6 places to leaf peep around the world đ
Photo by: Joe in Paris
Itâs that time of year again. The air cools, the sun slants lower through the trees, and nature beckons with a blaze of colors. We sense change and renewal and we want to get out into the season...enjoying the crisp air, creating autumn memories...and leaf-peeping!
Leaf peeping is an art, an adventure, and a treasure hunt, all wrapped into one! So where to experience it? Let us take you on a colorful journey around the Northern Hemisphere to six incredible destinations that offer all the beauty and charms of autumn...as well as a great excuse for some fall travel!
Our local photographers in each of these destinations will make sure your fall memories are captured in stunning photos for the seasons to come. Use the code FALLMEMORIES to get $25 off any photo package and get out there!
Photo by: Joe in Paris
France
In September and October, France becomes an Impressionist painting of yellows, browns, and oranges as cities and countryside take on all the colors of autumn. In Paris climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower to spot bursts of color throughout the city, then stroll through legendary parks decked in fall foliages, from the Jardin des Tuileries to the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. Summer crowds are gone and leaf-peeping is accompanied by fall fashion and hot chocolates. Beyond Paris, smaller cities like Strasbourg and towns like Limoux offer equally charming experiences, while the countryside is ablaze with vineyards changing colors and harvest activities. We recommend the Loire Valley for chateaux backdrops and the Champagne Region for bubbly refreshments!
Japan
The Japanese have been leaf peeping for ages and have an equivalent term for it â momijigari or "red leaf hunting." Just as with their famed cherry blossom season, the changing colors of the leaves follow the length of the island nation, starting in the north in mid-September and lasting until December in the south, providing ample opportunities to hunt and peep autumn leaves, no matter when you arrive. Stunning spots include the Maple Corridor at Lake Kawaguchi near Mount Fuji, the Five Stories Pagoda on the island of Itsukushima in Hiroshima Bay, and Mikuni Pass traversing over the forest of the Tokachi-Mitsumata Caldera in Hokkaido. Kyoto and Tokyo are each ultimate autumn cities, offering temples, gardens, and structures immersed in fall splendor, such as Tokyoâs âGolden Roadâ of ginkgo trees in Meijijingu Gaien and Kyotoâs Togetsu-kyĹ Bridge set against the backdrop of Arashiyama mountain in a mantle of autumn colors.
Photo by: Javier in Kyoto
Canada
Canada is a vast country of natural wonders made even more beautiful by the transformation of the seasons. Autumn brings leaf-peeping opportunities to each of its five regions. Focus your fall foliage adventures further south as the season progresses. A visit to Lake Louise in Albertaâs Banff National Park offers leaf-peeping along the Banff Legacy Trail along with long soaks in hot springs, while on Prince Edward Island you can stroll, hike and kayak your way through the fall foliage. A unique fall experience is viewing Agawa Canyon in Ontario by train, for 228 miles of roundtrip leaf-peeping with an old-time feel. And in Canada, even city-goers have ample leaf-peeping opportunities in destinations like Montreal, Quebec, where Mount Royal Park and Bois-de-l'Ăle-Bizard Nature Park become a blaze of reds and oranges, and the Botanical Gardens complements autumn's colors with glowing Chinese lanterns during their Garden of Light Festival.
Scotland
Imagine a fairytale land of castles and forests bedazzled in autumn gold, bronze, and crimson. Thatâs what youâll encounter in Scotland, from its legendary cities to its epic Highlands. In Edinburgh, you can hike to Arthurâs Seat for a view of the capital in all its fall foliage, or wander the Royal Botanic Garden for all the shades of autumn. Out in the countryside, there are pine forests studded with glades of deciduous trees changing colors and rivers lined with waterside trees losing their leaves. Up in the Highlands, you can peep for autumn leaves as well as stags and other Scottish wildlife. Wherever you travel in Scotland, fortify yourself with a dram of locally made whiskey before your leaf-peeping adventures outdoors, then after youâve soaked up the seasonâs blaze of colors, warm yourself by the blazing fire of a centuries-old pub.
Italy
Italy is an autumn paradise, with its valleys and mountains, rolling hillsides and vineyards, and forests of maples, beeches, and countless chestnuts. The entire length of this boot-shaped country offers regions and cities in which to leaf peep along with harvest festivals and a legendary culinary tradition. Fall fills the senses in the Isarco Valley of South Tyrol; the Valley of the Lakes in Trentino; the Foreste Casentinesi Park in Tuscany; and amidst the blaze of yellow poplars in Lombardy. As you leaf peep, you can inhale the earthy scent of truffles, participate in the northern tradition of Torggelen (the sampling of local foods products) and wine-taste your way through the regions. No matter where you travel, Italy envelopes you in the reds, oranges, and yellows of autumn, while filling your belly and soul with the flavors of the season, whether against a backdrop of ochre vineyards or the snowy Alps.
South Korea
The months of October and November are the time to leaf peep in South Korea. This is when the temperatures cool and the country sparkles in reds, oranges, and golds. South Korea boasts beautiful parks, many of them the perfect destination for autumn rambles and hikes. There are the peaks and valleys of Seoraksan National Park where you walk under a canopy of reds and yellows, the Suspension Bridge of Daedunsan Provincial Park hanging over a deep and colorful ravine, and the trickling, peaceful streams of Baemsagol Valley in Jirisan National Park. Meanwhile, cities like Gyeongju and Seoul, surrounded by mountains, offer vivid fall experiences, with beautiful temples, palaces, and parks. In Seoul, see how Gyeongbokgung Palace is framed by maple and ginkgo autumn foliage while in Gyeongju you can experience the fall magic of Seokguram Grotto.
Staying in the U.S. this autumn? We have the perfect post for you which includes road trip and local festival ideas, a link to the Smoky Mountains fall foliage map, and even virtual leaf-peeping opportunities.
Wherever you travel this fall to enjoy the seasonâs colors, make memories along the way. Book your local photographer now then get ready with our 6 tips to a picture perfect autumn photoshoot!
đHappy leaf-peeping! đ