by Sally Peck, The Telegraph, March 12, 2018
Whether Easter is early, as it is this year, or late, the April school holidays offer grand scope for a family trip. You could fly long-haul for culture or reliable beachy sunshine, or you might seek an active break somewhere in Europe, enjoying the very first rays of springtime sun.
1. Guaranteed sunshine in the Canaries
The quickest way to a sunny break is a four-hour flight to the Canary Islands. Choose the best island for your family using our guide. Tenerife and Lanzarote have the most child-focused hotels - Princesa Yaiza on the latter is a perennial favourite, thanks to its all-singing and dancing kids’ club and spa. Tots to Travel offers villas geared up for babies and toddlers on either island. For older children, consider packages from operators like Cachet Travel, Classic Collection, Prestige Holidays, Thomas Cook and TUI.
2. Early spring in Cyprus
The mildest climate in the Med can be found in Cyprus, where you should see highs of 21C, and nine hours of sunshine a day - refreshing for anyone emerging from a British winter. In April, the wild flowers are in bloom, and you’re well before peak season, so operators offer reasonable packages. Paphos is the main resort, and the north coast of the Akamas peninsula is the place to go to escape package holidays. See our experts’ favourite hotels or holiday offers.
3. Caribbean break
This is an excellent time of year for a trip to the Caribbean; the longer Easter holiday will allow you to recover from jetlag and have plenty of time to relax on the beach. The region took a hard blow last autumn when two category five hurricanes passed through, but while there was devastation, more than 70 per cent of the Caribbean remains open for - and in need of - business.
For real seclusion, head to the beautiful island of Nevis, either to the Four Seasons resort, with its golf and watersports, or to the more low-key but very pretty Nisbet Plantation. Both are waterside (unusual on Nevis). For keenly priced trips, search Thomas Cook for destinations including Antigua.
Quiz: Which is the perfect Caribbean island for you?
4. Culture in Japan
The long Easter holiday is the perfect time for a long-haul cultural trip before the heat of the summer months, and this is the perfect time of year to visit Japan. Read our expert’s guide to the best things to see and do in Japan, or explore this range of tours with some of the Telegraph’s favourite operators to Japan, including Trafalgar and Wendy Wu.
5. Sun, fun & films
If you’re after sun and theme parks but also fancy a bit of monumental landscapes, fitness and culture, California is a treat. Our expert reckons Disneyland is the best of Walt Disney’s parks for charm and climate. Read our guide to the best museums and activities - and why a native New Yorker believes it’s superior to the Big Apple for a family holiday .
6. City breaks around Europe
Even if you can’t get much time off work, a long weekend to a European city offers a chance to learn and indulge in some culinary explorations. Whether you sign up for a ThatMuse scavenger hunt in Paris or London, a marionette opera in Vienna, or a gladiator lesson in Rome, there are plenty of ways to make the best of European culture accessible to even the youngest visitors.
This article was written by Sally Peck from The Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
Related Stories
Celestyal Heads Back to Istanbul, Turkey
15 New Resorts on Tap for Club Med
The Cool Pool of the Week: Nisbet Plantation Beach Club in Nevis