May is one of the best months of the year to travel Europe.
Spring is in full swing across the continent. Winter’s chill has finally subsided in most northern countries, and in southern countries, the scorching heat of summertime has yet to arrive.
There is so much to see during this peak window for travel that it can be difficult to choose a final destination. To help you decide, here are four of Europe’s best places to visit in May.
Visit Barcelona In May
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, with a population of about 1.5 million. It’s a culturally and historically rich city that shines in May.
The capital of Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain, Barcelona, is located on the western border of the Mediterranean Sea. The city is the perfect mix of serene seaside vistas and warm sunny weather at peak comfort levels during May — with ample breezy temperatures and sunny skies.
Learn about potential travel restrictions for Spain you may encounter before booking your trip.
Things To Do In Barcelona?
- Attend a sporting event
- Relax on Barcelona’s beaches
- See the city’s distinctive architecture
Attend A Sporting Event
Barcelona’s sports clubs are world famous.
Among them is Barcelona FC, a wildly successful football club that has earned Barcelona its pedigree as a city of champions. Barcelona FC plays year-round. May will have plenty of opportunities to see this legendary club in action at their home field, Camp Nou.
May marks the tail-end of FC Barcelona Basquet’s season, Barcelona’s basketball team. FC Barcelona Basquet is another point of pride for the city, having won numerous championships over its decades-long history.
Relax On Barcelona’s Beaches
May is the perfect time to relax on Barcelona’s beaches. Native Barcelonans leave the city in late May and early June, leaving the local beaches less populated than their normal summer levels.
The city has miles of beachfront, ensuring visitors can enjoy the scenic views of the Mediterranean with plenty of space for themselves.
See Barcelona’s Distinctive Architecture
Barcelona is a landmark city in the history of architecture.
Modernisme, or Catalan modernism, was an aesthetic movement championed by Barcelona architects in the late 1800s. This movement established Barcelona as the leading figure in architectural design for the following century.
The city’s brilliant buildings are a testament to the vision of forward-thinking architects like Antoni Gaudí, who designed the world-famous Sagrada Familia, one of Europe's most striking cathedrals.
Visit Amsterdam In May
With just under one million population, Amsterdam is the largest city in the Netherlands and its capital.
By May, winter’s chill has finally subsided; visitors can explore Amsterdam’s tranquil canals in comfortable, mild Spring weather.
Learn about potential travel authorizations you may need to visit the Netherlands before booking your trip.
Things To Do In Amsterdam?
- Take a bicycle tour of the city
- See the tulip fields of the Dutch countryside
- See the Dutch Masters on display at Rijksmuseum
Take A Bicycle Tour Of The City
The best way to see everything Amsterdam offers is by touring the city on a bicycle.
Amsterdam is one of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities. Most Amsterdamers commute by bicycle; the city’s robust bicycle lanes often see more traffic than its narrow streets.
Renting a bicycle is a fairly inexpensive and immersive way to tour Amsterdam.
See The Tulip Fields in The Dutch Countryside
Early to mid-May marks the end of tulip season in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is renowned for its vast, colorful fields of tulips, a legacy of Europe’s “Tulip Mania '' when the continent’s obsession with these bulbed flowers led to one of the world's first-ever financial bubbles.
Amsterdam itself hosts several tulip festivals within the city. A short trip outside the city limits has several tulip fields to see across the Dutch countryside.
See The Dutch Masters On Display at Rijksmuseum
The Dutch Masters are painters and artists whose works have cemented the Dutch Golden Age as a seminal epoch in art history. Their works can be seen in-person at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum.
With a collection numbering over one million pieces, the Rijksmuseum is one of the world’s most impressive fine art museums and a point of Dutch pride. Visitors can see historical pieces from Rembrandt, Vermeer, Bosch, and much more. The Rijksmuseum is a must-see destination for art enthusiasts.
Visit Bonn In May
Once the capital of West Germany, Bonn hosts a population of 300,000 and is Germany’s unofficial second capital. Located on the banks of the Rhine, it's one of 13 cities in the Rhine-Ruhr that make this region the largest municipality in Germany.
