5 Maycation vacations in the sun
Give the UK weather the KO and book an early-season budget break in the sun.
Brits are set to endure the coldest May for over a CENTURY, according to meteorologists. Our miserable weather is set to continue but fear not, it’s getting hot in the Med already. So take advantage of early-season prices and book a cheap flight to the sun. We bring you some sunshine on a rainy day with these five ideas for a beautiful budget Maycation in the European sun. Will the last one to leave Britain turn out the lights!
1. Malaga, Spain (25C) from £37
Southern Spain is a good early-season bet for guaranteed warmth and sunshine, and with so many flights from the UK, it’s readily accessible. Malaga is a convenient starting point for exploring the Costa del Sol and Andalucia, although you may get no further than whiling away your days enjoying leisurely lunches and picking your favourite yacht in the glitzy harbour. Maybe one day?
2. Sicily, Italy (29C) from £45
Spring in Sicily offers a choice of activities, be it walking in its mountains and along its coastline, a city break in Palermo with its foodie delights, or simply a few days' flopping on its many beaches. One of the best is Scopello on Sicily’s west coast. Making regular appearances in lists of Europe's top 10 beaches, idyllic Scopello gets crowded in high summer, but in May you could have this little cove to yourself.
3. Corfu, Greece (25C) from £55
Kavos, Roda, Ypsos, Gouvia, Dassia… these names might conjure up images of discos, Brits abroad, and drinking bowls of alcoholic concoctions, but go to Corfu out of season and it’s a completely different place. Cliches of tourist brochure Greece abound in the pre-tourist month of May: olive groves, azure blue seas, empty white beaches, atmospheric tavernas, traditional hospitality… Sounds pretty good actually!
4. Antalya, Turkey (25C) from £89
While Istanbul is still in the teens, temperatures on Turkey’s south coast are heading up into the 20s. Antalya is a large, buzzing city that’s worth a break in itself, with museums, Roman remains and plenty of places to try authentic Turkish food. But sunseekers will find great beaches all along this stretch of the Med, known as the ’Turkish Riviera’, where water sports – from parasailing to jet skiing are particularly popular.
5. Djerba, Tunisia (24C) from £109
Over a quarter of a million Brits holidayed in Tunisia last year, most of them going for guaranteed sun, sea, sand and swimming pools. May is a good time to visit if you want to be more active before it hots up, like exploring the capital Tunis or touring the country’s archaeological sites like El Jem and Kerkouane. Or if a big dollop of vitamin E is required, you could just get your fix of sun on the beautiful island of Djerba.
Or how about these five other sunny Maycation destinations?
Crete, Greece (22C) from £39
Sun, sea, sand, hiking and archaeology.
Tenerife, Spain (26C) from £42
From shopping malls to volcanic moonscapes, and beaches, of course.
Marrakech, Morocco (24C) from £75
Bazaars, hammams, souks, snake charmers and sunshine.
Tel Aviv, Israel (24C) from £138
Cool city on the beach bursting with bars, clubs and sunshine.
Albanian Riviera (26C) from £163
Budget beach resorts that feel like the Med before the discos.
