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April is a time of spring cleaning, new beginnings and fresh starts. It’s also the perfect time to travel somewhere you’ve never been before. Check out our top ideas for the best places to visit for April holidays around the world...
1. The stunning Swiss Alps
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As winter turns to spring in the Swiss Alps, the impossibly pretty countryside starts to slowly transform from a sweeping cape of endless white into a lovely contrasting landscape of still snowy peaks encircling the green meadows and blue lakes in the valleys.
With ski season coming to a close and hiking season just beginning, it’s a great time to visit to experience all of Alpine culture, with the region’s traditional towns and villages basking in sunshine. To enjoy the best of the spring scenery, you can take a ride on the famous Bernina Railway, and admire spectacular views from its huge panoramic windows as you climb high into the mountains.
2. Wonders of the Norwegian Fjords
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Formed over thousands of years as huge glaciers carved channels in the rock, the steep fjords that slice their way across Norway are awe-inspiring in scale. Sailing through them is a magical experience, while travelling along the sides of the valleys and down to the beaches below gives you a real sense of their epic proportions.
They’re great places for active breaks, with hiking, climbing and kayaking all popular activities among the craggy scenery. Another, more relaxed, way to experience their beauty is to ride on a mountain railway, like the famous Flamsbana or ‘Corkscrew Railway’ which will take you to the shores of Aurlandsfjord.
Read More: 4 Tips for First Time International Travelers
3. Romantic Venice
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Bursting with dazzling Renaissance architecture and criss-crossed by canals that hum with history, Venice is an immersive destination like no other. Whether you plan to soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the bustling Rialto market, raise your eyes up to the lofty ceiling of St Mark’s Basilica, or examine the intricate gilded artworks in the Doge’s Palace, you’ll be treated to a visual feast all over this stunning city on water.
As a European centre of culture and commerce for hundreds of years, this iconic city has appeared in countless works of art and literature, and it’s impossible not to feel that when you wander around its mesmerising alleys, piazzas and waterways. You can discover Venice’s story out on its lagoon islands too, like Murano, where the locals have made colourful glass for centuries, or Burano, famous for its lacemaking.
4. Idyllic Norfolk
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The Norfolk Broads have long been treasured as one of England’s most magnificent rural landscapes - their sleepy, reed-lined waterways and ancient windmills immediately conjure up images of lazy afternoons and classic English summers. Dotted around the wide open scenery here are countless peaceful villages, where time seems to have stood still. But look closer, and you’ll find that Norfolk has a buzzing foodie scene, with chefs making the most of its farming heritage.
Thanks to the quality of the local produce – think tasty lamb and just-caught seafood – many of Norfolk’s pubs serve wonderful food alongside the region’s legendary local ales. Two of our favourites are The Lifeboat Inn, surrounded by marshes in the seaside village of Thornham, and The Rose & Crown, next to Snettisham’s village cricket pitch.
5. The beautiful British Isles
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The British coastline is home to an array of natural treasures, from wild, uninhabited seabird colonies, to the islands scattered around Scotland, where isolated communities have handed unique crafts like Fair Isle knitting down through the generations.
It’s also packed with wonderful scenery, like the emerald green South Downs, and the red cliffs and quaint port towns that line the Cornwall and Devon coast. The contrasts as you travel from the sunny south to the rugged and beautiful north make the British coast a fabulous place for a varied holiday, where food, nature and history-lovers are spoiled for things to try, see and do.
6. The elegant Danube
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If you want to experience the culture and grand architecture of Europe’s most sophisticated ancient cities, then a journey along the Danube River is the perfect way to do it. Passing through the mighty capitals of Hungary, Slovakia and Austria – Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna – you can see the wealth and elegance of these great imperial cities around every corner.
Vienna’s famous café culture and fascinating Jewish quarter make it an especially enchanting place to explore, while Budapest’s skyline lit up at night is an unforgettable sight. As you tour these cities’ museums, palaces and concert halls, you’ll learn about the history of the mighty Austro-Hungarian empire, and how Vienna became the party capital of Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Read More: 5 Most Beautiful Sights To Visit In Ireland
7. The majestic Scottish Highlands
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The Scottish Highlands are one of the UK’s last true wildernesses, a fantastical landscape of gleaming lochs, thick forest and sky high peaks, dotted with castles, country homes and pretty little villages. In fact, it’s mostly unspoilt by modern industry, apart from the odd railway line carving its way through the greenery – including the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct.
They’re a great spot for outdoor activities like fishing and the hotels here – like the handsome country house Ardanaiseig – can even lend you a boat to take out on the loch and see what you catch. Springtime hikes here are glorious too, when birdsong can be heard among the trees, and you might even spot a Mountain Hare darting across the moorland.
8. Colourful Holland
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Holland is a paradise for garden-lovers – there are its iconic tulip fields that stretch for miles in a blaze of colour, and the vast Keukenhof Gardens just outside Amsterdam, one of Europe’s most famous public parks. Visiting in April, when the first blooms are starting to appear, is an unforgettable treat, with both its cities and countryside filled with floral delights.
Take a trip out past the tulip fields and classic windmills to Holland’s northern tip, where you’ll find Den Helder, a port city with gorgeous nature reserves. There you can relax next to peaceful lakes, with cute Koniks horses grazing on the grass around you.
9. Charming Cotswolds
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With the beaming yellow daffodils poking through the ground and warmer temperatures, the Cotswolds are perfect for weekend escapes in the country at this time of year. Exhibitions and events begin for a new season at Blenheim Palace, which is a must-visit during your spring break, when the light shines through the leaves of the Formal Gardens.
In Chipping Campden, bluebells fill the woods for a special but fleeting moment, and during the chillier nights you can still warm your feet in front of the fire with a hot coffee or a brew.
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