Travel with You, Me, Away

Where to go in September: warm places for couples

Nine places to consider for September as a couple, from city breaks in Scotland and New England to beaches in Portugal and Spain and a cultural trip to Kyoto. Each section names one official climate source and states exactly what it measures.

Reviewed

How to choose a September destination as a couple

September is a shoulder month. The Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts below keep daily maxima near 26 to 28 °C, northern and New England cities have cooled, and rainfall rises in some places. Decide whether you want beach time or walking weather.

Look at the rain figure next to the temperature. In the tables below, Kyoto shows a high monthly total while the Algarve and Madeira stay low. A pleasant mean maximum does not mean dry days.

Averages are not forecasts. Every figure is a long-term mean for one named station and period. Check the forecast a few days before you travel, and check sea temperatures separately.

Edinburgh and Scotland

The Met Office's 1991-2020 long-term averages for Edinburgh, Gogarbank list September with a mean maximum temperature of 16.87 °C, a mean minimum temperature of 9.37 °C, 55.17 mm of rainfall and 10.54 days of rainfall of at least 1 mm.

September cools the mean maximum below the August figure, which suits couples who prefer walking weather to heat. Rainfall is lower than in August in the same table, but it still falls on more than ten days, so plan indoor stops too. Editorial judgement.

Sources: Edinburgh, Gogarbank: location-specific long-term averages, 1991-2020

Lisbon

IPMA's 1991-2020 normals for Lisboa / Gago Coutinho list September with a mean daily maximum (TX) of 26.8 °C, a mean temperature (TT) of 22.1 °C, 35.9 mm of precipitation and 3.7 days with at least 1 mm.

September keeps most of the warmth, with a mean daily maximum 2.2 °C below August in the same table, which makes long city walks easier. Editorial judgement.

Sources: Lisboa / Gago Coutinho climate normals, 1991-2020

The Algarve (Faro)

IPMA's 1991-2020 normals for Faro list September with a mean daily maximum (TX) of 26.4 °C, a mean temperature (TT) of 22.4 °C, 21.5 mm of precipitation and 1.9 days with at least 1 mm.

A common pick for couples who want beach time with less heat than August. The source gives air temperature only, so check sea temperature separately. Editorial judgement.

Sources: Faro climate normals, 1991-2020

Málaga and the Costa del Sol

AEMET's Málaga Aeropuerto normals (1981-2010) list September with a mean daily maximum of 28.2 °C, a mean temperature of 23.5 °C, mean monthly precipitation of 20 mm and 2.1 days with at least 1 mm of rain.

A good base for a mix of beach and city days on the Costa del Sol. The AEMET station is the airport, so coastal and inland spots can differ. Editorial judgement.

Sources: Málaga Aeropuerto climate normals, 1981-2010

Madeira (Funchal)

IPMA's 1991-2020 normals for Funchal list September with a mean daily maximum (TX) of 26.6 °C, a mean temperature (TT) of 23.5 °C, 23.1 mm of precipitation and 3.1 days with at least 1 mm.

Warm air and little rain make it easy to combine levada walks with an evening in Funchal. The figures describe the coast, not the mountains. Editorial judgement.

Sources: Funchal climate normals, 1991-2020

Southern Tenerife

AEMET's Tenerife Sur Aeropuerto normals (1981-2010) list September with a mean daily maximum of 27.9 °C, a mean temperature of 24.5 °C, mean monthly precipitation of 4 mm and 0.6 days with at least 1 mm of rain.

Heat has eased slightly from August and rain is still rare, a reliable pick for couples who want an easy sun week. Expect resort-style evenings. Editorial judgement.

Sources: Tenerife Sur Aeropuerto climate normals, 1981-2010

Boston and New England

NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Boston Logan Intl AP list September with an average daily maximum of 73.1 °F (about 22.8 °C), an average temperature of 65.6 °F (about 18.7 °C) and 6.0 days with at least 0.1 inch (2.5 mm) of precipitation. The source reports Fahrenheit; the Celsius values in brackets are our conversion.

Cooler than August, which helps for long walking days. A good start for a New England road trip. Editorial judgement.

Sources: Monthly climate normals 1991-2020, Boston Logan Intl AP

Burlington, Vermont

NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Burlington Intl AP list September with an average daily maximum of 72.6 °F (about 22.6 °C), an average temperature of 62.7 °F (about 17.1 °C) and 6.6 days with at least 0.1 inch (2.5 mm) of precipitation. The source reports Fahrenheit; the Celsius values in brackets are our conversion.

The mean maximum is cooler than in August, which suits walks and drives. Editorial judgement.

Sources: Monthly climate normals 1991-2020, Burlington Intl AP

Kyoto

The Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals for Kyoto list September with a mean daily maximum of 29.2 °C, a mean temperature of 24.4 °C and 178.5 mm of precipitation.

Kyoto is still warm in the source table, with the highest monthly rainfall on this page, so September suits couples who accept showers. Editorial judgement.

Sources: Normals (annual and monthly values) 1991-2020, Kyoto

Sources