Shoulder Season: The Travel Sweet Spot

It's no secret that travel is back in a big way, and has been for a couple years now. Last summer's headlines shouted at us about long queues, sold-out attractions, crowded piazzas, and over-heated cities. To be honest, it didn't always sound like a ton of fun. So we're here today to give some basic advice, to anyone who's not tied to travel during school holidays:

Book your trips for shoulder season.

When is shoulder season? This varies by destination, but typically it's the 2-3 months on either side of the summer months. For most of Europe, this means planning a trip in March, April and May, or October and November. Unless going for a swim in the ocean is a priority, free yourself of the confines of travelling during the peak of summer! You can embrace milder weather, forget about long queues, and simply enjoy more space, without the frenetic energy of summer-time crowds.

At ToursByLocals, shoulder season is also the time that the guides on our platform have the most availability! Booking now for shoulder season means you have the most choice you'll have all year, so it's the perfect time to work with the guide of your choice to design and book your ultimate private tour experience.

You can book any tour that's 45 days or more from today with a 20% deposit. And if you change your mind, you can also cancel any tour for a full refund, up to 15 days before it's delivered.

If your dream destination this year includes Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Athens, London, Lisbon...or other major southern and western European hotspots, consider a shoulder season trip, and get it booked now!