The best places to visit in spring are usually the sunnier destinations. Many spring travelers have the goal of banishing those winter blues, impatient for the slowly lengthening days back home to bring the kind of high summer warmth they’re yearning for.
Some countries, such as the Netherlands, specialize in shoulder season, making it perfect for spring travel despite not having wall-to-wall sunshine.
Travel further north and spring offers the possibility to look into the face of extreme winter, such as in Alaska, fading away as everything begins to bloom with the receding snow. Figure out what kind of spring traveler you are with this list of the best places to visit in spring.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam, Netherlands
A strong contender for the award of “most fragrant country” come spring, the flower-mad Netherlands explodes with petal-born pulchritude at this time of the year. The towering merchant houses in Amsterdam sport gaudy window boxes of tulips in countless eye-catching variations.
April welcomes the city’s annual Tulip Festival with its many attractions, and, as if that wasn’t enough, the month is also host to King’s Day. This celebration sees locals don the national color, orange for a day of boat parties and street markets.
Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands
Then there’s the Keukenhof Gardens. Just half an hour’s drive—or an hour by train—from Amsterdam, and you arrive at the spring equivalent of Santa’s grotto. At 80 acres, this is one of the world’s largest flower gardens populated with roses, lilies, and—yes, you guessed it—tulips. There is somewhere in the realm of seven million bulbs planted in Keukenhof.
And if cold northwestern winds are blowing in off the Atlantic, head indoors to view the eternal blooms in the climate-controlled Van Gogh Museum, one of Amsterdam’s best art museums.
Jamaica
Bamboo Beach, Jamaica
The rainy season in Jamaica commences in late May and lasts till November. Arrive in March or April, however, and you benefit from glorious tropical flora, average daytime temperatures of 83°F (28°C), and fewer fellow travelers. Rain showers, if they do occur, are usually brief and pleasantly warm.
And you’ll be getting wet anyway jumping into clear seas from your sailing boat or cooling off under Dunn’s River Falls. Spring also sees some of the island’s most ebullient festivities such as the uber-extroverted Kingston Carnival.
Japan
Sensoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan
The relationship that Japan has with spring is profound. This is one of the world’s most passionate gardening cultures and Japan’s mosses and flowers are lionized in the country’s art, literature, and poetry.
Of all the members of the plant kingdom, the Japanese prefer the cherry blossom, the unofficial national flower. The arrival of the cherry blossom, or sakura, in spring is painstakingly monitored. When it comes, the country’s forests, cities, and hillsides are buried in great drifts of pink-white blooms.
Tokyo, Japan
Japan’s national side for rugby is even known as the “Brave Blossoms”, with the sakura as its emblem.
If you’re visiting the Imperial Palace in Tokyo or Kyoto’s Sensoji Temple, the best time of year to view the sakura is from late March to early April. Spring festivals celebrate the hanami or “flower viewing” tradition. Due to the remarkable cultural primacy of the sakura, Japan will always be one of the best places to travel in spring.
Florence, Italy
Florence, Italy
The art-flooded, fashionable city of Florence is a must in the spring. There are markedly fewer visitors blocking your view of Michelangelo’s David, and there’s a much shorter wait for your aperitivo to be delivered than in high season.
Daytime temperatures begin around 60°F (16°C) in March and climb steadily to highs of 75°F (24°C) by the time May swings around. Over this period, pecorino cheese, artichokes, and asparagus are at their freshest and most flavorsome.
If you’re visiting over Easter Sunday, you can witness the towering Brindellone cart being pulled through the street by white oxen. It’s a tradition that dates to the First Crusade, and this particular cart is over 500 years old.
Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy
For these reasons alone Florence ranks as one of the best places to visit in spring. However, there’s more. Cross the Ponte Vecchio to the Oltrarno side of town and you come to two spectacular Italian gardens highlighting heritage horticulture: the Renaissance-era Boboli Gardens and the wisteria-fragranced Bardini Gardens.
Busan, South Korea
Haedong Yonggungsa in Busan, South Korea
South Korea shares Japan’s cherry blossom obsession. However, the Korean festivities eschew Japan’s more contemplative approach. Instead, you’ll encounter lively, large-scale events to herald in the spring.
Coastal Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, is an epicenter for these parties. And amid the floral fun, you also enjoy a reduced influx of visitors, with some put off by the cooler daytime temperatures of March and April. By May, however, it’s sunny, 68°F (20°C) and plans are being made for beach days on the white sands of Haeundae beach.
Spring is also an excellent time to visit the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Gyeongju on an afternoon excursion, one of the best things to do in Busan.
Or be awestruck by Haedong Yonggungsa, the ornate temple picturesquely positioned above the shoreline. With the cherry blossoms and magnolias in bloom, these unforgettable sights are made even more impressive.
Nice, France
Vieux Nice, France
Sunnier weather, even during January, never seems far away amid the brightly painted shutters and pastel mix-and-match lanes of the South of France. And when winter ends, that promise is quickly made good, which is why Nice is one of the best places to visit in spring.
But, hold on, if you can. By May, temperatures have jumped several degrees from April so you’ll be licking flaky pieces of croissant off your fingers while strolling in 72°F (22°C) sunshine. The prim flower boxes of Vieux Nice perfume the air with the fragrance of cheerful geraniums, while fields of lavender just out of town deepen to a rich purple.
The crowds haven’t arrived quite yet, so seating outside of cafes is abundant, while the panoramic outlooks at lofty towns like Èze are not yet clogged with influencers.
