Best holiday destinationsThe best holiday destinations for Easter are the Canary Islands, Cyprus, Egypt, Malta and Marrakech. All five offer reliable temperatures of 20°C or higher in late March and April, with flight times under five hours from the UK.
Easter falls in that awkward window when much of Europe is still unpredictable. Pick the right destination, though, and you can swap British drizzle for genuine spring sunshine without a long-haul flight.
Where is hot at Easter?
For guaranteed warmth over the Easter holidays, head south. The Canary Islands average 22°C in April, while Egypt‘s Red Sea resorts push past 28°C.
Closer to the Mediterranean, Cyprus, Malta and southern Spain all sit comfortably around 20–23°C. That is warm enough for beach days, but fresh enough for sightseeing.
1. The Canary Islands — reliable spring sunshine
The Canaries are the safest bet for Easter sun in Europe. Tenerife enjoys around eight hours of sunshine a day in April, with sea temperatures already at 19°C.
Families love the south coast resorts for their calm beaches and water parks. Couples can head to the quieter north for vineyards, hiking trails and the colonial town of La Laguna.
Lanzarote is a great alternative if you want volcanic landscapes and excellent food at lower prices than peak summer.
2. Cyprus — Easter is the biggest festival of the year
Orthodox Easter is the most important celebration in Cyprus, often falling a week after the Western date. Expect candlelit midnight services, village bonfires and tables groaning with flaounes pastries and souvla.
Paphos combines Easter atmosphere with genuine sightseeing, from Roman mosaics to the Tombs of the Kings. April temperatures of 22°C make it ideal for exploring.
3. Egypt — the hottest short-haul option
If you want proper heat at Easter, Egypt delivers. Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada reach 28–30°C in April, with the Red Sea warm enough for snorkelling all day.
All-inclusive resorts here are exceptional value compared with the Mediterranean. Add a Nile cruise or a day trip to Luxor and you have a holiday that mixes beach time with world-famous history.
4. Malta — history, harbours and Holy Week
Malta takes Easter seriously, with Good Friday processions winding through Valletta and the fishing villages. The island is compact, so you can combine celebrations with beaches and the silent city of Mdina in a single trip.
April averages 20°C with very little rain. It is one of the best months to visit before the summer crowds and heat arrive.
5. Marrakech — culture and colour in the spring
April is arguably the perfect month for Marrakech. Days reach a comfortable 26°C, the gardens are in bloom, and the evenings are pleasantly cool for exploring the souks.
Stay in a riad in the medina for the full experience. A three-night Easter city break here feels far more exotic than the four-hour flight suggests.
Easter traditions worth travelling for
Seville hosts Semana Santa, the most famous Holy Week processions in Spain. Hooded brotherhoods carry ornate floats through the streets from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
In Greece, Orthodox Easter brings midnight fireworks, red-dyed eggs and lamb roasted on spits in every village square. Crete is a wonderful place to experience it authentically.
Tips for booking an Easter holiday
Easter is a school-holiday peak, so book flights three to four months ahead for the best prices. Departures on Easter Sunday itself are often noticeably cheaper than the Friday and Saturday before.
Check whether your destination celebrates Western or Orthodox Easter. In years when the dates differ, you can enjoy Orthodox celebrations in Cyprus or Greece a week after the UK bank holiday, with slightly lower prices.
What is the weather like at Easter?
Easter shifts between late March and late April, and even a fortnight makes a difference in the Mediterranean. A late Easter usually adds two or three degrees everywhere from the Algarve to the Greek islands.
As a rule of thumb, expect 20–23°C in the Canaries, Cyprus and Malta, 24–26°C in Marrakech, and 28°C or more on Egypt’s Red Sea coast. Northern Spain, Italy and the French coast remain a gamble at 15–18°C.
Sea temperatures lag behind the air, so the Mediterranean is still brisk at 16–18°C. If swimming matters to your family, the Canaries at 19°C or the Red Sea at 24°C are the safer picks.
Easter holidays with kids
The two-week school break is one of the best windows of the year for family travel. Temperatures are child-friendly rather than exhausting, and resorts run at a gentler pace than in August.
Tenerife’s water parks and whale-watching boats, Cyprus’s shallow sandy bays and Egypt’s house reefs for first-time snorkellers all work brilliantly at this time of year. Many hotels also run Easter egg hunts and kids’ club specials over the holiday weekend.
Long-haul Easter escapes
If you have the full two weeks, long-haul opens up properly. Florida hits 27°C in April with lower humidity than summer, making it the smart season for theme parks.
The Caribbean is at the tail end of its dry season, with Barbados and Antigua enjoying some of their most reliable weather of the year. Book flights early, as Easter departures sell out months ahead.
How far ahead should you book an Easter break?
For school-holiday dates, three to four months ahead is the minimum for decent prices, and six months is better for the Canaries and Egypt, where family demand is fiercest.
Travelling couples have more flexibility. Late deals do appear in the fortnight before Easter, but they cluster around city breaks rather than beach resorts.
Easter city breaks if beaches are not your thing
Rome at Easter is the world’s great pilgrimage, with Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday masses in St Peter’s Square and the torch-lit Via Crucis at the Colosseum on Good Friday. Book everything months ahead, because the city fills to bursting.
For something gentler, Paris in April is a cliché for good reason. The chestnut trees are in blossom, café terraces reopen in earnest, and chocolatiers fill their windows with sculpted Easter eggs that qualify as art.
Amsterdam’s tulip season also peaks over Easter, with the Keukenhof gardens at their absolute best in mid-April. It is one of the most spectacular day trips in Europe.
Our verdict: where should you go this Easter?
For families, the Canary Islands remain unbeatable, combining reliable warmth, short flights and endless child-friendly resorts. Egypt wins if you want genuine heat and the best-value all-inclusive deals.
For culture, choose between Seville’s processions, Rome’s pilgrimage atmosphere and the Orthodox celebrations of Cyprus and Greece. Whichever you pick, the golden rule is the same: for school-holiday dates, book early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the hottest place to go at Easter?
Egypt is the hottest short-haul Easter destination, with Red Sea resorts like Hurghada reaching 28–30°C in April. For long-haul heat, the Caribbean and Dubai both exceed 30°C.
Is it warm enough to sunbathe in the Canary Islands at Easter?
Yes. The Canary Islands average 22°C with eight hours of daily sunshine in April, and the south coasts of Tenerife and Gran Canaria are reliably warm enough for beach days.
Where can I see traditional Easter celebrations in Europe?
Seville in Spain hosts the famous Semana Santa processions, Malta stages Good Friday parades in Valletta, and Greece and Cyprus celebrate Orthodox Easter with midnight services and fireworks.
Is Easter an expensive time to go on holiday?
Easter coincides with UK school holidays, so prices rise. Booking three to four months ahead, flying on Easter Sunday itself, or choosing Orthodox Easter dates in Greece or Cyprus can all reduce costs.
