AS the Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor, I have racked up the air miles – hopping on a plane at least once a month.
And I know the best times to visit cheap destinations all over the world, as well as how to find those £15 flights and the best free attractions to visit.
The Sun’s Kara Godfrey travels to over 10 countries a year
Choosing the best month to visit a place can be tricky when it comes to balancing the best weather and affordable flights.
So I’ve broken it down month by month, explaining which destination to visit and when – ranging from short haul city breaks to longer haul winter sun.
I’ve even thrown in some of the best free things to do there if you’d like to keep to a budget.
And with some flights from as little as £15 each way – it’s hard to say no, isn’t it?
January – Senegal
Let’s face it, January is a hard month for us all. We’re tired, we’ve overeaten and we are counting down the days until our next paycheck.
But one of the best places to escape the misery in is beautiful Senegal.
Not only is there no risk of jet lag due to us being in the same time zone, but you can guarantee 30C weather when the rest of the UK is freezing.
It is one of the more affordable mid-haul destinations with good weather, where you can nab an all-inclusive package with TUI for £690 each – and that’s with your flights, hotels and drinks.
TUI also have some £0 deposit schemes if you needed time pre-Christmas to save.
One of the best day trips is from Dakar to Goree Island, a former slave trading post now home to a museum and street markets.
Otherwise see it as fly and flop destination, and make the most of that heat from your hotel sunlounger.
TUI has seven-night all-inclusive packages with flights from £689pp.
Free things to do:
- African Renaissance Monument
- The Mosque Of The Divinity
- Dakar Railway Station
Senegal is a great ‘fly and flop’ destinationCredit: Alamy
Goree Island is a must visit when in Senegal with boats from DakarCredit: Alamy
TUI has some super cheap package dealsCredit: COLLECT
February – Marrakech
The Moroccan city of Marrakech starts to hit highs of 20C from February onwards.
The main draw is the iconic souks, where you can pick up homeware and clothing bargains.
Be prepared to haggle – locals say you should get items for 30 per cent of the starting price. But if that feels a bit mean, try and knock off at least 20 per cent.
If you need a break from the chaos, head to Le Jardin Secret for some peaceful respite.
Or take to the roof for some amazing views of the plaza, a popular one being on top of the El Fenn hotel.
EasyJet has flights from London Stansted, London Luton and Liverpool to Marrakech from £14.99.
Free things to do
- Walking tour
- Dar Si Said, Museum of Moroccan Arts (free tickets on fridays for students and teachers)
- Moroccan Culinary Art Museum (MCAM)
- Jemma el Fna Square
- Koutoubia Mosque
Marrakech is already hitting 20C in FebruaryCredit: Alamy
Just walking through the souks and to the mosques is a wonderful day outCredit: Alamy
Marrakech is busy but worth exploring
March – Seville
As one of Spain‘s hottest cities, you can expect some warm weather in Seville, even in March.
Squeeze into Bar Alfafa with the locals for a cheap breakfast of coffee and pan con tomate for a few euros, before heading over to El Rinconcillo, Seville’s oldest bar, for a cheap glass of wine.
Time your visit to catch the Sunday art market outside the gallery too, where you can pick up some beautiful paintings.
Otherwise, if you want to find the best local food spots, book the Secret Food Tour which takes you to some of the city’s finest restaurants and cafes.
Ryanair has flights to Seville from both London Luton and London Stansted from £16.99.
Free things to do
- Royal Alcazar Palace (free tickets for last hour)
- Seville Cathedral (free tickets for the last hour)
- Salsa shows at Jardines de Murill
The beautiful Plaza de Espana in SevilleCredit: Alamy
April – Tokyo
One of the most popular times to visit Tokyo is during cherry blossom season.
But if you head there just after, so late April, you can see much cheaper hotels and flights while still enjoying some of the world famous Sakura trees in some of the parks.
Face the hustle and bustle of the iconic Shibuya Crossing, before a some peace and quiet at the Meiji Shrine.
Try your luck at Akihabara Street which is lined with games and arcades, although one of the most fun things to do is the go karts through the city.
My favourite spot? Harajuku Gyoza-Ro for the crispiest dumplings, followed by Aoyama Flower Market, a tea shop-come-garden-centre.
British Airways has four-night holidays with return flights from £1,066pp.
Free things to do:
- Ueno Park
- Sensoji Temple
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Room
- Toyosu Fish Market
- Sumo Museum
- The Ad Museum
Tokyo has lots of free things to do – to justify the priceCredit: Getty
Visit in April to catch some cherry blossoms before the busy season
May – Singapore
The month of May is just after the popular February-April season, so you can still expect good weather but cheaper flights for Singapore.
The city is the perfect stopover destination, but there is more than enough to do here to make a full trip out of it.
One of the best ways to get around the city is a side car tour, with stops along the way at some of the top attractions.
Visit speakeasy-like Jigger + Pony, named one of the world’s best bars, or Long Bar for the famous Singapore Sling.
For a breakfast with the locals, stop at Joo Chiat, for a ‘prata’ (crispy pancake) with fish curry for about £1, or get chilli crab-cracking at Keng Eng Kee (free bibs are necessary).
British Airways has four-night holidays with return flights from £791pp.
Free things to do:
- Henderson Wave Bridge
- The Merlion
- Garden by the Bay
Singapore in May is a perfect combination of good weather and more affordable flightsCredit: Alamy
A side car tour is the best way to travel around
June – Puerto Rico
A destination that unexpectedly blew me away was Puerto Rico.
One of the most fun times to visit is on June 23, to celebrate La Noche de San Juan.
Expect big street parties, fireworks and people running into the sea at midnight for ‘good luck’.
