Easter is a great time for a holiday. Not only is the weather finally warming up but you can maximise your annual leave for extended time away from the daily grind.
It’s still shoulder season in many popular tourist destinations, meaning you can enjoy off-peak prices and fewer crowds.
Sicily is one of the warmest places in Europe in April, while laid-back Lisbon enjoys eight hours of sunshine a day.
Or for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it’s cherry blossom season in Kyoto, which was recently voted one of the world’s best cities by visitors.
Block out your calendar because these are the best destinations for an Easter escape.
Get free travel advice and recommendations you can trust from the experts with our monthly Travel newsletter
Where is the best place to holiday at Easter?
- Lake District 10°C
- Lisbon 19°C
- Dubrovnik 16°C
- Champagne 14°C
- Sicily 18°C
- Tbilisi 18°C
- Bali 31°C
- Kyoto 17°C
Best holiday destinations for Easter (short-haul): the Lake District
April high: 10°C
Because of its show-stopping beauty, the Lake District made the top three in our survey of the UK’s best national parks, getting the full five stars for scenery.
Explore the craggy hilltops, pristine lakes and quaint historic villages that inspired literary greats, including Wordsworth.
Time your visit for spring, when the valley is carpeted with daffodils, bluebells and magnolias – and the summer crowds are yet to descend. The Taste Cumbria Food Festival also kicks off on the last Saturday of the month, showcasing the best local produce.
It’s also the perfect climate for hiking, whether you plan to tackle Scafell Pike or enjoy a more relaxed meander up Catbells. Visitors also gave the Lakes top marks for its well-maintained hiking trails.
Find a Lake District holiday with Which? Recommended Provider Exodus Adventure Travels, HF Holidays, Inntravel and Ramblers Walking Holidays
Lisbon
April high: 19°C
This laid-back waterfront city is at its best in spring, with its old town in bloom and bathed in eight hours of sunshine a day.
The yellow number 28 tram rattles up to the hilltop Alfama district, where you can café hop its labyrinth of steep, cobbled streets. At this time of year, you’ll find bougainvillaea in a riot of pinks, purples and yellows adorning wrought-iron balconies and traditional wooden doorways.
Enjoy panoramic views over the church domes and spires to the Tagus River, before catching a Fado show – this haunting style of music was originally sung by sailors’ wives and is accompanied by classical Portuguese guitar.
No visit is complete without devouring a pastel de nata, the traditional custard tart that’s baked to perfection and piled high in pastelaria windows. Lisbon was rated five stars for its food and drink in our survey of the best city breaks in Europe.
Find a Lisbon holiday with Which? Recommended Provider Jet2Holidays.
Dubrovnik
April high: 16°C
The Old Town’s limestone-paved streets are mobbed in summer, but during spring you can soak up its medieval beauty at your leisure. Walk atop its famous city walls for views over the terracotta rooftops to the shimmering Adriatic Sea.
Back on ground level, stop off at the Rector’s Palace, a Gothic-Renaissance blend (and one of the city’s many filming locations for Game of Thrones).
There, you can climb the baroque staircase to nose around its ornate chambers, artfully restored with portraits in gilded frames and glittering crystal chandeliers.
It may still be too chilly for a dip, but you can admire the sea views – local beer in hand – from the panoramic terrace of a cliff bar. It’s the perfect spot to catch the sunset.
Find a holiday to Dubrovnik with Which? Recommended Provider Jet2Holidays, Sunvil or Trailfinders
Champagne
April high: 14°C
Bordeaux is consistently rated one of the best city breaks in Europe, but perhaps you’re in the mood to quaff something even more refined.
Enjoy wine tours and tastings in the home of France’s most famous fizz, just a 40-minute fast train from Paris.
Make the most of April’s mild warm weather to explore the Champagne region by bike ahead of summer’s hectic grape harvest. The first buds are just beginning to appear on the vine, ready to blossom in May.
The university town of Reims makes a great base, with a lively nightlife and a beautiful Gothic cathedral. Notable vineyards Maison Mumm and Veuve Clicquot are also just a short cycle away.
Book a trip to Champagne with Which? Recommended Provider Exodus Adventure Travels and Hays Travel
Sicily
April high: 18°C
The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily has charming hilltop towns, well-preserved archaeological sites and white sandy beaches in abundance.
Admire late-Baroque architecture and ancient ruins in the Unesco World Heritage capital, Catania – a port city at the foot of Mount Etna.
A hike up its slopes and a visit to volcanic black pebble beach Praiola aren’t to be missed. Or venture further to Torre Salsa Nature Reserve for sand dunes and lush green olive groves.
In April, the days are getting warmer and longer, but the island is still much less crowded than in the busy summer months. On Easter Sunday, the town of Prizzi in Palermo hosts The Dance of the Devils; a festival with plenty of colourful costumes that symbolises the battle between good and evil.
Find a holiday to Sicily with Which? Recommended Provider Audley Travel, Hays Travel, Jet2Holidays, Kuoni and Trailfinders
Best holiday destination for Easter (long-haul): Tbilisi
April high: 18°C
Wedged between Europe and Asia, Georgia is gradually making its way onto travellers’ wishlists and for good reason. Expect majestic mountains, hilltop monasteries along with a thriving food and drink scene.
Go in April to avoid the summer heat, especially if you plan to visit the lowlands. Capital Tbisili’s dramatic valley setting and colourful Old Town, with its cobblestone streets and dome-shaped bathhouses, are sure to dazzle.
Culinary highlights include khachapuri (an oval-shaped pizza topped with cheese and egg) and khinkali (plump broth-filled dumplings). Pair either with a delicious glass of red; Georgia is one of the world’s oldest wine-producing countries, with more than 500 native grape varieties.
Orthodox Easter (which this year falls at the same time as Roman Catholic Easter) is the most important religious holiday in Georgia, with sombre parades and atmospheric services at local churches.
Find holidays to Georgia with Which? Recommended Provider Exodus Adventure Travels and Trailfinders
Bali
April high: 31°C
With its sun-soaked beaches and beautiful temples, the Indonesian archipelago has been seducing travellers for decades.
They come to gawp at the floating Hindu water temple of Ulun Danu Beratan or soak in the sacred springs of Tirta Empul. Ubud also beckons in the uplands, with its terraced rice paddies and lush rainforest.
Or simply lie back and enjoy your own sandy corner of paradise on the Bukit peninsula, famed for its technicolour sunsets.
April is the start of dry season, when the weather is warm and sunny, but the hordes of tourists are yet to arrive.
Escape to Bali with Which? Recommended Provider Audley Travel, Hays Travel, Kuoni and Trailfinders
Kyoto
April high: 17°C
The second-best long-haul city break according to visitors, Japan’s imperial capital is even more magical during cherry blossom season.
From the tail end of March to early April, these fragrant powder-pink sakura – said to be a symbol of human mortality because of their short lifespan – bloom all over the city. Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama, also home to more than 100 Japanese macaque monkeys, is one of the best spots to see them. Don’t miss a stroll through the nearby bamboo forest or the chance to drift down the Oi river on a houseboat.
Year-round sights include Unesco-listed Buddhist temples, Zen gardens and Fushimi Inari – a Shinto shrine made up of thousands of crimson torii gates that climb the forest trail of Mount Inari. Visitors awarded Kyoto the full five stars for its cultural sights.
Make sure to also visit the Gion district at dusk. With a bit of luck, you’ll see geisha roam Shimbashi street in traditional kimono.
Find a holiday to Kyoto with Which? Recommended Provider Audley Travel, Exodus, Kuoni and Trailfinders
Get more unbiased advice on the best deals and best destinations with our free Travel newsletter
