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With the heat of summer faded, October makes for a more comfortable time of year to explore Italy, and you won’t see as many visitors flocking to the country’s attractions. As well as enjoying quieter city breaks in Rome and Venice, you could venture into the countryside, where harvest is in full swing. It’s a particularly good time to dine on a bounty of fresh mushrooms, olives, truffles and chestnuts. And, with festivals dedicated to food and wine taking place across the country, you can taste your way through its rolling hills, rustic towns and villages and verdant valleys.

While the weather can be difficult to predict in Thailand during October — it depends on the length of the monsoon season — lower humidity and fewer visitors arguably make this a more comfortable time to visit. For the best chance of avoiding rain, aim for the end of the month. That said, the odd downpour shouldn’t affect your trip too much, and creates lush, green landscapes in the north, where you can explore forests and waterfalls. If you’re planning to relax on the beach, be prepared to balance sunshine with heavy showers — staying on the mainland rather than one of the islands gives you a better chance of settled weather.

Enjoying the warmth of spring, Chile in October sees brilliant wildflowers coating its central and northern regions, mild days ripe for exploring and a smattering of rain here and there. While southern Patagonia is still feeling winter’s chill, you’ll begin to experience less rain and longer daylight hours, so as long as you wrap up, it’s a good time for hiking. Elsewhere, the Atacama Desert is a year-round destination, while in cities like Santiago you’ll be rubbing shoulders with fewer visitors than you would during the upcoming summer months, and should get more for your money.

As Peru reaches the end of its dry season in October, wildlife viewing in the Amazon rainforest and the country’s cloudforests is at its best and trekking conditions are excellent. The Sacred Valley trails will still be relatively crowd-free compared to the summer (though booking in advance is still required), and you can usually enjoy bright, sunny days with clear blue skies, along with mild-to-warm temperatures. Along the coast, surfers can pick up the early summer swells, or you can simply relax as temperatures in the north become increasingly pleasant.

Prime leaf-peeping season in many parts of Canada, October brings cool but comfortable temperatures as the foliage reflected in lakes and spread across mountains turns fiery orange, red and yellow. You’ll have hiking trails almost completely to yourself at this time of year and key attractions like Niagara Falls also see fewer crowds. It’s an excellent time to spot polar bears near Churchill as they gather around the shores of Hudson Bay in anticipation of their winter hunting season. You might also catch the end of the salmon-run season, which draws black and grizzly bears to rivers in western Canada.

While ranked as one of Sri Lanka’s wettest months, October can vary from one year to the next as it generally falls between monsoon seasons. The southwest monsoon fades off as the month progresses, replaced by a monsoon in the northeast, so you can expect sporadic rainfall wherever you are. However, with few visitors, you’ll get sights almost to yourself and can often find excellent value. When there isn’t rain, you’ll tend to experience warm, sunny weather, particularly in the Cultural Triangle of the north, which tends to stay hot and dry until the end of the month.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, October falls within the ‘dry season’, which is widely thought to provide the best conditions for wildlife viewing. With little rain falling since June, parks and reserves have limited water resources, so wildlife congregates around precious waterholes and rivers. It means their whereabouts is more predictable, increasing your chance of seeing all the headline animals, from the Big Five to antelope species, giraffe and cheetah. The exception is Botswana, where water levels in the Okavango Delta are at their highest, making it a good time for exploring by boat and mokoro (traditional canoe).

As you reach the end of Namibia’s dry season in October, the landscape is at its most arid and barren, with little vegetation, making it easier to spot wildlife. Temperatures are heating up as summer approaches, and the chance of showers begins to increase, though they shouldn’t impact your experience. Nights are still cool with clear skies, making for excellent stargazing opportunities. The dryness of the landscape can mean there’s more dust on game drives, but animals big and small tend to gather around vital water sources, which means it’s easier to know where to find them.

Dry, sunny and warm, October is one of the best months to visit Mauritius. It’s just before the main summer season, though still popular with visitors, particularly families visiting during half term. It’s a good time to relax on the beach, enjoy water sports in the warm waters offshore and go walking in the Chamarel Mountains, which remain lush and green throughout the year. The island has a significant Hindu population, and with Diwali falling in October, your visit could give you a chance to experience the celebrations held during the Festival of Lights, with candles and lamps illuminating towns and villages.