Just weeks before the start of summer, May offers favourable conditions for travel, with rising temperatures across Europe and a calendar filled with festivals and cultural events. From coastal celebrations and literary gatherings to nature excursions and music festivals, several destinations combine seasonal atmosphere with rich cultural experiences.
Among the highlights are the Brighton Festival in the United Kingdom, running from 1 to 25 May 2026, and the internationally renowned Primavera Sound, which brings major artists to Barcelona from 3 to 7 June before continuing in Porto.
Guernsey, Channel Islands
Spring in the Channel Islands brings a festive atmosphere, marked by a series of cultural and outdoor events. One of the highlights is the Guernsey Literary Festival, held from 23 April to 7 May 2026. The two-week celebration of literature features more than 50 events, including readings, book signings and discussions with local and international authors, alongside illustration workshops for children.
Nature enthusiasts can also take part in the Guernsey Spring Walking Festival, scheduled from 23 May to 7 June 2026. The programme includes guided walks, wild plant foraging excursions and urban tours exploring the island’s distinctive geology, winding coastline, Second World War history and spring landscapes filled with bluebells and wildflowers.
Another important moment in the island’s calendar is Liberation Day on 9 May, commemorating the end of German occupation during the Second World War with celebrations and fireworks over St Peter Port.
Paris, France
May is one of the most appealing months to visit Paris, particularly during the annual Nuit des Musées, or Night of Museums. The event, typically held on the third Saturday of the month, falls on 16 May in 2026.
On that evening, many museums and cultural institutions across the French capital offer free entry and remain open until midnight, often accompanied by special lighting installations and DJ sets.
The season also transforms the city into an open-air cultural space. Contemporary artworks are displayed in the gardens of Fondation Cartier, while the seven-acre garden of the Musée Rodin showcases the sculptor’s works in a landscaped setting. Monumental sculptures can also be seen in the grounds of Musée Bourdelle.
Visitors can explore a free exhibition outside Notre-Dame de Paris presenting drawings related to the cathedral’s ongoing restoration works. Meanwhile, the Tuileries Tunnel, a former underground road link, has recently been converted into an 800-metre street art gallery featuring murals by European artists including Andrea Ravo Mattoni, Hydrane and Madame.
Memphis, United States
During the Memphis in May festival, artists, musicians and chefs gather in the Tennessee city for a month-long celebration of music, food and culture. Each year the festival focuses on a different international partner country, with Malaysia highlighted in the current edition.
The programme includes street music performances, barbecue competitions and sporting events such as the Great American River Run along the banks of the Mississippi River.
The city has also undergone significant urban redevelopment. An investment of around 58 million euros has transformed the riverside Tom Lee Park, adding new pavilions and the Canopy Walk, an elevated pathway connecting the park with downtown Memphis.
Recent redevelopment projects have stimulated growth in the hospitality sector, with several new hotels opening in renovated historic buildings. These include Central Station Memphis, located in a restored railway station, and Arrive Memphis, housed in a former art school.
Memphis’s culinary scene is also evolving. While the city remains famous for its barbecue traditions, a growing number of creative vegan restaurants are emerging.
Madeira, Portugal
The autonomous Portuguese island of Madeira, located in the subtropical waters off north-west Africa, has become a popular destination for nature and adventure travel.
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the island offers strong waves for surfing and numerous diving sites around shipwrecks. Inland, dense forests and a network of historic irrigation channels known as levadas create one of Europe’s most distinctive hiking landscapes.
Self-guided walking routes offer panoramic views, while organised tours introduce visitors to the island’s botanical diversity, including carpets of wildflowers that appear during spring and early summer.
Every May, Madeira hosts its annual Flower Festival, featuring a colourful parade of floats in the capital, Funchal, while parks and public spaces across the island are decorated with floral displays.
The season also marks the beginning of whale-watching excursions, alongside opportunities for activities such as canyoning and coasteering along the island’s steep cliffs and waterfall-lined ravines.
Source: National Geographic Travel
