Elderly man working in the vineyard
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Autumn in Europe is all about harvest and local food festivals, with events taking place across the continent.
No matter which country you choose, there's bound to be some sort of food or wine festival taking place between September and November, some of which date back hundreds of years.
Digging deeper
Braided onions for sale at a traditional market in Weimar, Germany
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While there is no limit to the crops that can be harvested during this time, there are a few harvests that are especially noteworthy.
Grown in Italy, Spain, France and Croatia, truffles are one of the most extravagant ways to enjoy autumn food. Smaller white truffle events are held in the Istria peninsula of Croatia, and black truffle events are held in France and Spain, but none compare in scale to the event in Alba, Italy.
Alba's White Truffle Festival is a world-famous event that takes place over two months each year, from October to December. Starting with donkey races and continuing with tastings, food and wine pairings, cooking demonstrations and more, it's a must-try once in a lifetime event.
In Southern Europe, olive harvesting usually takes place in October and November, as the climate is warmer and the olives ripen earlier. In France, it usually takes place between November and January.
When you visit an olive-growing town, you're sure to find somewhere where you can help harvest and press the olives and taste the fresh oil. Tapenade, olive-based beauty products and, of course, olives themselves are also available at these events, which are held in conjunction with parades, concerts and other events.
Many cities celebrate the season with comprehensive food festivals, like Vienna's Ernst Dankfest, where seasonal foods such as mountain cheeses, pumpkin recipes, and locally made fermented juices return to the markets.
In Scandinavia, seafood is at the heart of autumn cuisine, with herring festivals in Finland, oyster festivals in the UK and Ireland, and shrimp festivals in France.
More idiosyncratic events include niche festivals celebrating onions from Weimar in Germany, rice from Arles in France, sausages from Budapest in Hungary, chocolate from Perugia in Italy, seafood from O Grove in Spain, dark meats from Tallinn in Estonia, coffee from Amsterdam in the Netherlands, peppers from Espelette in France, apples from Dobele in Latvia, saffron from Toledo in Spain, and honey from Corsica, all of which draw thousands of visitors each year.
Another great way to enjoy the harvest close to home is to find a nearby harvest farm.
These farms are usually located on the outskirts of big cities, where people come to escape to the countryside for a day and bring home bags full of apples, pumpkins, or whatever is available at the time.
Many farms specialize in just a few crops, but larger farms may have dozens of crops to choose from at different times throughout the year.
And raise your glass
Friends holding wine glasses at a table, close up
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Wine harvest takes place across continental Europe from mid-summer to late autumn, depending on the region and seasonal weather.
Perhaps the most famous drinking festival in the world is Germany's unrivalled beer festival, Oktoberfest (held in September instead of October). For a month, beer halls and tents pop up in every town across the country, serving not only fine beer but also tasty local snacks to go with it. You'd look out of place at any of these events if you're not dressed in traditional costume.
But don't underestimate Germany when it comes to wine: you might be surprised at just how many vineyards the country boasts, and with fewer tourists, they're cheaper to visit than the more popular vineyards of France and Italy.
The Rhine Valley is home to many wineries and the town of Boppard, with its harvest festival celebrations including live music and fireworks, is a popular stop at this time of year.
Another country with an under-appreciated wine culture, Portugal, is home to the Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, where wine has been cultivated since 1756.
In September and October, volunteers are called upon to help harvest and stomp the grapes that will make the country's famous Port wine.
In La Rioja, Spain, a festival that dates back more than 900 years begins on September 21. For a week, locals and tourists stomp grapes the traditional way, accompanied by live bands, bullfights, and fireworks.
Jerez Sherry, produced in Spain's Andalusia region, is also celebrated in September for three weeks with flamenco, parades, exhibitions, concerts, bullfights and, of course, tapas and sherry.
France is perhaps the country most famous for its wine festivals, and it's no wonder, considering how much land there is to grow the famous grape. This wine-producing powerhouse is home to thousands of wineries, and among the dozens of festivals held there, some are particularly eye-catching.
Saint-Émilion, a World Heritage Site, is just under an hour's drive from Bordeaux, the mecca of wine, and is one of the most popular wine growing regions. The vines here were originally planted by the Romans, but it was the monks who made them successful.
Every September, the village celebrates Heritage Night, where members of the Jurado winemaking association dress in red robes and white capes, parade through the village and climb the church tower to proclaim this year's harvest day.
In the Marne Valley, famous for Champagne, the medieval town of Château Thierry offers a fantastic opportunity to learn about the special production process of sparkling wine through workshops, vineyard walks and wine tastings and food pairings from over 30 local wineries. Incidentally, World Champagne Day falls on the fourth Friday of October, making it the perfect time to visit the region.
Paris also holds its wine harvest festival every October, but it still takes place in Montmartre, where there are small vineyards in the city center.
Italy's wine culture also needs no introduction. Founded in 1926 in Impruneta, the heart of the Chianti Classico region, the Festa del Uva is one of the most well-attended wine events in Italy, with a parade of floats, dancers and performers accompanied by plenty of wine and local delicacies.
