Looking for April Destination Recommendations

Such fun!

How about Spain? Lots of wow there!

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/spain/itinerary

By Rick Steves So much to see, so little time. How to choose? To help
you get started, I've listed my top picks for where to go in Spain,
and outlined my plan for your best three-week trip. Depending on the
length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account,
here are my recommended priorities: 3 days: Madrid and Toledo 6 days,
add: Barcelona

Lots of ways to spend a week there-- Madrid or Barcelona or Sevilla or combinations.

Good luck and happy travels!

We've twice in the past few years done Sicily in April. It's just perfect weather (mid-70s and sunny), fewer tourists, and the amazing Sicilian produce is just coming into season.

Greece, or rather Athens, is pleasant at that time of year. Definitely full of history, and not just Ancient Greece. Outside the city…Corinth, Delphi or some of the nearer islands. Take a food tour, it’s more than kebabs and pita bread. Add a stay in a city like Napflio on the coast, visiting the Mycenean sites nearby and the theatre at Epidarius.

I'm surprised that of all the places you've visited, you still haven't been to London? A full week just in London, or spend a couple of days doing day trips.

I'm with CJean on London. So much just in the city. With one week I would stick in one place. A day trip to Windsor perhaps. Do check out what there is to see and do!

Thank you all so much for your suggestions!! We have some fun ideas to play with!

My picks, in order of preference, are:
San Sebastián/Bilbao
Lisbon/Porto
London
Lisbon and London should both have (relatively) inexpensive direct flights from the East Coast. Don't know about San Sebastián. With only a week, I would only choose someplace I could fly to directly.

I think that Spain, Italy, Greece and southern France might work fine for that time of the year. Should be warm weather and less crowded.

April in Rome is a wonderful thing and checks your boxes. Or a bit further south to Naples, the Amalfi Coast and Paestum

Week + April = Spain or Portugal!

With just one week, I think I would do a city break with a day trip or an overnight to something in the country. Or if you really want to do something new, a driving tour (let someone else drive) of Montenegro from coast to mountains with vineyard stops and olive plantation stops. Ancient villages and monasteries built into the sides of cliffs and manificient rivers in remote canyons.

-Trip will be in mid-April, and we have a week (we are both teachers and travel over spring break)

Easter is 20 April, so the week prior, there will be Easter Festivals in some locations. You might want to look for those. The ones we do here in Budapest are second only to the Christmas markets. Other cities, I am sure, do the same.

• Past destinations we have loved include Copenhagen, Ireland (Dublin, Galway, Aran Islands), Iceland, Paris, and Italy (Venice, Milan Tuscan countryside)

If you love it, stay with it. If you are ready for new experiences, think about heading East.

• We love city exploring as well as hiking/outdoorsy activities

For that and the heading East narrative, I would suggest Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro.

-We are really into learning the history of a place through museums, walking tours, etc

I will stick with the head East narrative and say that the history you would uncover and learn in Eastern Europe will be so completely new that you might get some additional enjoyment and wonder out of it.

-LOVE trying new food and drinks (nothing is off limits)

Well, I have to plug my city for food and wine. Few places I have ever been that have so much so good and so accessible. Italy would be my second choice on that one count.

There's a lot to love about the Balkans. The nations' coexistence with one another can be a bit fraught, but Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Bosnia all have fascinating histories, unusual but delicious foods and spectacular scenery. And Croatia, in particular, is an excellent place for young entrepreneurs to establish their tech businesses.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful thoughts!!

We have decided on returning to Italy and are SO excited!!