SKIP THE CROWDS ENTIRELY

A travel planning notebook with a view of the Eiffel Tower — first-time Europe travel questions answered by Fort Collins travel advisor Cathy at Amore Travel Designs

Everyone wants to travel in July. School is out, the weather feels safe, and summer has always been the obvious choice.
It is also, quietly, the worst time to visit most of Europe’s best-known destinations.
Shoulder season sits in the gap between peak summer and the off season, roughly April through early June and September through October. It is the window my most seasoned travelers request again and again, and once you understand why, you will probably ask for it too.