5 Destinations For Your Spring Awakening
Is there a better feeling than shaking off the winter boots and coat and feeling the sun on your face in a new and exciting place? The holidays might be occupying your mind now, but this is actually the best time to start planning your spring getaway. If you would like to get someplace a little warmer and more expansive come March, April, or May, here is our list of favorite spring destinations for our explorers. Many of these places will start to see an uptick in tourism, but we know the best places and routes to help you avoid the crowds!
Perfect Portugal
With its vast and varied landscape in a relatively small country, you can really get a good feel for Portugal in just under two weeks. Moving from Lisbon, Porto, the Douro Valley, and then Alentejo, it’s the perfect combination of city and rustic country life. Hike along the Sintra-Cascais coast with endless cliffs, gardens, and romantic castles. Relish in the cheesy spicy goodness of francesinha sandwiches with a glass of port after a tour of Porto. Sail the Douro river, stopping to taste wines and meet the incredible people who live off these lands. The endless charm of this vibrant country will have you feeling alive after a long dreary winter!
Picturesque Peru
If you just go to Machu Picchu, then you’re missing out on a world of beauty in Peru. If you can get away for a bit longer this April or May, venturing out to Lake Titicaca is a rewarding journey. Here you will find a floating island that the indigenous people have made from reeds and built homes on. This is often the highlight of our traveler’s trips, especially when paired with a visit to Colca Canyon, one of the world’s deepest trekking destinations. And if you really want to see something remarkable, the Nazca Lines, geoglyphs made in the soil of the Nazca Desert, will simply blow your mind!
Incomparable Italy
Tired of feeling like a tourist in Italy? Skip Rome, Florence, Venice, and all the popular cities this time around and spend your days slowly savoring the small village life. Near San Gimigano in the Tuscan region, you can spend time with Diana at her winery, sipping Sangiovese and watching her three dogs run around. Head to a fisherman’s village and observe a way of life that has been part of the Italian culture for generations and enjoy the fresh catch of the day. May is a lovely time to visit: the weather is wonderful but the crowds (and the rates) are lower than peak season, so it’s a win-win!
Gorgeous Greece
If you visit this incredible country in the spring, you can avoid the canned-sardine-esque crowds and still enjoy all the country has to offer. Spend a few days exploring the Acropolis with our brilliant storytelling guides that are anything but dry, and enjoy the real gems of Grecian gastronomy on an immersive food walking tour. Instead of Santorini or Mykonos, make your way to Crete where you’ll meet a local woman who shares her cooking secrets with you. After, take a jeep tour out to the stunning Balos Lagoon and go for a swim in the turquoise waters.
Majestic Japan
While most known for the cheerful cherry blossoms blooming in the spring, Japan has endless surprises to explore March through May. In just a few weeks, you can move from Tokyo's diverse pop culture hub to the ancient countryside steeped in a rich history. Walk on Hagi-Okan, a historic road beloved by the locals and used by samurai during the Meiji Restoration who contributed to Japan's modernization. Take a break on Etajima, an island in the Seto Inland Sea, and immerse yourself in crafting traditional paper cloth while savoring the unhurried local way of life. This mesmerizing land holds a wealth of undiscovered treasures, from its tea culture to its arts – making it the perfect setting for a spring revival!
Whenever you are ready to begin planning your next great adventure, contact us to …
Fair warning: If you travel to any of these destinations this spring, you may never want to return home! Their beauty, warmth (in temperature and in hospitality), and immersive experiences have a special way of luring you in. Ready to start planning yours?