The last month of spring is a great time for travel. It’s already warm almost everywhere, and in some countries the beach season is even opening. If you wish, you can extend the May holidays by taking a few days off and going on a two-week trip. And in order not to waste time on obtaining a visa, choose destinations from our selection.
Armenia, Yerevan
If you want to go to this sunny, hospitable country, May will be the ideal month: nature is blooming, the summer heat is still far away, and you can calmly walk around Yerevan and go on excursions around the city. At the same time, the winter cold characteristic of spring evenings is almost gone. During the day the temperature averages around +20 °C, and by night it drops to +10 °C, so it’s still worth bringing a jacket.
There are many leisure options in Yerevan and its surroundings. If you want to see all the interesting things, plan to spend at least a week here. We have a detailed article about the sights of the Armenian capital, a guide to secret places, as well as ideas for trips from the city for one day.
How to get there: take a direct flight from Moscow to Yerevan. The journey takes from 3 hours 40 minutes depending on the airline, prices for round-trip tickets in May start from 23,000 rubles*.
Where to stay
- Three-star Holiday Inn Express hotel (rating 9.0). Room rates from 8,200 rubles* per night.
- Three-star hotel ibis Yerevan Center (rating 8.8). Room rates from 8,700 rubles* per night.
- Four-star hotel DoubleTree by Hilton Yerevan City Center (rating 9.1). Room rates from 17,500 rubles* per night.
Serbia, Belgrade
In Serbia in May the weather is already quite warm: during the day +22 °C. By nightfall, however, the temperature drops by ten degrees, so in addition to T-shirts, it’s worth bringing something with long sleeves. And be sure to take an umbrella: May is considered one of the rainiest months of the year. At the same time, it’s very warm outside, everything is green and beautiful, and you’ll definitely want to walk a lot.
We have a detailed guide to the capital of Serbia and other interesting locations. And also a cool nine-day itinerary that also covers Bosnia and Herzegovina.
How to get there: there are direct flights from Moscow to Belgrade, the journey will take a little more than three hours, in May ticket prices start from 99,000 rubles * in both directions.
Where to stay
- Four-star Belgrade City Hotel (rating 8.3). Room rates from 6,500 rubles* per night.
- Five-star Hotel Metropol Palace (rating 8.9). Room rates from 12,300 rubles* per night.
- Four-star Jump INN (rating 9.2). Room rates from 12,300 rubles* per night.
Kazakhstan, Almaty
In recent years, the popularity of the former capital of Kazakhstan has increased among Russian tourists. In May it is very comfortable here: during the day up to +18 °C, at night it is twice as cool. There is much more sun than in early and mid-spring, but rain also occurs periodically. Even late snowfalls are likely at the beginning of the month, so we recommend checking the weather immediately before your trip.
People come here mainly to admire nature, and there are quite a few interesting locations in the vicinity of the city. We have collected the most picturesque gorges and waterfalls in a separate article – many can already be easily reached in May. We also have a guide to the western regions of Kazakhstan.
There are not many attractions in the city itself, and most are also natural. If you prefer excursions, see the unique wooden Ascension Cathedral, which is said to have been built without a single nail. Another beautiful religious building, Zenkovsky Cathedral, stands in the Park of 28 Panfilovites, where in May everything blooms and turns green. There are very beautiful stained glass windows inside the cathedral. And then take a walk along the streets of Panfilov and Zhibek-Zholy, where there are many cafes and fountains.
How to get there: by direct flight to Almaty from Moscow you can fly in 4 hours 10 minutes and 24,000 rubles*.
Where to stay
- Four-star Plaza Hotel Almaty (rating 8.9). Room rates from 5,900 rubles* per night.
- Four-star hotel Holiday Inn Almaty (rating 8.2). Room rates from 6,600 rubles* per night.
- Five-star Rixos Almaty Hotel (rating 9.2). Room rates from 25,400 rubles* per night.
Azerbaijan, Baku
May is the ideal month to get to know the capital of Azerbaijan. This month is already warm, but not yet hot (in the daytime the temperature stays around +20 °C, and by the end of May it rises to +28 °C). It is usually windy outside (Baku is generally famous for its winds), but it is in the last month of spring that it is calmest here in this regard. It is very sunny and almost no rain. This means plan long walks. We have a detailed guide to Baku, which highlights the most interesting attractions.
Another reason to come to Baku in the last month of spring is the annual flower festival. It takes place on May 10 – a great reason to extend the weekend. Districts of the city, parks and the main square are decorated with stunning floral compositions, and many unusual birds are also brought in and an exhibition is organized. In addition, the program includes a large concert with the participation of children’s and folklore groups and Azerbaijani pop stars. And in the evening – a large-scale fireworks display.
How to get there: direct flights fly to Baku from Moscow, the journey takes almost three and a half hours, the cost starts from 32,000 rubles* for a ticket there -back.
Where to stay
- Three-star hotel ibis Baku City (score 10). Room rates from 3,800 rubles* per night.
- Four-star Pilot Hotel (rating 9.8). Room rates from 7,200 rubles* per night.
- Five-star Hilton Baku hotel (rating 9.0). Room rates from 17,000 rubles* per night.
Israel, Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv in May will appeal to those who miss summer: the temperature during the day does not drop below +25 °C, and it is really hot in the sun. At the beginning of the month it is still cool to swim, the water is heated to +20 °C, but this does not stop many Russian tourists. Well, everyone enjoys walking along the long embankment along the many kilometers of beaches. We recommend starting the boardwalk at Jaffa Port and walking to the Old Port.
We wrote about Tel Aviv, as well as some other popular tourist cities in Israel, in a large review article about the country.
In May, it’s worth visiting the city not only for the weather, but also for the gastronomic pleasures: the Eat Tel Aviv festival takes place at the end of the month. For three days, tents and tents are set up in one of the city parks, in which the chefs of the country’s best restaurants prepare their signature dishes. Admission is free, but you will have to pay for the tasting (the cost depends on the chosen cafe).
How to get there: there are direct flights from Moscow to Tel Aviv, the travel time is about five hours, but ticket prices start from 90,000 rubles*. Cheaper, for 52,000 rubles*, you can get there with a transfer in Istanbul, but the journey in this case will take about 16 hours.
Where to stay
- Kalvin Boutique Hotel Tel-Aviv (rating 8.7). Room rates from 14,100 rubles* per night.
- Designer Cucu Hotel (rating 9.0). Room rates from 18,500 rubles* per night.
- Four-star hotel Lily & Bloom Boutique Hotel (rating 8.9). Room rates from 21,200 rubles* per night.
*Prices are current at the time of publication.
