April is a good time to roam the cities in Europe and beyond, or criss-cross the countryside to witness the spectacle of fields in bloom.
The period is conducive to family departures during the spring school holidays.
It will also be possible to take advantage of a public holiday, Easter Monday, to plan a city break less than a three-hour flight from France.
In Europe and throughout the Northern Hemisphere, spring is setting in.
Southeast Asia sees the dawn of the wet season, sometimes accompanied by high temperatures.
Autumn is spreading to the southern hemisphere, where the choice of destinations will be all the more selective.
Discover our selection of the best destinations to go to in April and where to experience authentic changes of scenery around the world.
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What are the best destinations to go to the sun in April?
The Dominican Republic, an ideal destination to enjoy the sun in April.
A. Jedynak / stock.adobe.com
You don't have to go very far to enjoy the sun in April.
Off the coast of Portugal, in the North Atlantic, the Azores archipelago benefits from an oceanic climate and lush vegetation that will delight nature lovers and hikers.
Between the main island Sao Miguel, Pico and its 2500 meter high volcano or Faial and its blue hydrangeas that cover the island, you will be spoiled for choice.
Read alsoCape for São Miguel, the green island of the Azores
With its crystal clear waters and golden sandy beaches, Crete is also a must-visit destination in spring.
On site, you can visit many archaeological sites such as the Palace of Knossos or the monastery of Arkadi.
Read alsoWhere to stay in Crete?
Ten perfect accommodations with children
Under Sicily, Malta enjoys a Mediterranean climate which is therefore already very pleasant in April.
On its three main islands, many walks and cultural visits are possible according to your travel desires: Valletta, its ramparts and its port, Gozo and its limestone cliffs or Comino and its sublime diving spots.
First tourist destination in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic is still in the middle of the dry season in April.
Its unmissable seaside resorts, its waterfront fishing villages and its natural parks are all assets that promise travelers a guaranteed change of scenery.
Read alsoTen exceptional hotels to get away from it all in the Dominican Republic
What are the best destinations to travel to in April?
April is the ideal time to contemplate the fields of multicolored tulips in the Netherlands.
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In Europe, Asia or America, some must-see destinations are worth a visit in the spring.
Why not go and contemplate the multicolored tulip fields in the Netherlands, take part in the festivities and enjoy the sun in Catalonia or on the Costa del Sol?
Among the more distant destinations to discover in April, Cape Verde promises you a guaranteed change of scenery between hikes in the heart of nature and baptism of scuba diving.
The Keukenhof park in Lisse, the Netherlands, for the tulip fields of the largest flower park in the world.
Spain, for the Easter celebrations, and its procession of festivities, between processions and shows.
Japan, for cherry blossoms and the poetry of traditional
hanami.
Cape Verde, for its colonial cities, its luxuriant nature, its volcanoes and black sand beaches.
Florida, the “Sunshine State”, for amusement parks that children love and the subtropical swamps of the Everglades.
Where to go for a short stay or a city break in Europe for Easter?
Manarona, in the Cinque Terre.
Early spring is the right time to discover this piece of Liguria without the crowds.
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In April, the temperatures warm up and spring sets in.
The beautiful season is ahead in the South of France and around the Mediterranean: in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in Corsica, in Occitania (Toulouse) and in the South of New Aquitaine (Bordeaux).
Spring is just as mild on the other side of the Pyrenees, in the Iberian Peninsula.
In Spain, the Easter celebrations are a highlight of the calendar.
Throughout Holy Week (in 2022, from April 10 to 16; in 2023, from April 2 to 8), crowds fill the streets.
We wander from city to city to appreciate the diversity of atmospheres, the variety of processions always steeped in tradition, loaded with popular fervor.
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Semana Santa
is
particularly flamboyant in Andalusia, Seville (which also celebrates the Feria de Abril) and Malaga, where it has been declared of international tourist interest.
It is also widely celebrated in Salamanca, Valladolid, Murcia, Cartagena… It is also the start of the feria season in Spain.
They involve watching the calendar of festivities, in order to plan and move accordingly.
On the Italian side, you can enjoy a rare calm in the perched villages of the Cinque Terre, where you can discover places still spared by mass tourism, like Mantua or Varallo.
