In praise of lateness
Lateness gets a bad rep. But late isn't always bad. There are late nights: dinner with company so good that conversation seeps into twilight hours, long after plates are empty. There are late mornings, curled up in cotton sheets, windows thrown open. Perhaps a fresh coffee and a crossword—anything to prolong those gentle hours, indulging in the sweet resistance to the timely order of events.
Ok, so I’m not talking about being rushed. Rather, lateness that can be enjoyed, where time is no object. And yet, in the dwindling embers of a bonfire or the last rays of golden hour, we might be reminded that some things feel sweeter because we’re aware of their finitude— and because we’ve savoured them right until their end.
A bit like late summer. In September, the heat of peak season lingers in the air. Height-of-summer sunseekers have had their fill, and there’s a stillness to once-bustling town squares and promenades. The water is warm from the August sun, and midday is pleasantly temperate for alfresco sharing plates, washed down with the last of the summer wine.
Lateness—intentional or not—has its place, especially when it comes to holidays: from the Bay of Biscay to Tuscany, rural Alsace to the Côte d'Azur. So don’t kick yourself for not being the plan-ahead type (I feel you), rest assured: some things are better late than...ever.
Tuscany's peach region
Fragrant, fresh and soft: if late summer was a fruit, it would be a peach. Sink your teeth into the Tuscan peach region of Londa, at its ripest come September. Pesca regina di Londa (Tuscany’s peach region) stretches out across the Florence province, home to the nearly-extinct Londa peach, that was saved by Italy’s rising slow food movement, uniting local farmers to create guidelines to defend the production of peaches.
Surf and turf in San Sebastian
September marks the start of the surf season. San Sebastian gives a whole new meaning to surf and turf, where days of catching waves give way to evenings hopping across Spain's best pintxos bars, with delicate plates of salt cod and baby squid. Zurriola Beach hosts a variety of top surf events throughout the year, with the reliable Atlantic swell and handful of surf schools making it a perfect spot for total beginners. You’ll find the most traditional pintxos bars around the Parte Vieja area.
Marseille, sans Paris
See out the end of summer on the Côte d'Azur for a hit of Riviera heat and glamour once the crowds have gone. Marseille is an easy-to-reach smorgasbord of cool neighbourhoods, arty enclaves and coastal Riviera charm. Top tip for 2024: route via Lille to skip the metro mayhem of Paris, and reach Marseille with a single change of train.
Last of the summer wine in Alsace
For wine, head to the Rhine. Sip your way along the Burgundy wine trail through the vineyards of Alsace, for grape-harvest season on the banks of the Rhine River. Along the Alsace Wine Route, you'll find age-old harvesting traditions in the vineyards that stretch out from Dijon.
More ideas for late summer
Browse Byway’s full collection of trips, curated for soaking up the last of the summer rays. The final hurrah for your summer wardrobe and slow, alfresco lunches.
