Map
8 ideas, picked for these days
A weekend in the Rioja Alavesa, 45 minutes from Vitoria
In October Rioja Alavesa is in full harvest or just finished, with grape trailers on the roads and the vineyard changing colour. Sleeping inside the Laguardia wall on those days needs booking weeks ahead, as do the tastings under its streets.
Haro: winery, grill house and Briñas
September and October are Haro's months: the century-old wineries of the Station District receive grapes and smell of must. The Muga visit lasts an hour and a half and admits over-12s. The 1877 grill serves lunches on Sunday: book it.
Laguardia: tower, calado and Riscal
It is the day plan for those who do not want to sleep away: an hour and a quarter by car and the harvest around the wall. Marqués de Riscal has a daily visit from €30 with a tasting. Amelibia is closed Tuesday and Wednesday: if the holiday falls on those days, eat elsewhere.
A weekend in Ordesa, 1 h 20 from Huesca
October is one of Ordesa's best months, with the beech wood at the valley floor beginning to turn. The Torla bus to the Pradera runs on October weekends and long weekends, with the first departure at 7:00: arrive early, as the valley has a limit.
Jebulon · CC0A weekend in Burgos and Atapuerca, an hour and a half from Valladolid
In autumn the Trinchera de Atapuerca sites are visited with a guide, and the long weekend is among the days of greatest demand: book the visit by phone before setting out. In Burgos many museums close on Monday; if the holiday falls on a Monday, ask first.
Misburg3014 · CC BY 3.0A weekend in Covarrubias and Silos, an hour from Burgos
October is the best season in the Arlanza valley, with the juniper woods dry for walking and mild days. In Silos the monks sing vespers every afternoon, on the long weekend too, and at night the village falls silent again. Book the olla podrida in Covarrubias.
An oyster weekend on the Arcachon bay, 2 h 30 from San Sebastián
12 October is not a holiday in France, so the Pilat dune and the oyster farmers' huts have the rhythm of any autumn weekend. In September and October they are still open, the water is warm and a dozen costs €10 to €13.
Olite: palace, grill and Ujué
Forty minutes away, for the day you have free: in September and October the Zona Media vineyards are in harvest and Ujué is seen above a sea of golden stubble. The grill on the Rúa Mayor closes Tuesday and Wednesday, not Sunday.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you see the grape harvest on the Pilar long weekend?
In Rioja Alavesa and Haro the harvest runs from mid-September to October, depending on the year. By mid-October it may be finishing, but the vineyard and wineries are still in full activity.
Does the Ordesa bus run in October?
Yes, on October weekends and long weekends, with the first departure at 7:00. Outside those days you drive up to the Pradera.
What do I do if I only have the 12th?
Laguardia, Haro or Olite: all three are an hour and a half away or less and have a winery, lunch and a walk.
Is France open that day?
Yes: 12 October is a normal day across the border, with everything open like any other day of the year.