Best places in the world to experience autumn
As autumn is now in full swing in New Zealand, our thoughts turn to crisp days and the riot of colour that the season brings. These are THE places that put on an unbeatable autumn show each year.
Kyoto, Japan (pictured)
Japan is best known for the cherry blossoms (called sakura) that bloom around the country in spring and locals even host special parties in prime viewing spots. But autumn is equally stunning and the historic city of Kyoto is one of the best places in the country to see it. You also have a much better chance of catching these trees at their best – the autumn foliage lasts for around two months from October to December, while the cherry blossoms are at their best for only a week at most. Brightly coloured trees surround almost every shrine and temple in the city, but Tofuku-Ji Temple is one of the most popular viewing spots for its carpet of bright red maples.
Vermont, USA
Arguably the most famous foliage in the world, autumn in New England is characterised by an influx of “leaf peepers” driving the winding country roads in search of the most picturesque locations. In Vermont, you can climb (or take the elevator) to the top of the Battle Monument at Bennington to get a birds’ eye view over the region from almost 100 metres in the air. The change begins in September in the north of the state and gradually moves south. While not as flashy and vibrant as the peak season, late October is especially beautiful as the colours become more muted and subtle.
Orange, NSW
There’s a reason that Orange is known as the colour city. From April onwards the leafy country town bursts into a vivid display of reds, oranges and yellows under a bright blue sky. The roads are lined with numerous towering poplars that give even the narrowest country lane a feeling of grandeur. Autumn is also the season for the Orange Food Festival, so you can sample some of the region’s famous food and wine in between sightseeing.
Mount Huangshan, China
The name of this mountain in eastern China translates to Yellow Mountain, so you know it’s going to be good for colour. It’s been regarded as one of the most beautiful mountains in the country since the 16th century and appears frequently in art and literature. The richly coloured leaves from more than 1,650 types of plants make a striking contrast with lakes and waterfalls of clear blue, turquoise or green. On top of this, autumn is generally considered to be the best season to visit China for the combination of dryness and warmth.
Lapland, Finland
The name Lapland conjures up images of snow and ice (and possibly Santa), but during September the landscape explodes into “ruska”, the Finnish word for autumn leaf colour. Colours tend to be more muted here but offer a wider variety of hues with trees, conifers, berries and moss turning all shades of green, blue, auburn, red and yellow. Ruska is something of a melancholy experience for the Fins as they bid farewell to long summer days and prepare for the cold, dark winter that is on the way.
Westonbirt Arboretum, England
More than 15,000 individual plant specimens from 3,000 species can be found in just 600 acres in England’s national arboretum just outside of Bristol. Come autumn (around September) the Japanese maples, full moon maples, Chinese spindles and Persian ironwoods produce the most vibrant colours, though just about every plant in the forest has something to show. Look out for the katsura, a Japanese tree that gives off the aroma of fairy floss or burnt caramel alongside its autumn hues.