Where to go this month.
Europe's shoulder-to-peak moment, Costa Rica's green season shoulder, and the last ideal window for the North African classical circuit.
May is Europe's sweet spot — post-Easter, pre-peak-summer, weather-pleasant. Mediterranean cities (Rome, Barcelona, Lisbon) at 20-26°C, northern cities (Paris, London, Amsterdam) at 15-20°C. Crowds manageable, prices moderate. The Alps have hiking-accessible weather starting late May. Costa Rica enters its green season (May-November): rainier but 30-40% cheaper, wildlife easier to spot. Morocco + Jordan still excellent; Egypt begins to get hot. Australia is in autumn, New Zealand in late autumn — both pleasant with smaller crowds.
Peak this May
Europe pre-peak window
Mid-May is the year's best balance of weather + crowds for classical European city trips. Prices 20-30% below July-August.
Iceland Ring Road begins
F-roads (highland interior) not yet open in May; Ring Road (coastal) fully open. 18-hour daylight, manageable crowds.
Our Iceland itinerary →Costa Rica shoulder
Green season starts: afternoon rains, lush landscape, wildlife visible, 30% price savings. Worth it for travellers willing to accept some rain.
Our Costa Rica itinerary →Iceland Puffin season begins
Puffins return to nesting sites in mid-May. Dyrhólaey (south coast) and Látrabjarg (west) are the access points.
Day-by-day plans that fit May
Plan ahead this May
- →Autumn cherry-blossom-style Japan trips (October-November foliage)
- →Christmas European markets (book hotels 6-7 months ahead)
- →Ski-season 2026-27 (the Alps + Rockies peak hotels sell out 8+ months ahead)
Consider avoiding
- !Cannes Film Festival week (mid-May) for the French Riviera — prices surge
- !European city hotels on the specific long-weekend dates in early May (Labour Day 1 May + Ascension weekend)
Looking ahead · June
European summer starts, Caribbean hurricane-season risk opens, and Scandinavia's midnight-sun weeks begin.
See the full June outlook →The data behind these picks
Our editor picks above cross-reference four proprietary indices — when destinations are at their peak, where the dollar goes furthest, who can visit where, and where it's still quiet.