Where are the best places to travel in April?

How we chose, and what this list leaves out

April is the month when spring settles in across the northern hemisphere and the heat has not yet arrived. In the southern hemisphere it is mid-autumn, and near the equator the picture depends on the rains rather than on temperature. This page offers eight places where April has a clear case, each with the reason and the cost of going then.

This is our own selection, not a ranking. A place made the list if the WMO World Weather Information Service, which republishes national weather service averages, had an April figure for a station in or near it, and if the figures showed a reason to go that we could explain in plain words. We aimed for variety across Europe, Asia and North America, and we avoided repeating the main picks on our March page. Averages cover long periods at one station, so a given April can differ.

Istanbul: cool spring days before the summer heat

Istanbul suits April because the winter chill has gone without the heat of midsummer. The WMO lists an average April high of 16.5 degrees Celsius and a low of 7.7, with 44.9 mm of rain over 10.3 days (1929 to 2000 normals). The March figures at the same station are a high of 11.2 and 63.2 mm of rain, so April is a clear step towards warmer, drier conditions.

The record is long but old. We could not confirm 2027 dates for the city's spring tulip displays from an official page, so we do not give any; look for the municipality's own announcement. Mornings and evenings are cool, so layers matter. Browse Istanbul to compare stays.

Lisbon: mild days, with rain on the way out

Lisbon is a mild April city. The WMO lists an average high of 19.1 degrees Celsius and a low of 11.1, with 64.0 mm of rain over 12 days (1961 to 1990 normals). Rain is still frequent in April, but the station's May figure drops to 38.6 mm over 8 days, so the month sits between the wet winter and the dry summer.

A light waterproof is worth packing. If you are comparing districts for a longer base, our guide to Lisbon neighbourhoods for longer stays sets out the differences, and Lisbon lists current stays.

Rome: spring sightseeing, with April the wettest of the three months

Rome suits April for walking between ancient sites in moderate warmth. The WMO figures for the Roma Fiumicino station give an average April high of 17.7 degrees Celsius and a low of 7.5, with 80.5 mm of rain over 9.2 days (1971 to 2000 normals). The same station shows 57.8 mm in March and 52.8 mm in May, so April is the wettest of the three months.

That is the trade-off: a coat and an umbrella are sensible, and the high is still well below the May figure of 22.8. The station sits near the airport, not in the historic centre, so central temperatures can differ. For a stay of several days, a kitchen is handy for breakfast before a long day on foot; see Rome.

Tokyo: after the first blossoms, with the heaviest rain in this list

Tokyo is a pick for mild weather, not for blossom timing. The Japan National Tourism Organization page, which carries Japan Weather Association data, gives an average first-bloom date of 24 March for Tokyo, so April usually follows the start of the season. We do not know how a given year will run, and the page says forecasts change with the weather.

The WMO lists an average April high of 19.4 degrees Celsius and a low of 9.8 in Tokyo, with 133.7 mm of precipitation over 9.5 days (1991 to 2020 normals). That is the largest April total in our table, so wet-weather plans are worthwhile. May is warmer, with a high of 23.6 and 139.7 mm. See Tokyo for stays.

Bali: the rains easing, in a hot and humid climate

Bali, here represented by the Denpasar station, suits April because heavy rain is receding. The WMO lists 234 mm of rain over 20 days for March, and 88 mm over 9 days for April (1961 to 1990 normals), with May close behind at 93 mm over 8 days. Temperature changes little: the April average high is 34.4 degrees Celsius and the low 24.8.

This is a hot, humid destination in every month of the table, and the highest April high of the places listed here. The station is in the south of the island, so the interior and the north can differ. Long stays are common in Bali, and a kitchen helps with the routine of a few weeks; see Bali.

Hanoi: warming up before the wetter months

Hanoi in April is warm and damp, in a transition. The WMO lists an average high of 27.7 degrees Celsius and a low of 21.9, with 79 mm of rain over 16 days (1991 to 2020 normals). March is cooler at 23.5 and 18.7, and May is hotter and far wetter, with 188 mm of rain over 17 days.

So April works for travellers who want warmth without the heaviest rain of May, and it comes with frequent showers: 16 rain days is the highest count in our April table. An umbrella is more useful than a heavy coat. Check the destination's official weather service for the days you travel. See Hanoi for stays.

Seville: warm spring days in southern Spain

Seville is a pick for early warmth in Europe. The WMO lists an average April high of 23.4 degrees Celsius and a low of 11.3, with 54.0 mm of rain over 8.1 days (1981 to 2010 normals). That is warmer than Lisbon, Rome or Istanbul in the same table, and the May high of 27.2 shows how quickly the heat builds.

Spring festivals in Andalusia move with the date of Easter, and we could not confirm the 2027 dates from an official city page, so we leave them out. Check the city council's calendar before booking, because event weeks change demand. For Spanish stays, start with Seville.

Washington, DC: mild weather, and a blossom season that often ends before April

Washington suits April for mild, walkable weather rather than for blossom. The WMO lists an average April high of 19.3 degrees Celsius and a low of 5.6, with 88.1 mm of rain over 10.7 days (1981 to 2010 normals). The National Park Service defines peak bloom for the Yoshino cherry trees as the day when 70% of blossoms are open, and says it has come as early as 15 March (1990) and as late as 18 April (1958).

In the past eight years listed on the service's page, peak bloom fell between 17 March and 1 April, with 26 March in 2026. The service says the most likely time is the last week of March to the first week of April, so April is the tail end of the usual window. The cool low of 5.6 means evenings need a jacket. Our United States hub has the range of cities.

April climate at a glance

The table collects the April figures quoted above. All come from the WMO World Weather Information Service station pages, and the normals period differs by station, so compare patterns rather than small differences.

Practical notes for April trips

April often carries holiday weeks that change demand and rates, and the dates move from year to year, so check calendars for your destination. Our when to book guide explains how to compare timing and rates. For the following month, see best places to travel in May.

None of the figures on this page are forecasts, and none describe entry rules. For visa and immigration questions, use the official immigration website of the country you plan to visit. The table below shows our own aparthotel figures for the countries on this list.