Where to go in May and holidays to book for summer, from Italy to Botswana
Where's hot next month? From short-haul breaks to exotic escapes, there's always somewhere the sun is shining
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Your support makes all the difference.Quick fix: Italy (average high 22C)
Cinque Terre – those five exquisite medieval villages that cling to Liguria’s eastern coast – became a victim of their own popularity earlier this year when the authorities announced plans to limit tourist numbers this summer. But in May, the coastal footpaths linking Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore won’t be teeming with summertime crowds. You’ll be able to take in the spectacular views of the Apennines and the Mediterranean at a more relaxed pace.
Head to Monterosso on 21 May, when the village turns bright yellow with lemons during the annual Sagra del Limone, a celebration of the region’s most plentiful and fragrant fruit. Kirker Holidays (kirkerholidays.com) offers a break at the four-star Porto Roca in the hills overlooking Monterosso. The views from the infinity pool are glorious. Three nights’ B&B cost from £898pp, including flights and transfers. italia.it
Time to go: Costa Rica (average high 28C)
British Airways’ new direct flights to San José make it easier to explore the dramatic volcanic landscapes, mangrove swamps and dense jungles of Costa Rica’s 28 national parks. Hike through the Monteverde cloud forest to a soundtrack of howler monkeys, or take a boat ride on the strange black waters of the Tortuguero National Park. If you’re lucky, you might catch leatherback turtles hatching along the Caribbean coast.
Journey Latin America (journeylatinamerica.co.uk) has a 13-day Highlights of Costa Rica tour that includes the Arenal volcano, Monteverde cloud forest and the Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast. Prices start at £1,744pp and include direct flights, transfers, excursions and B&B. visitcostarica.com
In the diary: Botswana safaris and Swedish summer nights
July is peak safari time in Botswana: it’s the dry season, and the floodwaters of the Okavango Delta have arrived in time to revitalise the lagoons and swamps. That means plenty of chances to spot elephants, hippos and other big game congregating around water sources. Aardvark Safaris (aardvarksafaris.co.uk) organises tailor-made safaris, including guided mobile safaris in the Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park. A six-night mobile safari costs from £1,575pp, based on six people travelling together, and includes meals and safari activities but excludes international and regional flights. botswanatourism.co.bw
August in Sweden means crayfish parties, or krastkiva, when everyone wolfs down the crustaceans at rambunctious, schnapps-fuelled outdoor parties. Some of the country’s best seafood is found in West Sweden, where the craggy Bohuslan coastline shelters brightly coloured fishing villages and thousands of granite islands. Fjallbacka – former holiday home of Ingrid Bergman – is one of the prettiest towns, with red-and-white clapboard restaurants lining the waterfront. Inntravel (inntravel.co.uk) offers an eight-night self-drive tour along Sweden’s west coast from £1,395pp, including B&B, six dinners, car hire and two nights in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second city and culinary capital. Flights extra. visitsweden.com
Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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