April is the month when travellers end up choosing between similar places. Seville or Lisbon for a spring city break. Dutch tulips or Turkish tulips. A balloon over Cappadocia or a trek in the Annapurnas. The Seychelles or Thailand for tropical heat. New Orleans' smaller festival or its bigger one.
This guide puts those rivals side by side, using each place's April climate and the 2027 calendar. Easter falls on 28 March this year, so most of April comes after the holiday rush.
The pairings in one table
| Choice | April high / low | Rainy days | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seville | 24°C / 12°C (75°F / 53°F) | About 6 | You want warmth and the Feria |
| Lisbon | 20°C / 12°C (69°F / 54°F) | About 8 | You want hills, views and the sea nearby |
| Amsterdam | 14°C / 5°C (58°F / 41°F) | About 9 | You want bulb fields and King's Day |
| Istanbul | 16°C / 8°C (61°F / 47°F) | About 10 | You want tulips with mosques and bazaars |
| Cappadocia (Nevşehir) | 16°C / 5°C (61°F / 41°F) | About 12 | You want short walks and a balloon flight |
| Pokhara (Annapurna) | 30°C / 16°C (86°F / 61°F) | About 10 to 11 | You have a week or more to trek |
| Seychelles (Mahé) | 32°C / 26°C (89°F / 78°F) | Not published | You want calm, warm sea |
| New Orleans | 26°C / 17°C (79°F / 62°F) | About 7 | You want live music |
Seville or Lisbon
Both cities are at their best in spring, and both are a short flight from most of Europe. The difference is temperature and mood. Seville is the warmer of the two. Spain's weather agency, AEMET, records about eight to nine hours of sunshine a day there in April, and the old town smells of orange blossom.
In summer, afternoon highs there routinely pass 35°C, so April is the time to go. The city's big spring event is the Feria de Abril. Most of its casetas, the marquees where families and clubs hold parties, are private and need an invitation.
A few are open to everyone, and for visitors the best part is walking the fairground streets in the afternoon, when the horses and carriages parade. The city council had not confirmed the 2027 dates when we checked, but travel calendars expect 12 to 18 April. Hotel rates in Seville rise sharply that week.
The Real Alcázar, with its tiled palace rooms and gardens, sells timed tickets online, and the early slots are the quietest. Across the river, Triana is the old potters' and flamenco quarter, and a show there is the obvious way to spend an evening.
Seville also makes a good base for Granada and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Most visitors to Andalusia end up booking both, and the itinerary further down shows how.
Lisbon is milder and moodier. Portugal's weather institute, IPMA, records about eight hours of sunshine a day there in April, with showers on around eight days. The Atlantic is still cold, at about 15°C (60°F), so a swim means a quick dip. The weather suits a hilly city.
The steep lanes of Alfama and Graça and the viewpoints above them are pleasant to walk in April, and hard work in the heat and crowds of August. Arrive at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém at opening time, because by late morning the queue is long. Buy a pastel de nata nearby while you wait.
Tram 28 is famous, but it is crowded and pickpockets work it. Ride it early in the morning or walk the same route. Sintra deserves a full day. Book the Pena Palace online and take the train from Rossio station, because parking in Sintra is limited. For more ideas, see the top attractions in Lisbon, or add Porto, three hours north by train.
The verdict: choose Seville for warmth, flamenco and the Feria, and Lisbon for views, fado and a quieter week. In both cities, the cobbles get slippery after rain, so pack shoes with good grip. More on both countries: Spain and Portugal.
Dutch tulips or Turkish tulips
The tulip is closely tied to both countries. The Ottomans grew it in their palace gardens long before Dutch traders turned it into a crop. In April you can see both. The Netherlands has the scale. The farm fields between Haarlem and Leiden are at their peak in the middle and second half of the month, and the show gardens at Keukenhof are open from 18 March to 9 May 2027.
Both Keukenhof and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam sell tickets online for timed slots, and the Anne Frank House sells out quickly. The fields outside Keukenhof are working farms, so walk or cycle along the paths and not through the rows. The month ends with King's Day on 27 April.
