Autumn getaways · October to November
Autumn in Spain: forests, vineyards and villages in colour
Beech woods turning red and gold, ochre vineyards, chestnuts, mushrooms and the deer rut: autumn is one of the best times to explore inland Spain. These are the places where it shows most, from the Pyrenees to the Sierra Morena.
Updated 20 October 2026 · How we make our guides
Beech woods and forests of the north
The most intense colours are in the beech woods: they usually peak in late October and early November, depending on the year and the altitude.
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SpainIrati Forest
One of the largest and best-preserved beech and fir forests in Europe, in the Navarrese Pyrenees. In autumn the ground and the treetops fill with reds, oranges and yellows, and its trails along the river and the reservoir are among the most photographed of the season.
Late October and early November
What to see in Irati Forest -
SpainTejera Negra Beech Forest
One of the southernmost beech woods in Europe, in the Sierra de Ayllón in Guadalajara. It is the classic autumn getaway from Madrid: take it slowly and, on the busiest days, check access arrangements before you go.
Late October and November
What to see in Tejera Negra Beech Forest -
SpainOrdesa y Monte Perdido National Park
The Ordesa valley, in the Huesca Pyrenees, turns ochre beneath enormous rock walls. The walk to the Cola de Caballo waterfall, along the valley floor, is the best known.
October
What to see in Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park -
SpainPicos de Europa
Beech and oak woods and green meadows between limestone peaks, with the Lakes of Covadonga and the Cares gorge trail as must-sees.
October and November
What to see in Picos de Europa -
SpainAran Valley
A valley in the Lleida Pyrenees with beech and fir forests and villages of stone and slate, which changes colour earlier than the rest.
October
What to see in Aran Valley
Vineyards, chestnut groves and valleys
Autumn is also the season of the grape harvest and of chestnuts: landscapes that change colour and villages that celebrate it.
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SpainRibeira Sacra
The canyons of the Sil and the Miño, with vineyards on almost vertical terraces and Romanesque monasteries. In autumn, after the harvest, the slopes turn golden and russet.
October and November
What to see in Ribeira Sacra -
SpainJerte Valley
Famous for its cherry blossom, in autumn its leaves turn red and yellow and the valley celebrates with the Otoñada, with walks and activities in its villages.
November
What to see in Jerte Valley -
SpainLaguardia
A walled hilltop village surrounded by the vineyards of Rioja Alavesa, which after the harvest turn red and gold with the Sierra de Cantabria behind.
Late October and November
What to see in Laguardia -
SpainLas Médulas
The landscape left by Roman gold mines, peaks of red earth among centuries-old chestnut trees, in El Bierzo. In autumn, with the chestnuts turning yellow, it is even more spectacular.
October and November
What to see in Las Médulas -
SpainHervás
A village in northern Cáceres with one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Spain. The Ambroz valley celebrates the Otoño Mágico (Magical Autumn), with walks through its chestnut groves.
November
What to see in Hervás
Deer rut, mushrooms and southern sierras
Further south, autumn arrives later and brings the deer rut, the first mushrooms and perfect temperatures for walking.
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SpainMonfragüe
A national park in Cáceres, among wood pastures and crags above the Tagus, with vultures and, in late September and October, the deer rut at sunset.
Late September to October
What to see in Monfragüe -
SpainCazorla
The Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas, the largest protected area in Spain, with the source of the Guadalquivir and the deer rut in its valleys.
September and October
What to see in Cazorla -
SpainAracena
Chestnuts, holm oaks, white villages and the Gruta de las Maravillas cave in the hills of Huelva, a land of mushrooms and cured ham when autumn arrives.
November
What to see in Aracena -
SpainPuebla de Sanabria
A medieval hilltop town beside Lake Sanabria, the largest glacial lake in the Iberian Peninsula, surrounded by oak woods that turn ochre in autumn.
October and November
What to see in Puebla de Sanabria
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see autumn colours in Spain?
It depends on the year and the altitude, but the northern beech woods are usually at their best in late October and early November. In the south, the chestnut groves and sierras change a little later, in November.
What is the most beautiful forest in Spain in autumn?
The Irati Forest in Navarre is the most famous for its size and colours. Close to Madrid, the Tejera Negra beech wood; and in the Pyrenees, the Ordesa valley.
Where can you see the deer rut?
In Monfragüe (Cáceres) and the Sierra de Cazorla (Jaén), from late September to October, at dawn or dusk and always from the paths and viewpoints.
What should you bear in mind on an autumn getaway?
Days are shorter, so start walks early, bring warm clothes and footwear for mud, and check beforehand whether access to the parks is limited on the busiest days.
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Reviewed 20 October 2026. Dates and seasonal warnings: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.
Cover photo: Feranza (CC BY-SA 3.0), Wikimedia Commons.