Off-season: November-March
Best time: February
Excluding Christmas, Rome sees a reduced number of visitors over its winter period, despite the fact that temperatures aren’t close to freezing. If your aim is to see the Colosseum or the Roman Forum blanketed in snow, plan for a late winter holiday – snow is more of a possibility in February.

Off-season: October-April
Best time: mid-April
Mild weather makes Amsterdam an easy destination to visit in the technical ‘off-season’, which peaks in July and August. Towards the end of the low period however, the dormant tulip fields near the city begin to unfurl and spring to life, making April a fantastic time to experience the canal city.

Off-season: November-March
Best time: September
September, the first month of fall, is San Francisco’s hottest month – but without the surge in tourists. It’s also the month the San Francisco Fringe Festival swings into town, a spirited gathering of alternative shows and theatre performances, perfectly representing the avant-garde San Francisco community.

Off-season: June-August
Best time: August, September
It’s hard to imagine an off-season colliding with summer but in UAE’s Dubai, where humidity is oppressive and temperatures often tip over 50C, there’s a reason people wait for the shoulder season. The upside is noticeably cheaper accommodation in a consistently expensive city and the abundance of indoor activities – Dubai is the city that has a ski slope in a mall, after all.

Off-season: November-February
Best time: December
Prague glitters in December, when the annual Christmas markets light up the historical heart of the city. Although the markets are busy, crowds are nothing compared to the influx in summer. They also stretch from late November to early January so there’s plenty of time to work your trip around potential congestion.

Off-season: October-November
Best time: November
Although you’ll miss the city’s biggest festivals, you’ll skip the throngs they come with during the quieter months of October and November. In November, you’ll have more of those landmarks (and beaches) to yourself – and the days are often over 25C degrees, too.

Off-season: September-November
Best time: late September
Peak season has well and truly petered out by the time September rolls around; international domestic travellers return home and leave behind only pleasant daily temperatures of around 26C (at night it dips to 16C) and invitingly quiet streets. In late September to early October, the beloved Harvest Moon Festival, which gives thanks for the year’s crops, arrives stretching over three days with praying, eating and celebration. Though there’s plenty of activity, it’s the kind of busy you can easily escape from if you need a break.

Off-season: January-February
Best time: mid-January
Although London summers have brief glimmers of sunshine, British weather is almost perpetually rainy, somewhat eliminating seasonal distinction. If you choose to travel in January and February, there may be the addition of winter temperatures but the benefits outweigh the need to wear a Mac – there are less visitors to the city, apart from during the half-term break over Christmas and early January and the timing coincides with the ever-tempting January sales.

Off-season: November-February
Best time: December
Most Mexicans hit the coasts to make the most of the combination of sunshine and holidays over Christmas so if you’ve come to town to soak up the sights, this is an excellent (and crowd-free) time to do so. The infamous traffic-choked streets are quiet and all the spots on your hitlist – including the Museo Nacional de Antropologia and many popular restaurants – remain open.

Off-season: April-May
Best time: Ramadan
Monsoonal rain and tides coupled with the post-celebratory atmosphere following Ramadan translate to a less-congested Kuala Lumpur. Warmish temperatures mean off-season weather isn’t necessarily cooler, just a little wetter – easily avoided in many of the city’s air-conditioned, cavernous malls. Arrive during the celebrations and you’ll witness some of the fascinating traditions of this ancient celebration. Iftah, or the fast-breaking evening meal, is a lively time to be in the city’s restaurants.

Off-season: November-March/July-August
Best time: October and April
France is the most visited country in the world and the jewel in its tourism crown is undoubtedly Paris, where the Eiffel Tower annually attracts almost seven million sightseers alone. Although plenty of locals leave the country during the peak summer months to take a vacation and escape the heat (you may notice some shuttered small businesses), Paris is still very crowded during this time. Plan to visit the city during late autumn or early spring for a warmer stay or during the winter months if you don't mind the cold.

Off-season: July-September
Best time: August
Though temperatures are quite constant, the Southwest monsoon hits Singapore from July to September, with daily afternoon downpours keeping the year-round crowds away. July and August report the lowest occupancy rates and there’s also the Mid-Autumn Festival, when delicious mooncakes (a sweet filled with red bean or lotus seed paste) and vibrant lanterns proliferate.

Off-season: July-September
Best time: September
Summer is, surprisingly, low season in Miami, thanks to its humidity. What you’ll get in return for frizzed-out hair are near-empty beaches, easier entry to the city’s hottest restaurants and clubs that are often near-impossible to enter and significantly reduced accommodation prices.

Off-season: February-April
Best time: April
Beaches of Barcelona heave with people during August so naturally, when temperatures drop, so do the crowds. Some of the city’s most popular sites – Park Güell, La Sagrada Familia, Casa Milà – are devoid of the usual snake of lines. April is also the first month of summer so you might be able to make the most of those beaches, after all.

Off-season: November-mid-March
Best time: February
Don’t miss the opportunity to see Istanbul’s many minarets dusted in a layer of snow. It’s certainly cold when the wind picks up from the Bosphorous but it’s also wildly atmospheric; there’s no better season to be sipping on steaming hot Turkish tea. There are also snow-dusted ski fields nearby – Uludag National Park, two and half-hour’s drive south, is perfect for a winter session.

Off-season: July-August
Best time: August
Although the collision of North American summer and the Argentinian winter increases the number of travellers making the most of the ski season, August in Buenos Aires is still comparatively quiet when compared to the busy season. Autumn leaves still colour the city and there’s also the International Tango Festival, a quintessential Argentine art form, to enjoy during your trip.

Off-season: November - March
Best time: December
New York is known for its elaborate Christmas displays and piles of winter snow but despite these obvious draw cards, the cold, snowy weather keeps the typical hoards of visitors away, as temperatures rarely tip over 4C. A warm coat and some study footwear will easily solve that problem, with notoriously expensive accommodation becoming more affordable and restaurants transforming into cosy dining nooks.

Off-season: June - September
Best time: late April-May
Thailand’s low season coincides with its rainy season but there are plenty of benefits to scooting around in Bangkok during this time. Anywhere nature abounds becomes lush and verdant, prices plummet and sunny weather remains outside of the general afternoon downpour. The nation’s vibrant water-throwing Songkran, or Thai New Year, marks the beginning of this season. Following these festivities in April (the exact date varies each year), the city gets quieter.

Off-season: September
Best time: October
Although the Greek Islands effectively shut down in winter, visiting the ancient capital in low season isn’t at all a hindrance to your travel plans. In October, for example, days are a warm 23C and attractions such as the Parthenon and Acropolis are impressively lacking in congestion, eliminating the need to escape to an island completely.

Off-season: November-March
Best time: February
Skiers and snowboarders will love this news; winter is the season when visitors trail off most significantly in Japan, even as Mount Fuji and its snow-capped peak increases in beauty. Not only is ski season in full swing, Japanese cities enjoy their own blossom season of sorts in the winter –the ume, or plum tree, springs to life as early as February in Tokyo.

Off-season: December-February
Best time: May
Unsurprisingly, the beach-edged city receives the majority of its holidaymakers during the summer months. What many visitors don’t know is that in May, when the winter rain has subsided and the days aren’t blanketed in fog, temperatures are pleasant (an average of 23C) and the sun returns. That’s in addition to cheaper accommodation and more vacancies, too.