In adventure travel, summer often gets all the attention - blue skies, baking sunshine, warm waters and long days. What's not to love? But we believe two things can be true at once. Summer might be hard to beat, but autumn has a pretty compelling case of its own. With quieter trails, cooler temperatures, spectacular colours and plenty of sunshine still lingering in the south, autumn may be the perfect time for your European adventure. Here are five reasons why autumn deserves a place on your travel calendar…

Starting off with one of the biggest reasons travellers love autumn in Europe: the crowds have returned home. No more waiting in line for a picture at an iconic viewpoint or skipping that much-needed pint at a mountain refuge because the queue is too long. Once the summer holidays are over, you can experience Europe's most iconic trails in a quieter, more personal way.

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The Lycian Way is a brilliant autumn alternative. By October, the summer crowds have thinned out, leaving you to enjoy the spectacular coastal trails, ancient ruins and turquoise waters with far fewer people around.

As adventurers ourselves, we spend all winter wishing for summer, only to be reminded every August why we're ready for autumn to arrive. Long days on the trail are simply harder in the heat of June and July, particularly when you're tackling a challenging trek. Cooler autumn temperatures make for much more comfortable walking.

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Europe's toughest long-distance trek, the GR20, is challenging enough without the blistering heat of summer, making early autumn a great time to take on this iconic route. Heading over to Spain, the Picos de Europa Traverse offers another serious mountain challenge, without the intense summer heat as you cross the dramatic Picos massif.

Our adventures take you to some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful landscapes in Europe. Ancient forests, flower-filled meadows and soaring mountains trade their summer greens for rich shades of orange, red and gold. Seeing these landscapes in autumn gives you a completely different version of places you may already know and for some, it's when their true beauty really shines.

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The forest paths, traditional villages and ancient sites of Greece's Menalon Trail become even more atmospheric beneath the autumn foliage. If there was one trip almost tailor-made for autumn, it has to be Walking in Germany's Black Forest – the woodland, mountains and lakes feel at their most alive in autumn's watercolours.

We appreciate that some travellers simply adore the sun. So why not soak it up all summer while you can at home, then chase the warmth south when autumn arrives? While northern Europe starts to put summer behind it, southern Europe can still be basking in sunshine, giving you the perfect excuse to extend the summer and shorten the winter.

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On our Levadas and Peaks of Madeira, the trails are still enjoying plenty of warm sunshine, while the slightly cooler temperatures make those ascents and descents much more manageable. Over in Portugal, the promise of warm seas awaits. On our Timeless Trails of Portugal's Algarve you can combine walking with swimming, surfing or simply enjoying the coast without the height of summer crowds.

As the summer crowds disappear, local life starts to return to the places that have been bustling with visitors. Quieter villages mean more opportunities to linger over a coffee, find a local restaurant or simply stop and admire your surroundings without feeling like you're caught in the middle of the summer rush. You get to experience a more authentic side of the destination and early autumn is also a great time to discover local festivals and celebrations.

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Time your visit for September and you could find yourself celebrating alongside locals at the annual wine festival in Budapest on our Cycling the Danube – Vienna to Budapest, adding an extra taste of the destination's culture to your adventure. Also in September, Austria's Wolfgangsee region comes alive with harvest celebrations, traditional markets, local food and crafts – a wonderful chance to experience the area alongside the locals.