Where to go in April

A city on water without a single car: canals, humpbacked bridges and palaces mirrored in the lagoon.

Porto tumbles in terraces down to the Douro River: azulejo tiles, wine cellars and an iron bridge that looks like the Eiffel Tower.

Gothic spires, red-tiled roofs and Charles Bridge — a storybook city that's a joy to explore on foot in 2–3 days.

Seven hills, yellow trams, fado drifting from open windows and the ocean nearby.

Canals, swans and brick houses — Bruges seems frozen in the 15th century.

A fortress city with marble streets, encircled by walls above the sea.

An open-air museum of an island with honey-coloured stone, knights' fortresses and a warm sea almost all year round.

The heart of Andalusia: flamenco, orange trees lining the streets and Moorish-style palaces.

The Alhambra against the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada — one of the most beautiful sights in Europe.

The French Riviera at a budget-airline price: the Promenade des Anglais, an old town full of markets and clifftop villages 20–30 minutes away by bus.

Fly into Pisa and an hour later by train you're in five colourful villages perched on cliffs above the sea, linked by hiking trails.

A royal capital with one of Europe's largest medieval squares, an atmospheric Jewish quarter and very pleasant prices.

Parliament on the Danube, hot thermal baths and evening river cruises.

The birthplace of pizza, Vesuvius and the ruins of Pompeii — and right next door, the winding roads of the Amalfi Coast with lemon groves above the sea.