The TravelSmart guide to the best spring holidays

The Independent

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00:00Hello and welcome to TravelSmart Weekly, your guide to the best of travel from

00:04the independent, and the show that aims to inform and inspire your next great

00:08escape. Deep mid-winter makes an excellent time to start planning a

00:14spring holiday, whether in the UK, Europe or further afield, and today we're going

00:20to reveal to you some of our favourite locations for a springtime refresher.

00:30Let's start right here in the UK. Spring comes early to the south coast of

00:37Britain, and as someone who was born and brought up in the fine county of

00:41Dorset, I have no hesitation recommending the coast and the

00:44countryside. Whether you yearn for a breezy walk along the shore, or exploring

00:50landscapes and villages barely changed since Thomas Hardy wrote about them,

00:54you'll find plenty to enjoy. I recommend basing yourself in a town such as

01:01Weymouth, Dorchester or Bridport, rather than the ever-popular Lyme Regis or

01:06Bournemouth. As spring takes hold further north in Britain, many travellers will

01:14head for the Cotswolds, the Peak District and the Lake District, yet consider these

01:20less crowded, less celebrated, but equally rewarding locations for watching

01:26spring unfold.

01:29Mid Wales, where the heart of the nation blossoms amid spectacular country and

01:35coastline. North Norfolk, whose locally sourced food and drink is part of the

01:41destination's DNA. Northumberland, for wild springtime shores and a deep sense

01:49of history without the crowds. And the Scottish border, a frontier zone with

01:56castles, abbeys and some exceptional places to sleep and dine while spring

02:02flourishes. Many cities are worth visiting too. In southern England,

02:09Winchester, Brighton and Canterbury are all blossoming in spring.

02:16Talking of blooming loveliness, there's nowhere quite like Keukenhof in the

02:21Netherlands. Since the tulip first arrived in Holland from Central Asia, the

02:27beautiful flower has been exquisitely cultivated. Now, the tulip fields of

02:34Keukenhof comprise a work of art close to Leiden, easily reached from Amsterdam

02:41Airport. For two months each spring, this floral theme park feels like the Chelsea

02:47Flower Show grafted onto tranquil Van Gogh landscapes. A riot of colour that

02:54revives any spectrum dulled by winter. Elsewhere in continental Europe, I'm a

03:00big fan of northern Italy in springtime, which explodes with colour as flowers

03:05bloom across the region. Along the Ligurian Riviera, which stretches from

03:11the French border near Nice all the way around to lovely La Spezia, you'll find

03:15beautiful Giardini, or gardens. Start with the Hanbury Botanic Garden, a blaze with

03:21colour on the coast each spring, continuing via the Italian lakes,

03:25particularly Como and Garda, and ending in Verona, where the Giardini Giusti is a

03:30grand formal garden that decorates an entire hillside. Spring is also an

03:35excellent time to go skiing in Europe. You'll need to aim high in terms of

03:38either altitude, 2,000 meters or above, or latitude. Norway enjoys a particularly

03:44long ski season. North Africa is also ripe for springtime exploration,

03:51especially in the coastal areas of Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Across in

03:58Asia, the prime springtime location is Japan. Each spring, the cherry blossom, or

04:08Sakura, as it's known, enriches locations across the nation from March to May.

04:15The transient beauty of cherry blossom extends to South Korea, and both nations are

04:21easily combined. Seoul to Tokyo and Osaka are two of the top five busiest air

04:28routes in the world.

04:34Now it's time for a question sent in to The Independent by someone who wants to

04:38remain anonymous, and you'll see why. Simon, this person wants to take their

04:42wife away for a significant anniversary over Easter, and they want to go somewhere

04:46warm and romantic. Where do you recommend they go?

04:49Easter 2025 is actually relatively late. Easter Sunday is on the 20th of April,

04:56which means that you don't really need to go any further than the deep south of

05:01Greece, in particular the beautiful island of Crete. And I'd say either go to

05:07Chania at the western end, beautiful ancient city, or maybe at the eastern end,

05:14the lovely bay of Ilunda, looking across the island of Spinalonga, a gorgeous

05:20place to watch the sun go down and get all romantic.

05:25Brilliant. Thank you, Simon.

05:33That's all we've got time for. The Travel Smart Weekly will continue to take you

05:37to sunny destinations that will help you through the winter months.

05:40Meanwhile, for the latest travel news, reviews and advice, go to

05:44independent.co.uk forward slash travel, and perhaps check out my daily travel podcast.

05:52Bye for now.

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