Most picturesque destination for May

The most colourful place Madeira Island, Portugal

In May there is one particular picturesque destination...: The most picturesque and colourful place in May is Madeira Island, Portugal. Not only it is the time when Madeira is in bloom - May is also when the Flower Festival takes place and Funchal, the island’s main city, starts preparing for the beautiful Flower Parade. See pictures.

Dancers, singers, performers of all ages dressed in beautiful, colourful costumes, overwhelming amounts of exotic flowers, beautiful colors and great atmosphere – this is what you can expect. The May Flower Parade is a beautiful spectacle to attend. The Flower Parade isn’t all, however. The entire Flower Festivals lasts over 3 weeks and offers visitors an amazing opportunity to enjoy flower installations, flower carpets, attend live concerts and fashion shows or visit the Flower Market - all that for free. If you love colours, flowers and great spring vibe – the Madeira Flower Festival is definitely a place to be. I have visited it twice and I will definitely visit it again.

Loktak Lake, Manipur

There are few places as picturesque as the only floating lake in the world. The Loktak Lake is just that. Apart from being the only floating lake in the world is also the largest freshwater lake in all of Northeastern India.

Loktak is most famous for its phumdis (a mass of vegetation floating on the lake) Keibul Lamjao National Park is nestled on one of these Phumdis making it the only floating national park in the world. Keibul Lamjao National Park is also the only place in the world where you can spot the golden Sangai Deer.

May is the best time to visit beautiful Córdoba, Spain

For my clients coming to Spain in May, I always recommend visiting the city of Córdoba in the south of the country. Not only is the weather amazing at that time of year, but crowds still tend to be lower.

The #1 activity in Córdoba, Spain in May is to attend the city's annual La Fiesta de los Patios. In early May, for two weeks, private homeowners open up their private Spanish style patios to the public. It's a rare chance to see the beautiful courtyards behind the unassuming doorways in Córdoba's narrow streets. Because there is also a contest for the best patios, the owners really go all out to beautifully decorate their little gardens and make sure everything is alive and blooming. It's a must for garden and architecture lovers!

I've been to this festival many times, and plan to return to Córdoba again in May of 2021 to attend again. Every year it just gets better as the patios become more and more beautiful.

Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

The DuPont Estate turned public garden is exquisite in every season, but May stands out as the most beautiful. I have been there every month and will continue to visit at every opportunity.

In early May, visitors can marvel at the outdoor paths that weave through bountiful beds of tulips and other spring blossoms. The fountain displays add an architectural water feature to complement the natural beauty of the gardens and lawns. Their nighttime fountain shows include choreographed fountains illuminated with multi-colored spotlights that change to reflect the music.

They also showcase a stunning newly installed flame element.

Inside the greenhouses, the garden themes change in each room and they’re different and exciting each season and year. Once again, water features are interwoven with the plants. Every aspect of the conservatory is carefully planned and expertly executed and the result is breathtaking.

The children’s garden which is appropriate for all ages has been completely reinvented and improved. It contains water elements, hands-on activities, and plenty of room to explore.

Northern Chile

The Atacama Desert in Northern Chile is a beautifully picturesque travel option for May. With landscapes that closely resemble Mars, vast salt flats punctured by the occasional flock of flamingoes, crystal blue lagoons and steaming geysers, the Atacama desert is somewhere I will always go back to.

Having visited twice already this region draws me back year after year. The best things to do include hiring a car and visiting the various lakes, geysers and salt flats as well as bathing in the salt-crusted lagoons and watching the sunset over Valle de la Luna.

At night, the sky comes to life- a blanket of stars and milky ways which are best enjoyed as part of an astronomy tour. Since my first visit, I haven’t noticed many changes in the landscape itself but in the services offered in San Pedro de Atacama the visitor hub of the area. There has been an increase in hotels, tour agencies, restaurants and general development in the tourism sector of the area for the better.

Visit Grenada in the Caribbean.

It’s always a great time to visit the Caribbean but in May you should really head for Grenada for the annual Grenada Chocolate Festival. I have attended this every year since 2015 and intend to go back again in 2021. I have gained an appreciation of artisan bean to bar chocolate that you will never get from a magazine or on-line.

The Chocolate Festival showcases amazing locally made chocolate and it seems that each year there’s a new chocolate ‘factory’. What’s great is that each factory produces its own very distinctive chocolate with amazing flavors achieved through various processes such as charcoal roasting the beans, adding spices or even bee pollen. And over the years I’ve also seen a growing number of local artisans are using the cocoa butter, created from processing cocoa beans, to create natural skin and beauty products.

Also known as the Spice Island Grenada offers you a plethora of your favorite spices, often growing right beside you (eg nutmeg or cinnamon trees). Since visiting Grenada I have seen the locals trying to make every experience and opportunity better for visitors and locals alike.

Hands down New Mexico!

I have been in May and will return. New Mexico is packed with options, we spent our time in Santa Fe.

Some highlights that can't be missed:

The ancient ruins of the ancestors of present-day Pueblo Indians dating back to 1150. Just a short drive from Los Alamos, this is a reason alone to visit New Mexico. Here you can see the cave dwellings that are carved into the soft rock cliffs. Some of the houses still have black smoke stains from fire, and some contain petroglyphs (carved images). You can climb up into many of the dwellings and experience cave life for yourself!

Like a scene from Africa and only $24 a day, this place has everything from hot pools, mud pools and sauna's all with the backdrop of the burnt orange mountains.

Sometimes referred to as Pueblo de Taos (settlement of Taos). The only living Native American community designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to visit Madeira for flowers?

The answer is very simple - the best period is May. It is at this time that Madeira begins to bloom, and the Festival of Flowers takes place, and preparations begin for the Parade of Flowers.