Outside of this, the food scene is a must, with a mix of Caribbean and American influences (try the Mallorca, a sweet bread with ham and cheese, followed by a ‘beermosa’).
And of course, being the home of Bacardi, a trip to the museum is a must for your fix of pina coladas.
Or head over to Flamenco Beach, often named one of the best beaches in the world.
JetBlue has flights to Puerto Rico via New York from £486pp.
Free things to do:
- Flamenco Beach
- El Yunque National Forest
- Puerto Rico Museum (free from 5pm to 8pm on Thursdays)
- Herminio Torres Grillo Tobacco Museum
- Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
A food tour of San Juan is a must in Puerto RicoCredit: Alamy
Old San Juan is one of the most colourful areas
July – El Gouna
Families visiting Egypt will be heading straight to Hurghada in the summer months if they want good weather and affordable resorts.
But travel in the first few weeks and head to El Gouna and you can skip the prices and the crowds.
Just 30 minutes from Hurghada, the man-made, gated lagoon island is extremely safe.
It’s also where you can find some very affordable five star resorts, spa treatments and some laidback luxury on a budget.
Loveholidays has seven nights all inclusive with return flights from £399pp.
Free things to do:
- Abu Tig Marina
- Zeytuna Beach
- Fanadir Marina
El Gouna is a safer option for visiting Egypt, being a gated communityCredit: Alamy
The lagoon island is a great spot if you want to explore other day trips around Egypt
August – Gothenburg
One of the best alternative city breaks to visit in the height of summer, in my opinion, is Gothenburg.
In August, it hosts the Way Out West music festival, and is a great alternative to some of the busier European alternatives.
It’s also not a camping festival so you can head straight to your hotel after.
One of the quaintest places to explore outside of the festival is Haga district, lined with cosy cafes and pretty shops.
Ryanair has return flights from London Stansted to Gothenburg from £15.
Free things to do:
- Museum of World Culture (free tickets for under 19)
- Natural History Museum (free tickets for under 19)
- Museum of Art (free tickets for under 25)
- Slottsskogen city park
- Frihamnen Public Sauna
- Gothenburg Opera (free concerns in foyer on some Saturdays)
Music fans will visit Gothenburg in August but it is still a quieter festival town than others in EuropeCredit: Alamy
September – Milan
Milan gears up for its Fashion Week in September, but if you can avoid the expensive week (normally the last of the month) then it makes for a great post-summer city break.
Head straight out of town to Navigli, the trendy canal lined with bars and restaurants.
Ignore the tourist crowd and head down one of the side streets to Iter, a cosy bar where you can sample local wines alongside a big bowl of olives.
They also own Bar43, named one of the world’s best and more an immersive experience than a bar (although you’ll need to book a few weeks in advance).
Visit on the last Sunday of the month, for the huge flea market Mercatone dell’Antiquariato.
EasyJet has flights from Birmingham to Milan Linate from £16.99 while Wizz Air has flights from London Luton to Milan Malpensa from £18.
Free things to do:
- Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
- Parco Sempione
- Brera Botanical Garden
- Hangar Bicocca
- Galleria d’Arte Moderna (free first Sunday of the month)
- Museum of Natural History (free first Sunday of the month)
The fashion capital of Milan is a great post-summer city destinationCredit: Alamy
October – Madrid
Madrid is great any time of year but you can also expect good weather in October without the summer crowds.
Visit on a Sunday to shop for hours at El Rastro, one of Europe‘s biggest street markets.
It’s bustling and busy but a great place for some bargain clothes and jewellery.
One of my favourite ways to spend a few hours is to relax at Sala Equis, a former adult cinema now home to a bar and live music.
Don’t forget to grab some Spanish omelette at Pez Tortilla with a glass of vino tinto (red wine) too – you’ll be dining with the locals so make sure to brush up on your Spanish.
Ryanair has flights from Bristol to Madrid from £14.99 while easyJet has flight from London Gatwick from £18.99.
Free things to do:
- Atocha Train Station’s Tropical Garden
- Museo de Prado (Free tickets from 6pm to 8pm all week or 5pm to 7pm on Sundays)
- Changing of the Guard at the Royal Palace (free to watch on Wednesday and Saturday at 11am)
- Río Park
- Museo Reina Sofía (free tickets for under 18, over 65 or students)
Madrid has some amazing cheap eats if you want to dine on a budgetCredit: Alamy
Bar hop in Madrid for some fantastic wine and cocktails
November – Lille
Lille is the perfect autumn/winter escape without much effort needed, being the first stop in Europe on the Eurostar.
The manageable city has it all – from pretty Sunday markets to delicious waffles (try the famous chestnut filled ones at Meert).
Hop in a Citroën 2CV for a very fun vintage car tour of the city, before ending at NU rooftop for views over the train station.
Eurostar has tickets from London St Pancras to Lille from £39.
Free thing to do:
- Palais des Beaux-Art (free on the first Sunday of the month)
- Grand Place
- Lille-Saint-Sauveur Station
- Porte de Paris
Lille is the first stop in Europe on the EurostarCredit: Alamy
December – Copenhagen
Copenhagen is one of the best places to get in the festive mood.
Wrap up warm and get ready to cafe hop, from the porridge specialists Grod to the Scandi brunch Atelier September.
Tivoli Garden is great for fairytale fans who want to feel the Disney magic without the price, with twinkly lights, rides and stalls.
Make sure to stay at Hotel SP34, which has a free wine and cheese hour every evening.
Ryanair has flights from Bristol to Copenhagen from £14.99 while easyJet has London Gatwick flights from £18.99.
Free things to do:
- Bakke theme park
- Explore the district of Christiania
- Frederiksberg park
- The National Museum of Denmark
- The Marble Church
Tivoli Chrstmas market is a must in Copenhagen in DecemberCredit: Alamy
