1. Italy
In the cities or the countryside, May is a particularly glorious time to visit Italy. The weather is reliably warm and sunny, but you’re early enough to avoid the worst of the summer crowds. Additionally, May is known as the Month of the Rose, and gardens across the country are at their peak.
The calendar is also packed with festivals. In Assisi, Calendimaggio is a medieval and renaissance festival of performances and processions. On Ascension Day, Venice celebrates Festa della Sensa with regattas and rowing races. The festival culminates with the mayor tossing a gold ring into the water — a symbol of the city’s annual ‘wedding to the sea’.
- Don't miss: Italy's art cities: Venice, Florence & Rome
- Flight time: 8 hours 25 upwards dependent on airline (Toronto to Rome)
- Time difference: UTC +1
- May Temperature (Day): 14 to 24°C, depending on region
- May rainfall: 52 to 159mm, varies by region