45 destinations at their best this month
December–March for world-class skiing; July–August for hiking and duty-free shopping in the Pyrenees.
June–September for alpine hiking and lakes; December–March for premier ski resorts in Tyrol and Salzburg.
Aruba sits outside the hurricane belt — any month works, but January–April offers peak dry conditions and ideal beaches.
May–September: Bruges canal walks, outdoor beer gardens and summer festivals in their full glory.
June–September for Black Sea resorts; January–February for budget skiing in Bansko — great value all year.
June–September: Banff, Quebec City and the Rockies in their full summer glory.
December–February for Cartagena beaches; July–August for the Andean flower festival and Medellín's perfect spring.
May and September are the Dalmatian coast at its very best — fewer boats, clearer water.
May–September: Prague's old town and Czech countryside at their most beautiful — avoid winter chill.
June–August: Copenhagen's colourful Nyhavn, Legoland and Bornholm beaches under long Nordic summer days.
June–August: driest Andes and Galápagos penguin season — the perfect window for highlands and islands together.
June–August: Tallinn's medieval old town and Baltic island beaches under the midnight summer glow.
May–October: Fiji's dry season — perfect coral reefs, soft sandy beaches and spectacular diving without cyclone risk.
June–August for midnight sun and lakeland canoes; December–March for Northern Lights and reindeer safaris.
May–June and September–October: Tbilisi's old quarters, Kazbegi peaks and wine country in perfect shoulder season.
May–September for castles, Rhine cruises and beer gardens; December for magical Christmas markets from Hamburg to Munich.
May–September: Budapest thermal baths, Danube Bend cruise and Tokaj wine region at summer best.
June–August for midnight sun road trips; September–October for northern lights.
May–June and September–October: Almaty and the Tian Shan mountains in perfect condition before winter extremes.
July–October: witness the Great Wildebeest Migration crossing the Mara River — one of nature's greatest spectacles.
June–August: Riga's art nouveau district and Baltic beaches glow under long Baltic summer days.
Summer for Alpine hiking; winter for skiing — plus stamp your passport in one of the world's smallest countries.
June–August: Vilnius old town, the Curonian Spit dunes and Trakai Island Castle in warm Baltic sunshine.
May–September: Luxembourg City's fortifications and the Ardennes valley best explored in warm summer light.
February–April is best for KL, Penang and Langkawi's west coast; June–August for Borneo wildlife safaris.
June–September: Kotor's medieval walls and Bay of Boka under Adriatic sun — stunning coastline, far fewer crowds than Croatia.
April–May: Keukenhof tulip fields in full bloom, Amsterdam canals at their finest and cycling paths at their best.
June–September: Lake Ohrid's crystal waters and Skopje's Old Bazaar at summer best — with very few tourists.
June–August: midnight sun, fjord cruises and hiking trails fully open.
April–September: Paraguay's cooler, drier season — ideal for Asunción, Jesuit ruins and Pantanal wetlands.
May–October is the dry season for Machu Picchu trekking and Andean adventures.
May–September: Kraków's old town, Warsaw's rebuilt centre and Tatra Mountain trails in warm summer sunshine.
April–June hits the sweet spot: warm sun, lower prices and manageable crowds.
May–September: Transylvania's castles, painted monasteries and Carpathian hikes under warm summer skies.
May–September: the Three Towers on Mount Titano and historic centre in glorious Adriatic sunshine.
May–September: Belgrade's fortress, Niš Roman ruins and Exit Festival in Novi Sad under summer sun.
June–September for High Tatras hiking and Bratislava's old town; January–February for budget-friendly ski resorts.
June–September: Lake Bled's fairy-tale island church, Triglav National Park and the Soča Valley at full summer bloom.
June–August for Stockholm archipelago and midnight sun; December–February for Northern Lights in Swedish Lapland.
June–September for alpine hiking; December–February for world-class ski resorts.
June–October: the Great Wildebeest Migration and prime safari weather on the Serengeti.
May–September: Kyiv's golden domes, Lviv's cobbled streets and Carpathian trails in warm summer months.
June–August: London, Scottish Highlands and the Cotswolds in their greenest, brightest form with the longest daylight.
April–May and September–October: national parks at their best, NYC fall foliage and California coast at sweet-spot temperatures.
Other months
