May is one of the finest months to travel wherever you are in the world. Spring is in full bloom across Europe, temperatures in the American South are warm without the oppressive summer heat, and many of the world's best destinations sit just below peak-season crowds. Here are five cities that shine in May.

Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Charleston in May is at its most beautiful: the azaleas and jasmine are in bloom, the temperatures are warm and pleasant, and the city's extraordinary concentration of antebellum architecture, cobbled lanes, and exceptional restaurants is best appreciated before the full heat of summer sets in. The long May evenings on restaurant terraces, along the Battery waterfront, or watching the sun go down over the Ravenel Bridge are among the genuine pleasures of the American South.

• The Vendue is Charleston's art hotel, built across several converted 1780s warehouses near the Waterfront Park. The 84 rooms are individually decorated with contemporary art and period furnishings, and the building's original character (crystal chandeliers, exposed brick, historic details) sets an atmospheric backdrop for a very strong art collection. A nightly wine-and-cheese reception in the main gallery is complimentary for guests, as is breakfast and coffee from the ground-floor Press café. The rooftop bar has sweeping views over the city's rooftops and the Cooper River.
• The Loutrel is a boutique hotel in the French Quarter, one of the most characterful parts of the old city. The 50 rooms blend antique charm with contemporary comfort, and the hotel's generosity shows throughout: complimentary minibar snacks, a nightly charcuterie-and-wine hour, a cocktail reception, and daily turndown. The rooftop lounge offers great views of the historic city.
• 20 South Battery is a beautifully preserved 1843 mansion in the heart of the Battery District, operating as a boutique inn with just 11 individually decorated rooms. The views over White Point Gardens and the Charleston harbour from the upper rooms are remarkable, and the inn's atmosphere, wine and cheese evenings, local breakfasts in the parlour, and staff who know every restaurant in the city make it a genuinely personal place where guests are treated as visitors to a private home.
• Wentworth Mansion is Charleston's grandest address: a late-19th-century Romanesque Revival mansion near the College of Charleston. The 21 rooms and suites feature fireplaces, whirlpool baths, and the deep, quiet comfort that comes with a house of this age. The on-site restaurant in the original carriage house, built around 1886, is one of the city's finer dining experiences. Complimentary evening brandies and sherries, a spa, and cooked-to-order breakfast complete the picture.

Porto, Portugal

Porto in May offers the Douro at its most vivid: the river sparkling in the spring sunshine, the azulejo-tiled facades of the Ribeira glowing in warm light, and the city's extraordinary concentration of wine lodges, granite churches, and art nouveau architecture best explored before the summer crowds arrive. The port wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia deserve a full afternoon, and the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, in its extensive gardens, is exceptional in the spring light.

• Menina Colina is a small guesthouse near the Palácio de Cristal in the Vitória neighbourhood, set in a building with a garden and sun terrace and run with the personal warmth of an owner-operated property. The location puts guests within comfortable walking distance of the historic centre while offering a more residential experience than the hotels in the Ribeira. The staff's knowledge of where to eat and drink in Porto is one of the hotel's genuine assets, and the occasional fado evenings hosted on the premises are worth knowing about.
• The Editory Artist is a boutique hotel in the Baixa district, part of the Porto-based Editory group, with a strong design sensibility and a location that makes the main sights (the Clérigos Tower, the Lello bookshop, Praça da Liberdade) immediately accessible on foot. The rooms are well-appointed, and the hotel's creative identity gives it a personality distinct from the larger international properties in the city.
• One Shot Palácio Cedofeita occupies an 1831 palace on the historic Rua da Cedofeita, a building that has witnessed Porto's bourgeois culture for nearly two centuries. It now offers rooms and suites with private terraces, surrounded by gardens and historic salons. Breakfast is served in the former ballroom, with its original architectural grandeur intact, and the hotel's position near the Clérigos Tower and Praça da Liberdade makes it an excellent base for exploring the city on foot.
• Hotel das Virtudes is a small, carefully run boutique property in the Vitória neighbourhood, named for the Passeio das Virtudes, the historic promenade with its extraordinary views over the Douro, just steps from the front door. The hotel occupies a historic building with well-appointed rooms and the intimate scale that gives guests a genuine sense of the Porto neighbourhood rather than an international hotel experience.

Granada, Spain

Granada in May is Andalucia at its most bewitching: the Alhambra's gardens in full bloom, the evening air warm enough for outdoor dining, and the tapas culture that distinguishes Granada from everywhere else in Spain in full operation. In Granada, ordering a drink brings a free tapa, a tradition the city maintains with genuine generosity, meaning evenings of eating and drinking in the Realejo and Albayzín neighbourhoods cost considerably less than they should. The Alhambra, the Generalife gardens, the Albayzín quarter, and the flamenco caves of Sacromonte are all magnificent. Book Alhambra tickets well in advance.

