May is a great month for travelling. The weather is warming up, the holiday crowds have not yet appeared, and everyone is in a good mood. At least that's the theory...

Short haul holidays in May

May is a great time to have a city break. You can choose practically any city in Europe, north or south, and you'll be likely to find decent weather. The only question is how warm you want it. Northern cities like Stockholm will be crisp, with blue skys but still chilly. Further south, trips to Naples, the Amalfi Coast and Istanbul are perfect in May - warm spring weather (mid-20s) without the oppressive heat of the summer. In fact it's a great time to visit all the great Italian cities - Rome, Florence and Venice. For a beach holiday, head for Tenerife, Lanzarote or Majorca, and for nature lovers, Madeira with its wild flowers and stunning walks is at its best in May, though a little cooler. Or how about the Greek islands, slowly gearing up for their busy tourist season, but still sporting an air of somnolence - and more to the point, a good ten degrees warmer!

Mid haul holidays in May

May is your last chance to get to Egypt before the mercury hits the mid 30s. Morocco and Tunisia are a few degrees cooler in May. Dubai and Oman are possibly already too hot.

Long haul holidays in May

May is changeover time for the weather patterns of the Indian Ocean and south east asia. The monsoons are moving west so Thailand, Malaysia and Burma are likely to be wet in May, and India will be baking. However, the mountains will be cooler and should be lovely at this time of year - May is a great month for Nepal and Bhutan, before the rains arrive in the summer. We must not forget Japan, especially Kyoto - this is blossom season. In the south, Sydney may still be chilly, but Cairns has great weather to explore the Great Barrier Reef out of peak holiday season. To the west, the Caribbean is getting humid, but the southern United States - New Mexico, Florida, southern California, and Arizona, provide great weather in May for a ranch holiday.

A May holiday you may not have thought of...

The Alentejo, in southern Portugal - just north of the Algarve, this area is green and flowering in May, a great area to explore 'off the beaten track.'

May weather map