Fancy a break in late October, any suggestions for somewhere off the beaten track/not too commercial, but not loadsamoney? Self organised (airbnb) preferred over package.

La Gormera seems along the right lines, not sure if I can find a bit more heat?

Look at Tenerife – you’ll pay less – a lot larger and more to do.
Get a car and explore – email me for ideas, was a resident for 12yrs so can let you have plenty of hideaway tips.

Galicia?

Fly Edinburgh-Lisbon direct with Easyjet (if they go at that time of year. Get a cheap hotel through Trip Advisor.
Fantastic city; really nice people.

Famara in lanzarote. Not touristy like the rest of the island. Good place to learn to surf as well

Some of Greece? Possibly Italy or Corsica?

Northumberland?

Fly Edinburgh to Palma, Majorca with Ryanair for £25. Majorca is a lovely island.

+1 on Majorca, stay in the north west of the island for peace, great food and amazing riding

Morocco? I went to the atlas mountains last Christmas, hot and sunny, very few tourists

The coast is nice too although I’ve not been there. Several people recommended Essaouira to us.

Majorca highly recommended for cycling, Al.

Was there in April and it was very quiet.

Cheers all, I think Galicia, Majorca and maybe Lisbon not that hot? I’ve been to latter 2 also…Morocco and Canaries are new tho

Sicily? Fine weather, not touristy, plenty to do. Can really recommend a trip up Etna

Definitely southern Spain. Catalunya regon still warm at that tie of year, further south even warmer. Flights to Barcelona are cheap (although EasyJey/Ryanair are a nightmare with hidden charges when travelling with a bike). Out of season means plenty of cheap apartments/villas to rent. Venturing a bit off the tourist trail means chea food, drin=k and other stuff.

Hmmm how warm are many of these places going to be?

Low 20s? Which is just about shorts weather? (I am asking, I have no idea about temperatures). Not warm enough to swim?

Canaries are good for sun in Oct. Have a look at Lanzarote or Fuerteventura if you want things a bit quieter.

Lisbon in October for sun? That’s not guaranteed.

Epic riding

We usually go to the Canaries for a week or 10 days in October. Tenerife tends to be proppa hot mid 20s + especially if there’s an easterly wind. Lanzarote cooler kind of low 20s and high teens at night

Both as touristy as you want them to be. Relax with a beer or three at a cafe and judge people, hike/bike up Teide, surf, fun park, whatever

Low 20s? Which is just about shorts weather? (I am asking, I have no idea about temperatures). Not warm enough to swim?

Had the middle 2 weeks of October in Mallorca last year and swam in the sea most days. But it can also be wet and miserable then (apparently).

I’m going for 4 days in the 1st full week to get some road miles in.

Low 20s not warm enough to swim?! From posts on here I thought you were scottish?!

Anyhow, I went to the south of france last october, was high 20s/low 30s. Maybe depends tho? Cheap flights to Beziers then you’re on the main train line. Spent a few days in carcassonne and a few in Sete on the coast. Carcassonne is touristy, but empty in october, really nice to wander around…

Southern Greek Islands, try Santorini.

Would always recommend Sardinia, but I don’t want to 😆

Or Cyprus.

Temps in the high’ish 20’s but it’s not the heat that warms you it’s the strength of the sunshine. Still very warm to swim, dry off in the air etc. and warm enough to eat out at night wearing a shirt, you may, just may want to take a jacket/jumper just in case.

Lajares in Fuerteventura. I stay here ➡
Two miles into town down the dirt road.
About 300 Euros for the week.
Loads to ride Mtb and road, some of it quite technical. Should be 25 to 30 deg in October and always a breeze so not bad to ride in. Lajares is the home of/ http://www.fuerteventuramountainbike.com/en/about-us/
Jirko one of the guides is also a chef at one of the restaurants in Lajares,nice guy
Been about ten times now and love it with stuff like this to ride-

Spot the singletrack in the foreground,sweet.
If you want any more info my email is in my profile. Btw I have no connection, it’s just a beautiful place.Nice to share.