Amsterdam turns orange, with street markets, boat parties and music, and trains into the city are packed. Arrive the day before if you can.
The Dutch weather is the drawback. Amsterdam is cool and changeable in April. Figures from the Dutch weather service, KNMI, give afternoons around 14°C (58°F), nights around 5°C (41°F), rain on about nine days and six to seven hours of sunshine. Bring a waterproof jacket and a warm layer, and stay out of the red cycle lanes when you walk. See the Netherlands page for more.
Istanbul plants millions of bulbs every spring for the Istanbul Tulip Festival, which usually runs through April. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet. Emirgan Park on the Bosphorus has the biggest displays, and Gülhane Park, beside Topkapı Palace, is the easiest to reach from the old city.
Istanbul is a couple of degrees warmer than Amsterdam. The Turkish State Meteorological Service records afternoons around 16°C (61°F) and showers on about ten days. Unlike Amsterdam, the flowers come with everything else the city has to offer: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar.
The mosques close to visitors at prayer times, and the Friday midday closure is the longest. Cover your shoulders and knees, and women should bring a scarf. More ideas: top things to do in Istanbul.
The verdict: go to the Netherlands for the sheer size of the fields and a short bike-and-museum break. Go to Istanbul if the flowers are a bonus on a trip planned around history and food.
Cappadocia or the Annapurnas
For spring walking among unusual landscapes, these two give very different trips. Cappadocia is the gentle option. Spring turns its valleys green and its fruit trees flower. The Rose and Red valleys are half-day walks between rock chimneys and cave churches, and the Göreme Open-Air Museum and the underground city at Derinkuyu fill the rest of a short stay.
Two or three nights in a cave hotel is enough. Nevşehir, on the plateau, averages about 16°C (61°F) in the afternoon but only 5°C (41°F) at night, with rain on about twelve days. Dawn, when the balloons take off, is cold. April is the start of the main ballooning season, but wind cancels a fair number of spring flights, so book for your first morning and leave the second free to rebook.
Choose an operator licensed by the civil aviation authority. Smaller baskets cost more but feel less crowded. Kayseri and Nevşehir airports both serve the region, about an hour's flight from Istanbul. More on the country: Turkey.
The Annapurnas are a much bigger commitment. April is one of the two peak trekking months in Nepal. The rhododendron forests turn red and pink, the high passes are usually open and the days are long. Pokhara, the lakeside town where most treks start, averages about 30°C (86°F) by day and 16°C (61°F) at night.
It has around ten or eleven rainy days, mostly short afternoon showers, so start walking early. Poon Hill takes about five days and suits beginners. Annapurna Base Camp takes ten to fourteen days, and the full Circuit over the Thorong La pass can take up to three weeks.
Trekkers need a conservation area permit, and foreign trekkers now have to hire a licensed guide on most routes in Nepal's national parks and conservation areas. Teahouses on the popular trails are busy in April. Our guide to trekking in Nepal for beginners covers the easier routes and the permits.
The verdict: Cappadocia suits a long weekend and travellers of any fitness. The Annapurnas suit people with at least a week and a pair of boots that are already broken in.
The Seychelles or Thailand
For tropical warmth in April, these two are the obvious rivals, and the Seychelles wins clearly. April falls between the two trade-wind seasons, so the wind drops and the sea becomes calm and very clear. At around 30°C (86°F), the water is at its warmest of the year, which makes April one of the best months for snorkelling and diving.
On Mahé, afternoons reach about 32°C (89°F) and there are around eight hours of sunshine a day. The best way to see the islands is to move between them. Fast ferries link Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, and short flights connect Mahé and Praslin.
On La Digue, most people get around by bicycle, and Anse Source d'Argent is the beach in the photographs. On Praslin, the Vallée de Mai palm forest is home to the coco de mer. Some of the best-known beaches have strong currents or reef close to the shore, so ask locally before swimming.
Guesthouses and self-catering flats on Praslin and La Digue cost far less than the big resorts. For ideas, see the best Seychelles islands.
