April flights are among the most affordable of the year, and the car parks near the airport still have plenty of room for your car. Compare the available guarded car parks in our comparison tool and book your space in a couple of minutes.
Where to fly in April for a holiday by the sea
Cyprus is a Mediterranean treasure in spring too
Cyprus is one of the most dependable choices in Europe in April. Temperatures sit between 20 and 25 °C and the resorts are waking up to a bit of spring bustle, yet they are nowhere near full. Larnaca and Limassol make good bases for trips around the island. The Blue Lagoon near Ayia Napa, the historic sights of Paphos and the mountain villages of the Troodos range give you plenty of variety.
Cypriots are also noticeably more open and more welcoming to visitors out of season than during the summer onslaught. And accommodation costs far less than it does in July.
Malta offers calm, history and the Blue Grotto
Malta is a great choice in April for anyone who wants to combine resting with sightseeing. At 18–22 °C the weather is ideal for walking and for touring the ancient megalithic temples, the Venetian fortifications of Valletta or the picturesque little island of Gozo. The Blue Grotto and the crystal-clear bays see very little tourist traffic in April.
Malta is small and easy to get around, and even a two-day visit here often gives you more than a week in a packed summer resort.
The Canary Islands, a year-round certainty
The Canary Islands are a paradise all year round, but April is a particularly good month to visit. Temperatures run between 22 and 26 °C, a refreshing wind blows and the crowds have not arrived yet.
- Tenerife tempts with the climb up the Teide volcano (3,715 m), either by cable car or on foot, with black volcanic beaches in the north and with the quieter atmosphere of the northern resorts.
- Gran Canaria, in turn, draws people to the Maspalomas dunes, which look like a slice of the Sahara, and to the local cooking in Las Palmas.
- Fuerteventura is a surfers' paradise, with endless sandy beaches and reliable wind; Corralejo and Cotillo are the favourite bases for that pastime. If you want to bring your board along, read up on how airlines carry it in our guide to checked baggage. Whenever you travel with a bigger suitcase or with sports equipment, it pays to check everything before you leave home.
- Lanzarote, meanwhile, looks like another planet, with lava fields, red mountains and vineyards planted in volcanic soil. Timanfaya National Park, where the ground is still hot, is a popular stop.
The sea around the Canaries is roughly 19–21 °C in April. If you do not mind the chill it is already swimmable, and either way you can enjoy a sunny day on the beach.
April flights can still be booked at the last minute. So can airport parking, except that the popular car parks at a sensible price go first. Our comparison tool shows you the available spaces in real time, so you can book today.
Where to go on holiday in April? Southern Europe is a sure thing
Andalusia and the Algarve
Southern Spain and southern Portugal are among the most dependable spring destinations in Europe. Málaga, Cádiz and Alicante average 18–24 °C and plenty of sunshine; the region can, after all, claim almost 300 sunny days a year.
The Algarve in Portugal draws visitors with its dramatic cliffs, golden beaches and ocean swimming for the hardy (the water is around 17 °C). Surfers will be in their element. Pairing the coast with historic Lisbon or Porto gives an April trip a different dimension from the classic beach holiday.
Sicily and Mallorca
Sicily is beautifully in bloom in April, with temperatures of 18–22 °C. Mount Etna draws day-trippers and Palermo surprises visitors with baroque architecture laced with Arab influences. The local food – pizza, arancini, caponata – suits almost every taste.
Mallorca, for its part, offers the sort of quiet in April that you can never count on in summer. Temperatures of 18–22 °C, empty coves with turquoise water and the Tramuntana mountains make it a treasure for anyone who likes walking. Light trekking shoes are more use at this time of year than diving fins, though you can always pack those as well.
The Greek islands – Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Santorini
The Greek islands wake up in April. Crete is gloriously green, temperatures reach 18–22 °C, and neither the Palace of Knossos nor the Samaria Gorge is anywhere near as packed as in July.
Rhodes offers 18–23 °C and a medieval town on the UNESCO list, while beaches such as Tsambika or Anthony Quinn Bay are perfect for walking and photography. Corfu is the greenest of the Ionian islands and in April you get it without the queues. Santorini in April? The white houses of Oia, the sunset and no crowds. Bathing in the hot springs of the Nea Kameni volcano is far more pleasant in April than in the summer heat.
