My husband and I have booked a river tour between Antwerp and Amsterdam for the last week of April, with a couple of days in Amsterdam in early May. We want to extend our trip two weeks to visit Ghent and Bruges, and also spend time in Paris and its surrounds.
We are flexible in terms of timing and can travel either before or after our tour. Is it better to visit Paris in April or May? Would Holy Week affect tourist sites schedules?
Any advice would be most welcome.
Posted by
Los Angeles
1825 posts
May as the days are longer and the nights are warmer. Your timing for Amsterdam is good as you will have missed King's Day but can still catch the Keukenhof Gardens.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
The first three weeks of April are school holidays in various parts of Europe, so places will be busier and more expensive. The weather should be better in May and there will be longer daylight hours.
Posted by
Los Angeles
954 posts
I also vote for May. The weather should be warmer and it is a lovely outdoor city.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9420 posts
Another vote for May!
Posted by
Florida
1443 posts
both are awesome times. can't go wrong.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6488 posts
May, for warmer dryer weather (no guarantees) and more daylight (guaranteed).
Posted by
la la land...
832 posts
Better weather in May, for sure. But the downside is you are more likely to encounter tourist and school groups in May at the big sites (the one where we saw the most kids was Versailles).
I would pick May having done both months based on the better weather alone.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10176 posts
Anyone traveling to France in May needs to remember and plan for the three holidays in May:
May 1, 8, 26.
Posted by
Irving
2943 posts
Never been to Paris in May but did go in April once and the friend I was traveling with couldn’t take the cold rain.