Thailand, by contrast, is at its hottest in April. Bangkok's humidity is oppressive before the rains arrive in May, and the smoke from the burning season can still hang over the north. The one good reason to go is Songkran, the Thai New Year, on 13 to 15 April.
For three days the streets turn into a water fight, which is a fun way to cope with the hottest week of the year. Transport is busy and many businesses close. If you go, visit temples early in the morning and spend the afternoons indoors or by a pool.
The same heat makes Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan hard work in April. Afternoons on the north Indian plains get very hot as the pre-monsoon season builds. Travellers who have to go should see the Taj Mahal at sunrise and plan indoor afternoons. Nepal's foothills are a cooler way to see the Himalayan region.
French Quarter Festival or Jazz Fest
Spring is festival season in New Orleans. The weather is warm and pleasant, with afternoons around 26°C (79°F) and nights around 17°C (62°F), before the heavy summer humidity sets in. The two big events take different approaches. The French Quarter Festival, from 8 to 11 April 2027, is free. Its stages are spread along the riverfront and through the old streets, and you can wander between them with food from the stalls.
It focuses on local musicians. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival runs over two long weekends, 22 to 25 April and 29 April to 2 May 2027, at the Fair Grounds in Gentilly, a few kilometres from the French Quarter. It is ticketed, and the festival's own site sells them cheaper in advance than at the gate.
It has more stages and bigger names than anyone can see in a day, and a children's area. Shuttle buses run from downtown on festival days, and parking nearby is scarce. Check the schedule the night before and plan around two or three stages.
Hotels can sell out on festival weekends, while the weeks in between have the same weather and lower rates. Stay in the French Quarter or the Marigny to walk to the music, or near the St Charles streetcar line in the Garden District for a quieter base.
Between festivals, spend evenings listening to live music on Frenchmen Street, try beignets, take a swamp tour and visit the National WWII Museum. At night, stick to busy, well-lit streets and use a taxi or ride-hailing app late in the evening.
The verdict: the French Quarter Festival is for a free, relaxed weekend. Jazz Fest is for music fans who are happy to pay for a fuller line-up.
What the head-to-heads leave out
Andalusia
A few details don't fit neatly into any of the pairings. In Andalusia, April is also when the courtyards of Córdoba fill with flowers. The city's formal patio festival comes in May, but many patios in the San Basilio quarter are already in bloom.
Granada's Alhambra is at its greenest, and the Generalife gardens are planted for spring. Cherry trees flower in the Jerte Valley in Extremadura in late March and early April. It is a detour, but a fine one if you are driving between Seville and Madrid.
Portugal
In Portugal, April is a good month to walk the coast at Cascais and Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, both an easy train or bus ride from Lisbon. The Algarve's cliff paths, such as the Seven Hanging Valleys trail near Carvoeiro, are comfortable before the summer heat. The sea there is still cool, though, so swimming is for the brave.
The Netherlands and Istanbul
In the Netherlands, the bulb region is easy to explore by bike. Hire shops in Lisse and Leiden rent bikes for the flat routes through the fields, and Haarlem is a pleasant, smaller base than Amsterdam. Utrecht and Delft are each well under an hour from Amsterdam by train if you want to see other Dutch cities.
In Istanbul, the Asian side is quieter. A ferry to Kadıköy for its food market and the seafront at Moda costs only a transport fare and shows a more local side of the city.
Nepal and the Seychelles
In Nepal, Pokhara is worth a day or two either side of a trek. Boats go out on Phewa Lake to the island temple of Tal Barahi, and paragliders take off from Sarangkot above town. In the Seychelles, April is turtle season on some beaches. Hawksbill turtles nest on Seychelles beaches from roughly October to March, and the hatchlings emerge in the following months, so ask locally about guided walks.
Two places that lose either way
Two popular destinations are poor choices in April whatever you compare them with. In Kenya and Tanzania, the long rains usually last from about late March to May. Some dirt roads become impassable, a number of safari camps close, and Kilimanjaro's trails turn to mud. Lodges that stay open often offer green-season discounts, but the safari season proper runs from about June to October.
In Iceland, the mountain F-roads into the interior stay closed until the snow melts, usually around June. The northern lights season is also fading as the nights get shorter. The Ring Road and the south coast are still open, but for a northern spring, the Netherlands is the better choice.
