Easter break is my favourite bank holiday weekend of the year because it’s the longest one (excluding Christmas of course!). So if you’re in a job where annual is pretty precious then you gotta make the most of having four days off in a row without eating into your yearly holiday allowance. The best bit about this time of year is that you have so many options for whatever type of holidays you’re after in Europe. Whether you fancy sand, sea and sun, a luxury city break or if you’re a snow fanatic and aren’t ready to hang up your skis for the Summer – I got you covered…. take a look below at my top places to visit this Easter (Friday 30th March – Monday 2nd April by the way, if this hasn’t already made you Google the dates for your next trip).
Sun
1. Canary Islands
You can usually guarantee sun pretty much all year round in the Canaries, so come Easter, it’s a very pleasant temperature in Lanzarote, Tenerife and Gran Canaria to name just three. A spot of early season sun is what draws people to these islands which are west of North Africa – although you won’t find white sand here, they’re volcanic islands so the sand can be quite dark. But as they’re volcanic islands a really fun thing to do, (which I did in Lanzarote), is camel riding over the volcanoes – it was a brilliant experience that I’ll never forget. Being 4-5 hours away from the UK by plane, it is a little further than you may think, but definitely worth the extra hours for a cocktail on the beach whilst watching a beautiful sunset in March… am I right? Check out hotels in the Canary Islands here.
A beautiful sunset that I enjoyed in Tenerife.
2. Madeira
The beautiful Portuguese island of Madeira is another hotty for Easter, although not quite reaching temperatures of the Canaries, it’s a great time for some mountain walks to soak up the gorgeous views. I’ve been to Madeira in both August (scorching) and February at which it was very pleasant and definite ‘shorts’ weather, so by March/April it may be time to even take the cardy off. Funchal is a beautiful city too and the ice-cream is to die-for. Book your hotel in Madeira here.
3. Cyprus
Boasting stunning beaches and a great climate, what’s not to love about Cyprus!? With a rich history and plenty to see and do on this beautiful island – it’s a great option for an Easter break away. A chilled out all-inclusive in Cyprus sounds fabulous right now… Book one here!
City
1.Verona
I visited Verona earlier this year, and realised how super easy it is to get to, so for a weekend city break it couldn’t be more perfect. Even in January when the sun came out it was quite warm so it would be a fantastic spot for an Easter break away. Take a look at what I thought of Verona here and all of the top things to do there. I stayed in this hotel – which was brilliant and a nice 15 minute walk into the city centre so I’d highly recommend it. So if you’re after lots of ice-cream and pizzas, and a day trip to Lake Garda for your lake and mountain fix, then head to Verona.
2. Barcelona
Barcelona is a beautiful city on the coast of Spain with so much gorgeous architecture and vibrance. As it’s on the coast, not only can you explore the city but you can also take a day out to chill at the beach too. With beautiful buildings, lots of Sangria and delicious Tapas – Barcelona is an absolute must. Check out hotels in Barcelona here.
3. London
So you don’t fancy forking out for a flight? Well why not explore our own capital city here in England? With so much to do in this beautiful city, you will not struggle to keep busy. Keep your eyes out for my post on all the best things to do in London which will be up in a few days – just in time for your trip. Check out hotels in London here.
Mountains
1.Val Thorens
Val Thorens is a great destination for skiing in Easter as it’s the highest resort in Europe at 2300m so you’ve got a good chance of great snow conditions even in April. The skiing in the Three Valleys, which is where Val Thorens is, offers so much skiing as it’s the largest ski area in the world. Plus the après-ski in Val Thorens is great – head to Bar 360 for some dancing on the tables. Check out hotels in Val Thorens here.
2. Chamonix
The snow may not be quite as good as in Val Thorens in April (or it may, you never know), as it’s lower but it’s much easier to get to – just hop on a flight to Geneva (and there’s flights that go there on the regs) and it’s only an hour up to resort, and the best bit is there’s no winding mountain roads like lots of the other ski resorts I’ve been to. You’re on the motorway and then you’re in resort – great! There are four main ski areas around Chamonix; you can usually rely on Grands Montets to provide some good spring skiing (the highest one of the four), there’s also so much to do in this beautiful resort. Click here to take a look at 20 things other than skiing to do in Chamonix.
Update 2020: I stayed in a gorgeous hotel when revisiting Chamonix, check out my blog post here to see where I stayed.
Check out the hotels in Chamonix here.
3. Val D’Isere
Val D’Isere is a great option for an Easter break as it’s quite high at 1850m, but it’s also got good connections to Tignes which has a glacier at 3456m that you can ski on all year round – so a perfect option to guarantee a good ski sesh. With 245km of piste (including Tignes) – you won’t be short of a ski… there’s also great après at world famous Folie Douce. Take a look for some cool hotels to stay in Val D’Isere here.
So come snow, come shine, come city – you’ve got lots of options this Easter.
Wherever you go, have the best time and make the most of the bank holiday!
Girl Going Global xx
Nice list, I would include Lissabon, Portugal and while in England also the South-West. Beautiful hikes and small villages! Actually you get that all around the U.K.
Author
Ooo – I haven’t actually been to Lisbon, although I’ve been meaning to go but yes, that would be a great option. That’s true too, the UK has such lovely little villages 🙂 thank you for your comment Henry!