Read alsoConfidential Italy: these towns and villages far from mass tourism
Where to see the most beautiful blooms in April?
Madeira, the island of flowers.
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Flower lovers will reap spring and its bouquet of blooms on the Portuguese island of Madeira, the aptly named "Island of Flowers", renowned for its eternal spring.
Madeira owes its mild climate to the trade winds and the Gulf Stream.
In the open air of the Atlantic, flowers (hydrangeas, azaleas, hibiscus, camellias, etc.) abound on the hills and mountain slopes.
By a good ten degrees, the azaleas, camellias, mimosas and birds of paradise, emblematic of Madeira, color the gardens and paths of the green mountains, promising flowery walks.
The flowering season reaches its peak with the flower festival (
Festa da Flor
) in Funchal (2 weeks between mid-April and end of May), and its parade of flower floats.
Read alsoCoves, beaches, natural pools... The most beautiful swimming spots in Madeira
At the same time, the Netherlands is studded with flowers, guaranteeing one of the most iconic images of the land of tulips.
The farms extend their multicolored fields as far as the eye can see, in a floral ocean planted with windmills.
Tulips carpet the Noordoostpolder, the coast of The Hague, and the coastline between Leiden and Alkmaar.
Between March and May, the Keukenhof park in Lisse presents one of the largest flower exhibitions in the world.
If the tulips make the show, there are also daffodils, hyacinths, narcissus, amaryllis, orchids and other bulb flowers.
In England, the weather certainly changeable, however, is gaining in clearings.
The Cornish countryside is caressed by the Gulf Stream which softens the transition into summer.
After the daffodils, it is the magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons that bring spring, followed by bluebells and wild garlic, sheltered from the spray in the hollow of the valleys.
Read alsoEngland: four reasons to visit the Harry Potter studios
For flower-loving long-haul travelers, April is one of the most enchanting months to visit Japan, the epicenter of one of the most beautiful blooms in the world.
From the end of March to the first half of May, the skies are mild, and the mercury is around 20°C.
News channels and newspapers scrutinize the flowering front of
sakura
, the cherry trees of Japan.
The period is a highlight of the year, almost a cultural marker.
In the shade of cherry trees, the Japanese indulge in
hanami
.
This festive tradition celebrates the ephemeral bloom as a symbol of the beauty of nature, of the fragility and impermanence of life.
In Kyoto, the geishas of Gion indulge in Miyako Odori, spring dances.
Flowering ends with the flight in the wind of showers of pink petals: this is the magic of the
hanafukibi
.
Cherry blossoms in Japan.
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Frequent travelers sensitive to mountain flowers will look for them when trekking in Nepal.
In the dry season, the weather is sunny, especially in Kathmandu, the sky bright.
The slopes of Annapurna, Langtang, Manaslu and Dhaulagiri are covered with flowering rhododendrons.
In Tibet, the harsh winter has given way to the beautiful season, ideal for hiking over the monasteries perched in the mountains, in the regions of Everest, lakes, and in the Yarlung Tsangpo canyon.
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Where to go hiking in April?
The ruins of the Xunantunich site, on the border of Belize and Guatemala.
A testimony to the flamboyant Maya civilization, which radiated for 3,000 years in this part of the world.
Stanislas Fautré / Le Figaro Magazine
After a winter by the fireside, spring is the ideal time to get in tune with a nature that is awakening, to satisfy all your thirst for fresh air and wide open spaces by going on a hike.
To breathe the sea air and live the Mediterranean dream, the climate is favorable in the Greek islands, such as the Cyclades or the Ionian islands.
If it is still a bit chilly for a purely seaside stay, the sky is often sunny.
Avril invites you to stroll through the villages scattered in the heart of agricultural landscapes, to hike in the volcanic landscapes, along the paths weaving between olive and almond trees, to let yourself be carried to the cliffs overlooking the azure blue sea, to dream to the next swims.
Read the fileHiking: itineraries, advice... Le guide du Figaro
Travelers wishing to isolate themselves on an island can also opt for Cape Verde, which is more confidential.
This is the best season to sail in this volcanic archipelago.
In the middle of the dry season, the weather is sunny, with temperatures of around twenty degrees.