• La Casa Morisca is a meticulously restored 15th-century Moorish residence deep in Granada's medieval Albayzín quarter, at the foot of the Alhambra on the Carrera del Darro. Built around a galleried internal courtyard with a serene marble pool, the rooms have antique furnishings, unique carved ceilings, and Alhambra views from the higher floors. The Mirador Room at the top, with its intricately painted polychromatic wooden ceiling, is particularly spectacular.
• Hospes Palacio de los Patos is a grand 19th-century palace with an ornate ochre-painted exterior that stands as one of the finest hotel buildings in Andalusia. The interiors take a deliberately contemporary approach think monochromatic, airy, thoroughly modern - in deliberate contrast to the palatial shell. The spa with its indoor pool and hammam is exceptional, and the gourmet restaurant is one of the better hotel kitchens in the city.
• Seda Club is a property with a decidedly different personality from Granada's heritage hotels: velvet upholstery, intricate tile designs, a warm palette of reds and blues, a rooftop bar with city views, and a classic Andalucían courtyard. It is the most contemporary and design-forward option in the city, and for those who want Granada's history as context rather than total immersion, it offers a very comfortable alternative.

Santa Barbara, California, USA

Santa Barbara in May is the California Riviera at its ideal: warm and sunny without the heat of high summer, the hills above the city green from the winter rains, and the city's distinctive Spanish Colonial Revival architecture glowing white against a blue Pacific sky. The wine country of the Santa Ynez Valley is 30 minutes north, the beaches of Butterfly Beach and East Beach are inviting in May, and the Saturday farmers' market is one of the finest in California.

• Palihouse Santa Barbara is a 24-room boutique hotel in the Historic Presidio Neighbourhood, set around a Mediterranean-style courtyard with a sparkling pool and garden café. The rooms are handsomely appointed in the residential style that the Paligroup does well, warm, layered, with a strong sense of place, and the cocktail bar and lobby lounge give the hotel a convivial social character.
• Inn on Summer Hill is a romantic hillside retreat above the city with 16 rooms, each individually designed with canopy beds, whirlpool tubs, fireplaces, and ocean views from many. The inn's understated elegance and genuinely personal service have made it a favourite for those celebrating anniversaries and honeymoons, and the views over the Channel Islands on clear days are remarkable.
• Simpson House Inn is an adults-only Victorian bed-and-breakfast inn surrounded by an acre of English gardens in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, completely removed in atmosphere from the city despite being walkable to everything. The 15 rooms and cottages offer exceptional service, a breakfast of genuine quality, evening wine and snacks in the garden, and free bicycle rentals. 
• Hideaway Santa Barbara is a boutique hotel in the West Beach neighbourhood with a design identity that reflects its coastal California setting; think natural materials, warm tones and a relaxed but well-appointed aesthetic. Its waterfront location puts guests close to Stearns Wharf and East Beach, and the hotel's pool and communal spaces make it a sociable base for exploring the city.

Mexico City, Mexico

May is just before the rainy season in Mexico City, with warm, clear days and the city's extraordinary cultural life in full swing. The Museo Nacional de Antropología is one of the world's great museums and deserves a full day. The Roma and Condesa neighbourhoods, with their Art Deco architecture, tree-lined boulevards, and concentration of excellent cafés and restaurants, are best explored on foot. Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul in Coyoacán, the Zócalo and the Templo Mayor, and the floating gardens of Xochimilco should not be missed.

• Nima Local House Hotel is one of Mexico City's most distinctive small hotels: four rooms in an elegant Roma Norte townhouse featuring sophisticated decor, dappled light, and Juliet balconies on the street-facing rooms. Due to its small size, the hotel fills quickly, and early booking is essential.
• Brick Hotel is a boutique property in the Polanco neighbourhood, Mexico City's most fashionable address, with a design identity that draws on the neighbourhood's sophistication. The well-appointed rooms, excellent restaurant, and proximity to the city's finest galleries, shops, and restaurants make it a natural base for those visiting for culture and gastronomy.
• Octavia Casa is a beautifully conceived small hotel in the Juárez neighbourhood, between Roma and Polanco, with a design that draws on the city's early-20th-century architecture. Its intimate scale, quality furnishings, and strong ties to the local creative community give it a character that feels genuinely Mexican.
• El Patio 77 is a colonial-era townhouse in the Tabacalera neighbourhood, turned into a boutique bed and breakfast with a strong commitment to sustainable practice and local sourcing. The seven rooms are individually decorated with Mexican craft and art; the courtyard patio gives the hotel its name and character; and the owners' knowledge of the city makes it a very useful base.

Still not sure? 

• Browse through our full list of accommodation options in Mexico City
• Refine your search to include our recommendations for the Best Hotels in Porto or The 7 Best Hotels with Private Pools in California
• Alternatively, you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.