October is a transitional month: days grow shorter, the air becomes crisp, and summer makes way for autumn for good. For those born in this period, it can be the perfect opportunity to live something extraordinary.
For some, a simple dinner out suffices; for others, the best gift is a departure. If you belong to the second group, we have selected five destinations that shine brightest in October, each offering a different way to celebrate: from sweetness to adrenaline, from sun to adventure.
Where to celebrate a birthday if your birthday falls in October? Here are our ideas!
October, the perfect month for a birthday trip
Turning a year older in October, for those who want to celebrate away from home, comes with more than one advantage. Many destinations enter off-season, with more affordable rates and fewer crowds in front of attractions, while others are living their most special days right now: festivals, natural phenomena, anniversaries that don’t repeat later in the year. Choosing the destination based on what happens during that period turns the trip into a tailor-made gift, designed around the birthday date and the interests of the birthday person.
Where to go on vacation in October to celebrate the birthday
The first destination is in Italy, among the Dolomites. Those who want to spend the birthday close to nature, amid the colors of this season, can head to Val di Funes, with the church of San Giovanni in Ranui at the foot of the Odle, the Alpe di Siusi and Braies Lake, among the most scenic spots to admire the foliage.
The perfect birthday? A morning stroll among the golden larches, an afternoon of relaxation in a mountain chalet spa, perhaps with a panoramic sauna looking onto the peaks, and a quiet dinner that celebrates alpine culinary traditions.
The landscapes look most beautiful at a leisurely pace, but even more so from a hot-air balloon. If you’re after an unforgettable birthday experience, head to Luxor, Egypt. In October temperatures become a lot more bearable, and it’s the ideal moment to ascend in a hot-air balloon at dawn and watch the sun rise over the Valley of the Kings and the Nile. On land, the temples of Karnak and Luxor await, to be explored even after sunset, when the illumination makes them even more evocative.
Those seeking sunshine without extreme heat can aim for Madeira. The Portuguese island, nicknamed the island of eternal spring, enjoys mild temperatures in October and an ocean still pleasant for a dip, perhaps in Porto Moniz’s natural rock pools. Don’t forget to toast the birthday with a glass of poncha, the most widespread alcoholic drink on the island.
For a fairy-tale birthday, however, there is Lake Bled in Slovenia. In October the woods around the mirrored lake turn red and orange, and the castle perched on the cliff looks as if it came straight out of an illustrated book. The ritual not to miss is on the island in the center of the lake, reachable by the pletna, the traditional rowing boat. According to tradition, anyone who rings the wishing bell at the Church of the Assumption will see their wish come true. And instead of the usual cake, there’s kremna rezina, Bled’s iconic cream-and-pastry dessert.
Those who celebrate at the very end of October can fly to New York. On the evening of October 31, Greenwich Village hosts the Village Halloween Parade, one of the most famous masked parades in the world, open to anyone who shows up in costume. In the days leading up to it, Central Park is awash with autumn colors, and a short train ride away lies the Hudson Valley, dotted with orchards, pumpkin fields, and forests in full foliage.