Close by, the fields surrounding perfume-capital Grasse are coated in a kaleidoscope of wildflowers. And yes, the French are already swimming in the sea by mid-May, or at least the hardier souls.
Read: South of France Itinerary
Alaska
Denali National Park, Alaska
Come spring, come the great Alaskan thaw. Migrating whales break the still, silver-blue waters, boreal forests trill with the melodies of returning songbirds, and bears rise hungry from hibernation.
All of this wildlife is so much easier to spot before summer returns the forests to full leaf. On top of it all, the northern lights still thrill through the dusk in late April, the beginning of spring in Alaska, the end of the so-called “Aurora season”.
From this time and into May, the facilities of Denali National Park are opening up, enabling easier forays into the wide grassy plains and magnificent snow-topped ranges.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik, Croatia
In the spring sunshine, Dubrovnik’s sixth-century Old Port shimmers with light. At this time of year, the pale yellow stone streets of the “Pearl of the Adriatic” welcome a greatly reduced number of visitors. This is why Dubrovnik is one of the best places to visit in spring.
Easily the largest draw on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, the fortified town of Dubrovnik features on most travelers’ bucket lists. Arrive a little earlier in the year for delicious Ston Bay oysters in easily booked Adriatic-view restaurants, ease of movement along the UNESCO-listed city walls of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, and peaceful walks on near-deserted beaches like Sveti Jakov.
Sveti Jakov in Dubrovnik, Croatia
It’s also the best time of year to hop on a ferry and see the flourishing botanical gardens of Lokrum Island.
April and May see daytime highs rising from 66 to 75°F (19 to 24°C). In recent years, peak summer temperatures have pushed the mercury into the often uncomfortable triple digits. So if you’re planning an active vacation, with plans to hike in the hills behind Dubrovnik, spring is the time for you.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen, Denmark
Spring in Copenhagen does not usher in powerful rays that warm the stone quaysides of the city. In fact, by May, daytime highs only reach around 61°F (16°C). But who travels to Scandinavia to chase the sun?
Experienced with winter storms rolling off the Baltic, the Danes are experts of “hygge”, and a spring trip to Copenhagen will be one of the coziest of your life.
Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark
Throw on a scarf before you procure a luxurious hot chocolate at a street stall. See the cherries blooming in Bispebjerg Cemetery, or stroll beside the punchbowl-bright merchant buildings of Nyhavn harbor. The misted windows of the bars and restaurants promise delicious dining and a convivial atmosphere within.
For food in Copenhagen, choose Faergekro for its herring buffet served amid model ships upstairs. Or, sit outside with the outdoor heaters, accept a blanket, and people-watch while you dine.
Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark
In April, the dazzling Tivoli Gardens reopens. While it’s still a little chilly to ride the rollercoaster, the gardens’ tulip displays are outstanding at this time of the year.
As dusk falls, the lanterns and strings of colored lights imbue this special site with an echo of the festive period. Dine at Grøften in the gardens and finish with warming glasses of caraway schnapps.
Santorini, Greece
Oia in Santorini, Greece
The blue-and-white Santorini palette has made it a photographic superstar of social media. Visit in the spring and you’ll see a rarer colorful side of the island as wildflowers bloom across its volcanic slopes.
You’ll still see the ice-white villages, of course. It’s just that everything is less expensive, less overrun, and still receiving a cascade of warm sunshine. Average daytime highs in May are between 73°F to 77°F (23°C to 25°C).
Ramble around the capillary streets of Fira village, soak up the rays on the less crowded than usual black sand beaches, and hike in comfortable temperatures to spellbinding views over the Aegean Sea and other Cyclades.
Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey
There seems no end to Istanbul’s remarkable cultural and historic sights. Whether it’s stepping breathlessly into the sixth-century Hagia Sophia, gearing up your haggling skills for a visit to the Grand Bazaar, or browsing the mesmerizing collections of the Archaeology Museums, Istanbul delivers outstanding value for the culturally curious.
It’s also one of the best places to visit in spring. The humidity and high-80s heat of the summer are replaced by pleasant temperatures that, by May, are topping out at 73°F (23°C).
Spring also sees the arrival of the city’s Tulip Festival, held throughout April. The city’s many parks and public spaces, painstakingly planted with bulbs, finally erupt in vivid bloom.
But it’s not just in the ground that you’ll see tulips. The city’s association with these flowers dates back to the medieval era, so look out for tulip motifs ornamenting the historic architecture.
Read: Best Things to Do in Istanbul
Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is one of the best places to visit in the spring. Temperatures, with highs of 88°F (31°C), are near perfect for banishing all memories of wet, claggy winter back home.
High season on this sun-kissed Caribbean island runs from mid-December through to mid-April. With the rainfall increasing as spring turns to summer, visit this paradise island as early in the year as you can, since February and March offer the least chance of seeing raindrops pattern the limpid surface of the sea.
Barbados
Spring in Barbados is more than just a balmy breeze and the promise of slightly longer days. The tropical flora unveils a carnivalesque display at this time of year. Find the Flower Forest Botanical Gardens for a fragrant outing.
You’ll also feel the sun-warmed pinkish sands of Crane Beach underfoot. The roti is delicious, as it is at any time of the year, and the fruity rum punch beckons.
Barbados
Experience any of the best places to go in the spring on a cruise to these incredible destinations. Browse Celebrity’s cruises in spring and book your next fabulous vacation.