How to plan it
A week in Andalusia. Spend the first three nights in Seville's Santa Cruz quarter or in Triana, both within walking distance of the main sights.
- Seville, day 1. On the first morning, take the earliest Real Alcázar slot, then see the cathedral and the Giralda tower in the afternoon.
- Seville, day 2. On day two, visit the Plaza de España and María Luisa Park, then cross the river to Triana for tapas and a flamenco show.
- Seville, day 3. Keep day three loose for the Metropol Parasol, the markets and a long lunch, because Andalusian evenings start late.
- Córdoba, day 4. On day four, take the high-speed train to Córdoba, about 45 minutes, and see the Mosque-Cathedral in the morning before the tour groups. Spend the afternoon in the lanes and flower-filled patios of the old Jewish quarter, and sleep in Córdoba.
- Granada, days 5 and 6. On day five, take the train on to Granada, about an hour and a half, and stay in the Albaicín, which looks across to the Alhambra. Alhambra tickets give a fixed entry time for the Nasrid Palaces, so plan the rest of that day around it. Buy them on the official site as soon as your dates are set, because spring slots sell out weeks ahead. Watch the sunset from the Mirador de San Nicolás.
- Day 7. On day seven, travel to Málaga, about 90 minutes by road, for your flight.
Four days in Turkey. Spend two nights in Sultanahmet to see Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı and the bazaars, with an afternoon ferry up the Bosphorus to the tulips at Emirgan. Then fly to Kayseri or Nevşehir and spend two nights in a cave hotel in Göreme, with the balloon flight booked for the first morning.
The AI Trip Planner will set out either route day by day and fit it to your budget.
When to book. Book Seville for Feria week, Amsterdam for King's Day and New Orleans for Jazz Fest four to six months ahead, as there are more visitors than rooms on those dates. Alhambra and Anne Frank House tickets need booking as soon as they are released.
Book Cappadocia balloon flights a few weeks ahead. On most Annapurna routes, teahouses work on a first-come, first-served basis, but in April, guides and flights to Pokhara are best arranged a month or two in advance.
Visas. Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands are in the Schengen area, which now records non-EU visitors through the Entry/Exit System at the border. The ETIAS travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors had not started, and the EU had not set a start date, when we checked in November 2026, so check its status on the EU's official travel-europe.europa.eu site before you travel.
Turkey issues e-visas to the nationalities that need one through evisa.gov.tr. Visa Waiver travellers to the United States need an approved ESTA. The Seychelles requires a travel authorisation, applied for online before departure, and Nepal offers visas on arrival. See our Nepal visa and Thailand visa guides, and the visa section for other countries.
Health and money. On higher treks in Nepal, learn the symptoms of altitude sickness and build in rest days. Your insurance must cover trekking at altitude and helicopter evacuation. Pickpockets work the busy parts of Lisbon, Seville, Amsterdam and Istanbul. To save money, avoid Seville during Feria week, or stay in Córdoba and visit Seville by train.
In Lisbon, the Lisboa Card covers public transport and gives free or reduced entry to many sights. In Istanbul, an Istanbulkart pays for public ferries, which show you much of the Bosphorus for the price of a transport fare. Keukenhof combination tickets include the bus from Schiphol or Leiden.
Packing.
- For Seville, bring light clothes and a jacket for late dinners outdoors.
- Lisbon needs a light waterproof.
- Amsterdam, Istanbul and Cappadocia all have nights between 5 and 8°C, so bring a warm layer and an umbrella, and dress warmly for a dawn balloon flight.
- The Seychelles needs light clothing, swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen and a hat.
- For Nepal, bring trekking boots, a down jacket for cold nights at altitude and a rain shell.
- Take a scarf and clothes that cover your shoulders and knees for Istanbul's mosques.
How we checked this
The climate figures are long-term averages from national weather services, mostly their 1991 to 2020 normals. Event dates come from the organisers or official calendars, and entry rules from government portals; we checked them all in November 2026. You can read more about how we research our guides.
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