Leaves are falling. And you’re leaving too. Maybe to snuggle up in Paris. Or Rome for the autumn fashion, Madrid for the opera season, and Munich for its festivals. Veronica Stivala appreciates the particular charm of these four cities in autumn.

Paris

“Autumn slipped into Paris yesterday,” wrote poet Endre Ady. The season “came silently down Boulevard St Michel, in sultry heat, past boughs sullen and still, and met me on its way.”

Ady describes a city that has become more subdued now that summer is over, but the new season means Paris is transformed with the beautiful brown, amber, gold and red hues of autumn.

“Rustling, the dusty, playful leaves quivered, whirled forth along the way.”

Picture yourself taking a lazy stroll along the Seine on a bright and crisp autumn morning or in the late afternoon as you enjoy the most memorable light you’ll see all year.

As the weather cools down, and you get some rainy, cold and blustery days, enjoy sitting in one of the many gorgeous cafes on the Champs Elysees, sipping a chocolat chaud and nibbling on a pink macaron.

Take advantage of the European Cultural Heritage Days which take place during the third weekend of September. Museums and monuments all over the city are open to the public. There’s also the Autumn Festival, which combines theatre, dance, music and cinema in famous parts of the capital.

Madrid

Madrid has upped its stakes on its cultural offerings and with the weather usually on its best behaviour in autumn, the city is perfect for a culture-rich long weekend or city break from now till the end of the year.

September signals the opening of the opera season and this sees many music buffs and aficionados flock to the city for some vivacious Verdi, dashing Donizetti or moving Mozart. Look out for Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment at the Teatro Real in September and October. If you want to stay on for winter, the theatre will also host Britten’s Death in Venice and Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette in December.

The rich cultural offerings don’t stop here because museums such as the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza have all been revamped. In addition, new boutiques, delis and cafes are opening up in the city centre. And of course, the great food and lively atmosphere at night are just another incentive for you to visit vibrant Madrid.

Munich

While many cities become more subdued once school starts and the warmer weather subsides, for Munich the beginning of autumn is its busiest time. Germany’s most popular beer festival draws millions of visitors from all over the world to partake of brewed beverages, pretzels, the Bavarian cheese delicacy obatzda and wurst, often clad in typical Bavarian attire: the corseted and frilly laced dirndl for women and the short or knee-length lederhosen held up with cross-chest braces for men.

In typical Oktoberfest spirit, there will be no shortage of entertainment, be it a bout of merry singing with the locals or a spin on one of the many rides. This year there are new rides including Karl Häsler’s Encounter which will take you into the worlds of science fiction and suspense as you witness a medical experiment gone wrong and an alien on the prowl.

Enjoy the most memorable light you’ll see all year

Although the weather can be unpredictable, it can still be pleasant with warm golden days, which Germans call altweibersommer (Indian summer).

If beer is not your thing, why not take a drive along the German Wine Road, a scenic route in Germany’s second largest wine growing region.

Rome

The end of Ferragosto at the beginning of September signals the return of the Romans after their August exodus. The city comes back to life with children back in school and adults rushing their morning cappuccino and cornetto before heading off to work.

But autumn in the eternal city means more than just cornetti, for this time of year heralds the arrival of zucchini and white truffles. The latter are worth their weight in gold – however, you only need a pinch of shavings to spruce up a risotto or linguini dish and make it divinely delicious.

In a city where even the bus driver’s shoes are sparkling clean, one cannot not mention the arrival of the beautiful fall fashion in shop windows and in your shopping bag if you can afford it. This season it’s fleecy shearling and cosy knits but for the braver it will be searing colour combinations and optic prints.