, approx. 2 hrs) – One of Baden’s prettiest half-timbered towns, with town gates and vines right up to the houses. From late November the town hall becomes the world’s largest Advent calendar. Wellness: the hotel spas in Bad Peterstal-Griesbach in the Rench valley (30 min) – Black Forest wellness in the quietest of settings. Hotels in Gengenbach on Booking.com · Wellness hotels in Bad Peterstal-Griesbach
  • Rottweil (approx. 1 hr 15) – The oldest town in Baden-Württemberg: colourful oriels, carnival museum – and with the 246-metre test tower, Germany’s highest viewing platform. Almost no tourists. Wellness: Solemar in Bad Dürrheim (20 min) – brine baths with sauna landscape, ideal after a stroll through town. Hotels in Rottweil on Booking.com · Hotels in Bad Dürrheim
  • Bad Wildbad (northern Black Forest, approx. 2 hrs 15) – The quiet alternative to Baden-Baden: treetop walk and suspension bridge on the Sommerberg, autumn forest as far as the eye can see. Wellness: Palais Thermal – an Art Nouveau bath straight out of a picture book, plus the Vital Therme next door. Hotels in Bad Wildbad on Booking.com
  • Überlingen & Birnau (Lake Constance, approx. 1 hr 20) – In autumn the lake shows its quiet side: lakeside promenade, minster, the baroque church of Birnau above the vineyards, apple juice straight from the farm. Wellness: Bodensee-Therme Überlingen – lie in the warm outdoor pool and look out over lake and Alps. Hotels in Überlingen on Booking.com
  • Feldkirch (Vorarlberg, approx. 1 hr 30) – Medieval old town with arcades, Schattenburg castle with panoramic views, coffee-house culture without the crowds. Wellness: Val Blu in Bludenz (20 min) – pools and saunas with mountain views. Hotels in Feldkirch on Booking.com
  • Bregenzerwald: Schwarzenberg & Bezau (approx. 1 hr 50) – Wooden-shingle villages, cheese road, modern architecture in old farmhouses, Käsknöpfle in the parlour. Wellness: here the spa belongs to the hotel – many houses have wooden saunas and outdoor pools overlooking the autumn forests. My tip: a room with half board, then there’s nowhere else to go in the evening. Hotels in Schwarzenberg on Booking.com · Hotels in Bezau

My tip: leave on Friday evening, explore on Saturday, thermal baths on Sunday and a leisurely drive home. Hotels are cheaper in autumn than in summer – and rooms are often still available at short notice.

Hotels in the Black ForestBooking.com – Staufen, Gengenbach, Bad Wildbad; free cancellation. Hotels on Lake ConstanceBooking.com – Überlingen, Meersburg, Birnau; many with lake views. Hotels in the BregenzerwaldBooking.com – Schwarzenberg, Bezau, Mellau; wellness included. Hotels in AlsaceBooking.com – Eguisheim, Turckheim, Ribeauvillé; wine estates and spa hotels.

Hotels I know personally Join the discussion on Facebook

Andalusia in autumn – my tip for anyone wanting to escape grey November

While it turns foggy and cold at home, Córdoba has 20 to 25 degrees, blue skies and empty lanes right now. Exactly the right time for southern Spain: no summer heat, hardly any crowds, cheaper hotels.

Córdoba can be explored entirely on foot: the Mezquita cathedral, the Roman bridge over the Guadalquivir, the Torre de la Calahorra, the old waterwheel on the river and the Triunfo monument on the edge of the old town are all a few minutes apart.

Plaza del Triunfo in Córdoba with Moorish façades
Plaza del Triunfo next to the Mezquita – almost deserted in November.
Roman bridge in Córdoba with the Mezquita in the background
The Roman bridge over the Guadalquivir, with the Mezquita behind it.
The Molino de la Albolafia waterwheel on the Guadalquivir
The Moorish waterwheel on the river, the Albolafia.
Triunfo de San Rafael in Córdoba
The Triunfo monument on the edge of the old town.

My tips for autumn in Andalusia

  • Visit the Mezquita in Córdoba first thing in the morning – then the hall of columns is almost empty.
  • Combine Seville, Córdoba and Granada: only 1–2 hours’ drive between each.
  • The white villages (Ronda, Zahara, Grazalema) are pleasant to hike now.
  • Eat tapas outdoors in the evening – that’s still possible here into December.
Hotels in CórdobaBooking.com – old town near the Mezquita; much cheaper in autumn. Hotels in SevilleBooking.com – Santa Cruz or Triana; free cancellation. Hotels in GranadaBooking.com – Albaicín with a view of the Alhambra.

To the Andalusia page with hotels and route Post on Facebook

Motorcycle holidays – freedom on two wheels

Winding pass roads, mountain panoramas in every direction and a good dinner with a view of the valley in the evening: for me there is hardly a finer way to travel than by motorcycle. Bikers from all over Europe meet on Italy’s legendary winding roads – the flags on the passes prove it.

Over the next few weeks I’ll share my best motorcycle routes here, tips for accommodation with a secure garage and everything that makes a tour more relaxed. If you want to plan already: Sardinia in spring is my first recommendation – empty roads, warm weather, ferry from Genoa or Livorno.

Pass road in Sardinia
Sardinia: pass roads without traffic, perfect for the motorcycle.
Motorcycle group on the road
On the road as a group – dinner together in the evening, early start in the morning.
Hotels in SardiniaBooking.com – hotels with a garage for the bike, cheapest in spring and autumn. Hotels in the DolomitesBooking.com – biker hotels on the passes, many with drying room and garage.

All motorcycle tours Sardinia by motorcycle

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