On the smaller side, Bonn is a hidden gem; it’s the perfect escape for travelers hoping to avoid massive crowds and see a beautiful European city in peak May.
Before you book, learn about potential travel restrictions for Germany you may encounter.
Things To Do In Bonn?
- Stroll under the cherry blossoms on Heerstrasse
- Visit Beethoven’s House
- Tour Poppelsdorf Palace and its botanical gardens
Stroll Under The Cherry Blossoms on Heerstrasse
Heerstrasse is a street in Bonn better known as Cherry Blossom Avenue. Every May, this street is engulfed in bright, pink cherry blossoms; it’s one of Europe's most impressive cherry blossom locations.
In 1980, Bonn received a gift of Sakura trees from Japan in the act of international friendship. Every year since in Springtime, Heerstrasses explode with color; during peak blossom, the canopy of the tree-lined street covers the sky.
Depending on the season, visitors can see Bonn’s display of natural beauty as late as early May.
Visit Beethoven’s House
Few composers have the same influence on music as Beethoven. Ludwig von Beethoven was born in Bonn on the 17th of December, 1770. He was raised at 20 Bongasse Street and lived in Bonn until 1792 when he moved to Vienna.
Now a museum, 20 Bongasses Street, is open to the public. Visitors can tour and learn Beethoven’s story in the house he lived in for many years; it’s an essential visit for fans of Bonn’s most famous native son.
Explore Poppelsdorf Palace and Its Botanical Garden
Poppelsdorf Palace, built in 1715, is a classic example of Baroque architecture.
It was constructed to replace the ruins of Poppelsdorf Castle and would serve as the home of owner Josef Clemens, Archbishop-Elector of Coln, until it became a part of the University of Bonn.
Visitors can take the splendid features of this Baroque masterpiece while touring the property’s expansive botanical garden. By May, the garden is in full form; visitors can see Poppelsdorf Palace in its true element between the stately buildings.
Visit Santorini In May
Located 120 miles south of mainland Greece in the Aegean sea, the island municipality of Santorini is home to about 13,500 people. The island becomes an international hotspot for beach-going tourists as the summer progresses.
By May, the sun-bleached Greek island becomes the perfect place to get reacquainted with sunny skies and beat the summer crowds.
Learn more about potential travel restrictions for Greece you may need to consider before booking your trip.
Things To Do In Santorini?
- Enjoy Santorini’s famous beaches
- Charter a boat ride on the Aegean Sea
- Stroll through picturesque Fira
Enjoy Santorini’s Famous Beaches
Santorini’s most alluring features are its beaches.
The island’s geography is shaped by its history of volcanic activity. Santorini’s beaches range in color from their black and red sand to stony, white cliffside coves. The vibrant hues of Santorini's geological features are visually stunning, making for a scenic and relaxing locale.
Charter A Boat Ride On The Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea is dotted with hundreds of little islands. These chains of islands have stored and even mythic pasts; many tales from Greek mythology feature hidden islets scattered across the wine-dark waters of the Aegean Sea.
From Santorini, visitors can charter boat tours and embark on a voyage around these surrounding islands, following in the path of mythic heroes.
Stroll Through Picturesque Fira
Fira is the capital of Santorini. It's a small cliffside town of just under 1,000. It's winding; terraced streets are lined with whitewashed buildings that face the sea to the west. It's the perfect place for an evening stroll to catch spectacular sunsets over the Aegean.
For intrepid explorers, visitors can make the hike down to the port below Fira. A walkable path zig-zags down the cliffside, making for a fulfilling hike down to the water below.
May Travel Made With ETIAS
The passage of the European Travel Information Authorisation System, or ETIAS, may introduce changes that could affect how you can travel to Europe.
To ensure you can enter and travel across the E.U. and its member states, apply for ETIAS approval.
Sources:
Inside Barcelona’s Unfinished Masterpiece | Time
The 20 Most Bike-Friendly Cities on the Planet, Ranked | Wired