Where to head in April for a holiday of sightseeing
To Japan for the spring cherry blossom
April is traditionally the loveliest month in Japan. The cherry trees bloom from roughly the end of March to the middle of April, depending on the region. Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima are full of trees in flower and locals head out for hanami, a picnic under the cherry blossom. Temperatures range from 10 to 20 °C.
Japan is not a cheap destination, but it is worth it. The food, the safety, the transport system and Japanese hospitality have no equal in Asia. The flight from Prague takes roughly 11–12 hours with one connection.
Istanbul serves up the Orient without the queues
Istanbul in April means 15–18 °C and far fewer tourists than in June or August. Hagia Sophia, Topkapi and the Grand Bazaar are all open to you without an hour of queuing. Cruising the Bosphorus and tasting Turkish food at off-season prices is simply a different experience.
Amsterdam, tulips and canals
April is Amsterdam's season, quite literally. The tulip fields in bloom at Keukenhof (open from late March to mid-May) and the city's canals together make the postcard image of spring. Temperatures of 10–16 °C and the odd shower, but flower lovers will think they are in heaven. The flight from Prague takes barely an hour and a half.
A holiday in April? Why travel outside the main season
An April holiday has concrete advantages over the peak season.
- Fewer tourists is the biggest one. In April the beaches and streets of Santorini, Rhodes or Kyoto feel open and calm. In summer the same places would call for an early alarm and a lot of patience.
- Lower prices. Flights to Greece, Spain or Turkey work out on average 30–50% cheaper in April than at peak. Hotels have rooms free even for short stays, and without a hefty surcharge.
- Pleasant temperatures without the summer heat. 20–25 °C is ideal for day trips, walking and photography. Egypt or Turkey in April feel like a completely different country from August at 40 °C.
- Flexibility when planning. Last-minute flights and accommodation are both easier to find and cheaper in spring.
Tip: our comparison tool lets you book a car park at Prague Airport even for an unplanned April trip. You will find a rundown of the free options on the free parking at Prague Airport page, with the benefits and the pitfalls of each one explained. And the questions that come up most often are answered on the airport parking – frequently asked questions page.
A car park booked in advance through our comparison tool means a guaranteed space, a fenced site and a shuttle straight to the terminal. Compare the available options and pick where to leave the car before you fly.
Where to go on holiday in April if the exotic and the far-flung tempt you
Japan
As described above, April is the golden month for Japan. Book your flights at least three months ahead, because the cherry blossom season is popular the world over.
Jordan, the desert and the Red Sea
April is the ideal month for Jordan. Petra, the rock city carved out by the Nabataeans, is an unforgettable experience at 25 °C and without the summer heat. Wadi Rum, meanwhile, is a photogenic red desert where you sleep in a camp under the stars. Aqaba on the Red Sea offers snorkelling over coral reefs with a sea temperature of around 24 °C.
The Dominican Republic and Cuba
The Caribbean is at the tail end of the dry season in April: sunny, around 28–30 °C, with the sea nicely warmed up. The Dominican Republic (Punta Cana, Samaná) and Cuba (Varadero, Trinidad) are among the best April destinations for anyone after a genuinely tropical climate and white-sand beaches. The flights are longer (10–12 hours) and pricier, but all-inclusive rates in April are still at off-season levels.
What not to forget before an April departure
April weather in Europe is changeable, so check the long-range forecast for your particular destination at least a week before you fly. Southern destinations (Andalusia, the Algarve, Cyprus) are more dependable than the central Mediterranean.
Layers of clothing are the basis of a comfortable April holiday. Mornings and evenings tend to be 5–8 °C cooler than the middle of the day. A light jacket or a scarf always comes in handy and saves you packing a spare outfit and the space it would take in your case.
Book the flight and the car park well ahead, because even April dates in popular destinations (the Canaries, Cyprus) do fill up. How the whole journey works, from the first check-in to landing, is explained in our article for people flying for the first time: your first flight. And for a general picture of what awaits you on board and at the airport, see our all-round guide to air travel.
April is the ideal time to book the flight and the parking
Out of season you travel more cheaply, more calmly and with more flexibility. That goes for flights, hotels and car parks alike.
It is worth looking at our comparison of car parks at Prague Airport, or at the overview of airport car parks around the world. Choose, compare and book your space before you leave home. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, and you pay on arrival.
You could be standing in front of rock-cut temples, admiring the cherry blossom or drinking tea on Mallorca. All the while your car is waiting in a guarded, camera-monitored car park, with nothing to fear from thieves or damage. Book that peace of mind through our comparison tool before you even pack your case.