Spring is a great time to enjoy the flowery and sunny walkways of Florida amusement parks, before the extreme heat and humidity of summer.
Spring is one of the best times to enjoy the Sunshine State.
The sky is generally clear, with an average temperature of 25°C.
Swimming being possible all year round, the first dives of the season will be on the trendy beaches of Miami.
The journey will take you to South Florida, from the tropical swamps of the Everglades to the colonial mansions of the Keys.
The trip to Florida can be combined with a few days in Louisiana for its April festivals: the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, and the Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette.
Read alsoFlorida: five stops for a crossing of the Keys on the mythical “Overseas Highway”
Not far away, in Belize, in the dry season, the tropical and seaside paradise does not wait to reveal itself.
The clear sand of the beaches hemmed with palm trees, the
cays
and the stones of the Mayan sites warm up under the sun, by a good twenty degrees and beautiful light.
In Mexico, the dry season stretches until May.
We live pleasant sunny days, without the tourist influx, with the exception however of Holy Week, period of national holidays.
Mexico City is emptying and pollution is decreasing, but elsewhere accommodation is often full.
The same religious fervor is found in the Middle East.
Israel celebrates Passover, the Jewish Passover.
The pilgrimages of the Diaspora give rise to one of the biggest festivals in the country, and it is the high tourist season.
The temperatures are mild and the landscapes are green.
Water sports are quite practicable.
April is also one of the best times for Iran.
Before the extreme temperatures of summer, the atmosphere is mild in the gardens of Tehran, the ancient caravanserais of Isfahan, and the seaside towns of the Persian Gulf.
Read alsoVietnam reopens its borders: seven reasons to go there this year
In Asia, some regions of Southeast Asia are seeing the end of the dry season and have not yet entered the monsoon (Vietnam, Cambodia), while others are already in the wet season (Laos), accompanied by already scorching temperatures (Thailand, Burma) and increasing humidity (Philippines).
The climate is therefore a little less conducive to visits than to idleness on the beach.
A fishing village on the water, in Halong Bay in Vietnam.
12ee12 / stock.adobe.com
In Vietnam, it is starting to get hot, but it is still the dry season.
Winter ends only gently in the mountainous regions and the rice terraces of the North.
Summer is advancing resolutely in the center of the country (Huê, Da Nang).
The same is true in Halong Bay, where the fog dissipates as we progress in April, revealing good visibility on the rocky peaks.
In southern Vietnam, the period remains dry and sunny, before the rainy season which starts in May.
There is still time to travel pleasantly to neighboring Cambodia and Nepal.
Read alsoPerfect trip to Cambodia: the
Figaro guide
Where to get away from it all in Africa and the Southern Hemisphere in April?
Victoria Falls, a natural wonder on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Michael / stock.adobe.com
Need a change of scenery by changing your latitude?
In the southern hemisphere, April is a good time to go to Africa: the weather is nice there, and the temperatures are warm but not excessive.
The Maghreb (Morocco and Tunisia) is also particularly mild in mid-season.
In Senegal, the mercury rises pleasantly to around twenty degrees, and the period from March to May remains one of the best for observing animals.
Read the fileMarrakech: the
Figaro travel guide
At the beginning of the austral autumn, the lights are green to travel through South Africa, over the entire territory, from the Kruger Park to the vineyards of Stellenbosch via Cape Town.
The savannahs are beginning to thin out, the meadows turn blond under the rays of late summer.
In East and Southern Africa, it is the end of the rainy season.
By contrast, on the Atlantic coast of southern Africa, the sun shines on Namibia.
In the second half of the month, the country gently ends its wet season with beautiful sunny days, and the influx of winter visitors has not yet arrived.
Victoria Falls (on the Zambia/Zimbabwe border) also benefit from beautiful sunshine.
During the so-called "high water" period (February to July), it
The trip to South America is possible in April, but requires studying the climatic specificities by region.
The period is a good compromise to discover Argentina: we avoid heat waves in the North, and extreme cold in the South.
This intermediate season also gives good opportunities for visits in various latitudes of Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, South, Nordeste).
In Oceania, despite the cooler temperatures, New Zealand and the Australian Deep South remain propitious.
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