Picture your dream holiday, and chances are that struggling to secure a hotel room and jostling with crowds aren’t part of that vision. But there’s a way to travel affordably – without sacrificing the best of a popular destination.

The answer is called shoulder season. A travel period between peak season and offseason, this approach to travelling focuses on choosing specific times to travel that allow you to save time and money spent queuing, thanks to cheaper airfares and hotels. Travelling during shoulder season means aiming for spring or autumn, between dry and rainy periods and during term time.

Hong Kong-based med-tech developer Martin Musiol likens it to the tale of Goldilocks: not too hot or cold. “The biggest selling points are lower airfares and, on average, better weather,” he says.

An uptick in flexible working means travellers are freer to fly year-round. “We can take advantage of cheaper travel, but also have the flexibility of working,” says American traveller Jon Wong, whose savings on his recent off-peak season travel to Singapore allowed him to add on a stop-off in Hong Kong. But shoulder season still compels the desk-bound: as Musiol adds, “You’re not fighting with colleagues to get primo dates approved.”

Planning and common sense are essential. Don’t expect all-day tanning in Thailand when it storms once a day. Meanwhile, some tourist sites take advantage of fewer visitors to shutter for renovations. “Nothing is worse than arriving full of excitement, only to find out your dream museum is closed,” says Musiol.

After all, no one likes to be given the cold shoulder.

Where to go next during shoulder season

February: Italy

Play out your own Italian fantasy in the springtime, before cruise ships dock and school holiday crowds fill every cobbled inch of history-packed cities like Rome. With fresh blue skies, short-to-no queues for famous attractions like the Colosseum, and more chances of getting a seat at hot tables like La Pergola, it’s the ideal first getaway of the year.