Where to go when

Top 10 holiday destinations - May

MAY is a lovely time for exploring the countryside and hill towns of Tuscany. and if you want to see Crete without the crowds, this is also the time to go. In Portugal, the weather is great in the Algarve. and you can discover the red-cliffed coastline and idyllic whitewashed Moorish villages dotted with lattice chimneys and orange groves almost on your own.

A bit further away, the winds over the Atlantic are less strong, making the miniature Galápagos archipelago of Cape Verde excellent, while closer to home the Scottish Highlands are warming up nicely. Now is the time to go there in order to avoid bringing anti-midge protection.

Istanbul - with its glittering mosques, ruched velvet night-spots, smart hotels and beautiful vistas, is ideal for a romantic city break, but if you prefer white sand and turquoise seas, you should head to the Philippines ' volcanic peaks and beach resorts, lounge on palm-fringed beaches in the Bahamas. or explore old-school style on Mexico's Pacific coast. And, for the holiday of a lifetime, head straight to French Polynesia in the South Pacific: in May, the air is fresh, the flowers are beautiful and temperatures range from 21-31°C.