How adventurous are you?

My barber has just been raving about his trip to Morocco (two early 20’s blokes backpacking style). Flew on cheap flights to and from Marrakesh, which he didn’t really like (too intense / touristy) and then took a bus down to Agadir and then Essaouira. Took a local bus, not a tourist coach, as he was advised that the tourist coaches stop at every carpet shop on the way and won’t depart until sufficient sales have been made.

He ended up in Essaouira staying with a local family; he was haggling for a room in a hotel and said he’d think about it; on leaving was approached by a middle aged lady who said they could stay with her for less than half of what they’d been offered at the hotel. She lived in the old town with her two teenage sons, and they welcomed them in as part of the family. being Ramadan, they opted to observe the fast too and ate with the family most nights, banquet style on proper Moroccan tagines and fish and side dishes. He even got offered a job in a barbers while he was there and was very tempted!!

Essaouira

Good windsurfing to be had there!!

South West Crete. Much less commercial than the north, better beaches, much cheaper (Almost dirt cheap), beautiful mountain scenery and great for hiking, etc.

We stayed in Paleochora this Summer, very few Brits, quite a few Scandinavians and locals, two great beaches (more if you don’t mind a 30 minute walk). Sougia is also very nice, as are many of the other villages along the coast, but these are very quiet. A lot of people also camp here on the beaches. it’s all very laid back and chilled out.

Agree with what everyone else has said. I was in Malorca that time last year and it was just starting to cool off with the odd torrential downpour at night, swimming in the sea was still fine. Essaouira is nice, Marrakech is intense but definitely worth checking out. I adore Crete and can’t wait to go back but off to Madeira next month. 😀

South Spain (Murcia or Almeria for example) would be fine, and the sea’s still nice and warm in October. There are some not-too-commercial bits there, it’s not all 14 floor high-rise hotels. The Canaries would be another option. Madeira is nice, too.

I wouldn’t head to Mallorca or (especially!) Galicia, too much risk of rain.

Been in Spain mid October for many years alicante, Ibiza, Majorca, etc and only had two weeks when the waether wasn’t great and that was in Minorca. Dry, but cloudy and very windy, still shorts weather but jumper needed at night.

Went to Majorca last year, and going back this year. Shorts and shorts sleeves even in the evening last year.

Lovely island but sun isn’t gaurenteed.

Lanzarote – Playa Blanca. MUCH less touristy than Tenerife, nice and friendly, good beaches and plenty to do.

Climate stats of Malaga for rainfall and temperature.

On the coast it´s normally shorts and T-shirt weather during the day in October, sweatshirt in the evening.

Well we got flights to Gran Canaria cheap late October. Now to find a nice base to hang out in – suggestions welcome.

Bookmarked for later.

/\

Like all places they’re as touristy as you want them to be. Stay in the main resorts and join the crowds or stay a few kms away and find a different world. The real destination.

He even got offered a job in a barbers while he was there and was very tempted!!

He could have been a Berbers’ barber…!

I prefer air and temperature of Marrakech to Essaouira but both have their charms.

Lanzarote is quite nice and still warm right up to December, I tend to go away last week November and its still shorts weather.

Tourist wise I went to playa blanca last 2 years and it was touristy bars/clubs/gift shops etc, but if you walk far enough away from the resort it can be really nice just open beaches and nothing around.

Im off to Costa Teguise this year again a bit touristy but great for bus links and travel to the north of the island.

Cycling? the roads are immense a vast difference between our roads and there’s its lovely smooth tarmac, just be careful as last year they where re-routing I took a turn and turned out to be a dead end, another roundabout turn went from a double lane to a single without any signs had a near miss with a coach or 2 that didn’t notice the lane change.

LOL, it’s Gran Canaria I have booked, and I am not cycling there.

LOL, it’s Gran Canaria I have booked, and I am not cycling there.

Not overly surprised, what with it being an island and all.