Where to go
The best places to travel in April, as Europe comes into bloom
April is when the tulip fields light up, the mountain paths dry out and the hotels of the Mediterranean reopen. Six places at their best this month.
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On the train between Schiphol and Leiden, you see them through the window: bands of red, yellow and purple running to the horizon. The bulb fields bloom for only a few weeks a year, and April sits right in the middle.
April is a month of transition. Southern Europe is warm enough for mountain walks and lunch outdoors, but not so hot that you hide indoors at midday. The hotels of the Amalfi Coast reopen after winter, and the great cities have not yet met their summer queues. These six places are at their best now.
Short answer: where should you go in April?
For flowers, Amsterdam with Keukenhof and Istanbul with its tulip festival lead the way in April. For walking, Mallorca and the Amalfi Coast are ideal before the summer heat, and Marrakech is pleasantly warm before May turns it hot. Paris, of course, does April better than anywhere.
Best for flowers: Amsterdam
Best for hiking: Mallorca
Best for a city break: Paris and Istanbul
Best for a short-haul adventure: Marrakech
Best for romance: the Amalfi Coast
Pavillon de la Reine
Pavillon de la Reine on the Place des Vosges, Paris.
Paris: April in the parks
There is a reason so many songs are about April in Paris. The chestnut trees along the boulevards come into leaf, the Jardin du Luxembourg puts its green chairs back out, and cafés move their tables onto the pavement at the first warm hint of sun.
Walk along the Canal Saint-Martin on a Sunday, see Monet's water lilies at the Orangerie and picnic on the Île Saint-Louis with bread and cheese from the market. Evenings are long enough to stroll home beside the Seine.
The catch: April weather in Paris is fickle, often sunshine and showers on the same day. Pack a light raincoat.
Pavillon de la Reine: on the Place des Vosges
Pavillon de la Reine hides behind the arcades of the Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris, with its own courtyard draped in vines. The Marais surrounds you. A small hotel for travellers who want Paris calm and beautiful.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pavillon de la Reine
Pulitzer Amsterdam
Pulitzer Amsterdam on the Prinsengracht.
Amsterdam: Keukenhof and King's Day
Keukenhof, the vast flower park near Lisse, opens from 18 March to 9 May in 2027, and mid-April is usually when most tulips are in full bloom. Hire a bike at the park and ride the lanes between the surrounding fields, where the flowers grow in long stripes. The fields are private farmland, so stay on the road.
On 27 April the Netherlands celebrates the king's birthday (Koningsdag). Amsterdam turns orange, boats packed with music fill the canals, and the whole city becomes a flea market where anyone can sell from the pavement.
The catch: Keukenhof is packed at weekends. Buy tickets online and go early on a weekday.
Pulitzer Amsterdam: twenty-five canal houses in one
Pulitzer Amsterdam is made up of a row of historic canal houses joined together between the Prinsengracht and the Keizersgracht, with a quiet garden at its heart. The Jordaan is two minutes from the door. For travellers who want old Amsterdam around them.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pulitzer Amsterdam
Mallorca: the trails of the Tramuntana
In summer Mallorca means beaches. In April it means mountains. The Serra de Tramuntana, the range along the north-west coast, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the GR 221 long-distance path threads through stone villages and olive terraces down to coves of clear water.
Take the vintage wooden train from Palma through the mountains to Sóller, then the tram down to the port. Oranges still hang in the Sóller valley, and cafés squeeze them fresh. Deià and Valldemossa are loveliest before the coaches arrive.
The catch: the sea is still cold in April. This is a trip for walking and eating.
Four Seasons at the Bosphorus
Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul on the Bosphorus in evening light.
Istanbul: tulips on the Bosphorus
The tulip reached Europe from the Ottoman Empire, and Istanbul celebrates it every April. Parks across the city are planted with millions of bulbs, and Emirgan Park on the European shore of the Bosphorus is the place to see them.
The city is good for walking now. See Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque early in the morning, take the ferry across to Kadıköy on the Asian side, and eat fish beneath the Galata Bridge as the sun goes down.
The catch: religious and public holidays bring crowds. Check the calendar before you book.
Four Seasons at the Bosphorus: a palace on the water
Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus occupies a restored Ottoman palace in Beşiktaş, with a terrace and pool right on the strait. Sultanahmet is a boat or taxi ride away. For travellers who want to watch the ships glide past at breakfast.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Four Seasons at the Bosphorus
Royal Mansour Marrakech
The pool at Royal Mansour, Marrakech, in the evening.
Marrakech: before the heat arrives
April is one of the best months in Marrakech. Days are warm, evenings mild, and on clear days you can see snow on the High Atlas peaks to the south.
Lose yourself in the souks, where each alley has its own trade, from leatherworkers to lamp makers. Watch the food stalls light up on Djemaa el-Fna from a rooftop terrace, and take a day trip into the mountains to Imlil or the Ourika Valley.
The catch: the souks are intense and the sellers persistent. Allow time and keep your sense of humour.
Royal Mansour: riads inside the city walls
Royal Mansour is made up of private riads, each with its own courtyard and roof terrace, just inside the walls of the medina. Its gardens and spa are among the finest in the city. A hotel for the big occasion.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Royal Mansour
Il San Pietro
Il San Pietro in the cliffs near Positano.
The Amalfi Coast: as the hotels reopen
Many hotels on the Amalfi Coast close for winter and reopen around Easter. In April you have the coast almost to yourself: lemon trees fill the terraces, and the road between Positano and Amalfi moves without the summer gridlock.
Walk the Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) from Agerola down to Positano. It runs high above the sea and is one of Italy's most beautiful trails. Allow three hours, carry water and take the bus back.
The catch: not every restaurant and boat service runs in early April. Check opening dates before you book.
Il San Pietro: carved into the cliff
Il San Pietro lies just east of Positano, built into the cliff face with terraces hanging over the sea. Positano is in view from the breakfast table. For couples who want the view and the silence.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Il San Pietro
Good to know before you book
Easter is early in 2027: Easter Sunday is 28 March, so April avoids the Easter rush this year.
Tulips follow the weather: the Dutch bloom can shift by a week either way. Mid-April is the safest bet.
Check opening dates: hotels and boat services on the Amalfi Coast and the islands reopen gradually.
King's Day is busy: Amsterdam fills up around 27 April. Book early.
April travel: your questions answered
Where is the best place to travel in April?
Amsterdam and Istanbul for tulips, Paris for parks and café life, Mallorca and the Amalfi Coast for walking, and Marrakech for spring warmth before the summer heat.
When is Keukenhof open in 2027?
Keukenhof opens from 18 March to 9 May 2027. Most tulips are usually in bloom in mid-April.
When is King's Day in the Netherlands?
Koningsdag is celebrated on 27 April, the king's birthday. When it falls on a Sunday, it moves to the Saturday before.
Is April a good time to visit the Amalfi Coast?
Yes, if you want peace. Many hotels reopen around Easter, though some restaurants and ferries only start in May.
Is Marrakech hot in April?
April brings warm days and mild evenings to Marrakech. The mountains to the south may still be capped with snow.