ExploBest time to visit · May
Where to go in May
52 countries are in their best months in May. Pick one, then check the visa rules for your passport.
Top picks for May
- ItalyWarm days before and after the summer crushApr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- SpainMild spring and golden autumnApr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- FranceSunny, long days without August crowdsMay–Jun, Sep
- GreeceWarm sea, thinner crowdsMay–Jun, Sep–Oct
- PortugalWarm days and fewer crowdsApr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- United KingdomLongest, warmest days of the yearMay–Sep
- CroatiaSwimming season without the crowdsMay–Jun, Sep
- NetherlandsTulip season in springApr–May, Sep
- GermanyBeer-garden summers or Christmas marketsMay–Sep, Dec
- CzechiaBlooming spring, golden autumn, Christmas marketsMay–Jun, Sep, Dec
- DenmarkLong summer eveningsMay–Sep
- IrelandLong, mild summer daysMay–Sep
What changes in May
Coming into season
Compared with April and June.
Africa in May 11
- BotswanaDry-season safaris in the Okavango
- Cape VerdeSunny, breezy and dry
- MadagascarDry season for lemurs and baobabs
- MauritiusWarm, dry and outside cyclone season
- MoroccoWarm days, not scorching
- NamibiaDry season, wildlife at waterholes
- SenegalDry season
- SeychellesCalm seas between the trade winds
- TunisiaWarm beaches and Sahara trips
- ZambiaDry-season safaris
- ZimbabweVictoria Falls and safaris
Asia in May 11
- ArmeniaMild weather for monasteries and hikes
- BhutanClear skies and festival season
- ChinaMild weather between hot summers and cold winters
- GeorgiaMountain hikes and wine harvest
- IndonesiaDry season in Bali and the islands
- IsraelWarm but not scorching
- JapanCherry blossom or autumn leaves
- JordanIdeal for Petra and Wadi Rum
- South KoreaSpring blossom or crisp autumn
- TürkiyeComfortable weather for ruins and bazaars
- UzbekistanThe Silk Road in mild weather
Europe in May 20
- AlbaniaEmpty beaches and mild mountains
- BelgiumSummer terraces or Christmas markets
- CroatiaSwimming season without the crowds
- CyprusSunny and warm, but not scorching
- CzechiaBlooming spring, golden autumn, Christmas markets
- DenmarkLong summer evenings
- FranceSunny, long days without August crowds
- GermanyBeer-garden summers or Christmas markets
- GreeceWarm sea, thinner crowds
- HungarySpas, spring blossom and Christmas markets
- IrelandLong, mild summer days
- ItalyWarm days before and after the summer crush
- MaltaWarm sea, comfortable sightseeing
- MontenegroWarm Adriatic without peak crowds
- NetherlandsTulip season in spring
- PolandWarm summer in old towns and lakes
- PortugalWarm days and fewer crowds
- SloveniaLakes and Alps in the warm months
- SpainMild spring and golden autumn
- United KingdomLongest, warmest days of the year
North America in May 4
- BarbadosDry season
- BelizeDry season for reefs and ruins
- Saint LuciaDry season
- United StatesShoulder seasons in most regions
Oceania in May 4
South America in May 2
Can you go?
A great month does not help if you need a visa you cannot get in time. Where can I go? filters these places by your passport and the entry rule, and the visa checker answers it for one trip.
Questions
Where is the best place to travel in May?
Italy (warm days before and after the summer crush), Spain (mild spring and golden autumn), France (sunny, long days without august crowds) and Greece (warm sea, thinner crowds). These are the most visited of the 52 countries in our data that are in season in May.
How many countries are good to visit in May?
52 of the 104 countries with season data are in their best months in May. Europe has the most, with 20.
Which places come into season in May?
27 countries come into season in May: France, Greece, United Kingdom, Croatia, Germany, Czechia, Denmark and Ireland and more.
Which places end their best months after May?
16 countrys have their last good month in May: Netherlands, Türkiye, Japan, South Korea, China, Jordan, Israel and Uzbekistan and more.
Is this a forecast?
No. The months are general guidance on weather, crowds and wildlife, hand-picked per country. Each country guide shows what the weather actually did last year and a live forecast for the capital.
Keep exploring
Planning · 4 min readHow to choose the best time to visit anywhereWeather is only one part of it. Learn how to weigh seasons, crowds, prices and events, with real examples of the best months for popular destinations.
Planning · 3 min readPublic holidays and travel: how to plan around themLocal holidays can close shops, fill trains and raise prices, or give you the best week of your trip. Here is how to check them and what to do about them.
Planning · 4 min readHow to build a travel bucket list you'll actually useTurn a long wish list into a short plan: sort places by ease, season and effort, pick your next three, and keep the list alive after every trip.- Country guidesCountry guidesBest months, weather, holidays and plugs for every country.
- Email alertsVisa rule change alertsOne short email when an entry rule changes for your passport.
- PassportsCompare two passportsSee side by side where each one can go without a visa.
Plan your May trip on one map
Explo is a free app: light up the countries you have visited, save the ones you dream about, and check visa rules, weather and holidays before you go.
Get ExploBest months are hand-curated general guidance from the Explo app, not a forecast. Conditions vary by region inside a country.