DESTINATIONS • April 2016
Seven cities best visited in May
Hankering for a spring escape? Look no further than these cities – all are at their best next month says Alicia Miller, assistant editor at the Sunday Times Travel Magazine. Book your trip now before the crowds arrive
Barcelona
Beaming under the soft glow of Catalonian sun – which will turn scorching weeks later – Barcelona rocks a balmy 20 degrees in May. Now is the time for picnics in Gaudi’s Park Güell (before it’s full of tourists) and splashing around on near-empty beaches (waters are swimmable). The city’s culinary scene is heating up too – down rice with pork ribs at new eaterie La Bellvitja. As for your pad? The swish new H10 Cubik is a vision of boxy glass, moments from Plaça de Catalunya.
Get there: Take BA478 (07:45) on Friday from Heathrow, and you’ll arrive in time for a media mañana of churros and hot chocolate.
Rome
Rome’s crisp pizzas and head-spinningly gorgeous piazzas are lovely at any time of year, but May means the start of gelato season. The hottest spot is Carapina, set apart by its quirky artisan flavours. And because high season doesn’t hit until June, you can munch your cone in peace – while taking in the Spanish steps, flush with the pinky blooms of azaleas. Not convinced? Newly opened G-Rough, which balances shabby-chic décor with modern Roman cool, is a hotel worth travelling for.
Get there: BA548 (08:45) from Heathrow on Friday arrives in time for a pizza rossa lunch at Forno Campo de’Fiori.
Bergerac
Think all the wine and foodie fabulousness of Bordeaux, but with lower prices and fewer tourists. That’s Bergerac, a pretty, stone-fronted city in the Dordogne. This Renaissance hub is where the French come to holiday – join them cycling past Merlot vines, soaking up the annual jazz festival throughout May or sipping sweet local Monbazillac wine in sun-speckled squares. At this quiet time of year, you might just be able to bag one of the three charming rooms at chateaux-cum-B&B La Grande Maison (+33 553 73 30 68).
Get there: BA9745 (09:30) from London City Airport on Friday gives you all afternoon for tours and tastings at the 17th-century cloistered Maison des Vins (wine museum).
Palermo
Palermo is the city of markets, and they’re at their best now. In the Sicilian capital you can spend whole sun-kissed May mornings in the bustling Ballaro, listening to the vendors’ calls ringing out among the fresh local apricots, asparagus and wild fennel. This time of year you can grab a brilliant last-minute villa (try thinksicily.com). Prefer culture to carrots? May is also one of your last chances to catch the grand Teatro Massimo’s concert performances before its summer hiatus.
Get there: BA610 (15:10) on Saturday from Heathrow gets in with plenty of time to hit the bars surrounding Vucciria market.
Santorini
Greece in May is still sleepy – even in Santorini, which is famously buzzy in summer (those black beaches and the nightlife scene have serious pull). The rugged landscape that will be sun-beaten come July is still lush and, with average highs pushing 23 degrees, you can hike the cliff top from Fira to Oia without overheating. Plus, you’ll be able to snag a sun lounger on the wildly popular Kamari Beach.
Get there: BA652 (10:10) on Thursday from Heathrow gives you time to catch that sunset from the terrace of Grace Santorini.
Pisa
Come May, Pisa hits peak bloom. For 10 days mid-month, the San’Ubaldo cultural festival sees leafy riverside walkway Viale delle Piagge overtaken by a kaleidoscopic flower market. Further west along the Arno, the water’s luminous spring sparkle makes views from grand old dame the Royal Victoria hotel among the finest they will be all year.
Get there: Take BA604 (08:50) on Friday from Heathrow and get to Pisa with a whole afternoon of selfie-ing at the Leaning Tower.
Madrid
In summer, Madrid sizzles – so much so you can’t be in the sun for more than a few minutes at a time – but in May, it’s still possible to enjoy an afternoon’s row-boating under the rays in leafy Retiro Park, or an al fresco lunch at wrought-iron Mercado de San Miguel. What’s more, this spring sees a major exhibition of 17th-century artworks land at the stately Royal Palace.
Get there: Take BA458 (07:25) on Friday from Heathrow, which gets you in for lunchtime G&Ts at the chic new URSO boutique hotel.
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