Travel Guide for April
April has arrived and spring has sprung across the globe. Summer is on its way which brings dry seasons and blue skies. Experience one of the worlds most colourful phenomenons at the cherry blossoms in Japan. Taste your way through Portugal’s delicious wines and food on the banks of the River Douro whilst watching the ships sail by. Or be on one yourself on one of our incredible River Cruises. One of the most relaxing ways to discover Portugal in all its glory. Keep reading to discover our travel guide for April 2020.
Japan
Japan is a place full of adventure and discovery, from crazy cities to peaceful idyllic country side this diverse country is a great April destination for a number of reasons. Weather this time of the year is very mild with clear skies, little rainfall. The fauna also comes alive to create quite the spectacle across the less crowded city areas of the country.
Highlights
Japan will always be known as a timeless destinations in which combines ancient history with the modern world in such a style which is to be admired with anyone visiting this special country. Discover the historic town of Kyoto, Japan’s imperial capital for thousands of years. Fly down the slopes at one of Club Med’s new ski resorts Tomamu Hokkaido or Sahoro Hokkaido in which you can catch the late season for skiing in this region where slopes are quieter and prices are lower.
Japan is also a country in which you can experience a number of different types of holidays, from crazy city breaks to ski holidays. Visit Tokyo a city forever reaching into the future, full of incredible architecture with new sky scrapers appearing year after year. As well as being Japan’s hub for contemporary art and pop culture combine this with some world class shopping, dining, drinking and entertainment. Tokyo is growing every day and becoming more and more unique and vastly interesting for any tourist willing to take on this crazy part of the world.
Kyoto follows closely as Japan’s most sought after cities, it differs in many ways to Tokyo with more than a thousand temples, among them the famous Kinkaku-Ji and Ryoan-Ji temples famous for its Zen rock garden to make you feel at peace with yourself after a visit. If you’ve had enough temple visits in your life then you can submerge yourself into the culture in a different way. Visit one of the traditional music and dance shows, or learn about the art of the geisha. Taste delicious teas at one of many tea houses this area is acclaimed for.
Cherry Blossoms
Spring time in Japan brings in people from all over the world to experience what is known to be one of the most spectacular sites on the planet – The Cherry Blossoms. Locals and tourists grab their picnics and gather in parks and along river banks around the country to gaze at the beauty before them. ‘Cherry-Blossom-Viewing-Parties are common and is a Japanese tradition that dates back centuries. Lasting only for a week or two the Japanese believe that they are symbolic of seizing the present and remind them to take every as it comes.
One of the more popular destinations to make the most of the Cherry Blossoms is Yoshino down by Kyoto. Home to Mount Yoshinoyama a mountain which is covered from head to toe in Cherry Blossoms at this time of the year. This area has around 30,000 cherry trees planted around the slopes of the mountain which as you can imagine creates quite the spectacle as you make your way through the roads to the top of the mountain providing a spectacular viewing point.
Other Japanese highlights include Mt.Fuji, Japan’s highest peak and most sacred volcano in which thousands of people climb each year. If you don’t fancy the challenging climb to the top you can get picture perfect views from a lot of the surrounding peaks where many Japanese artists get inspiration for their art. It is also a spectacular spot when the Cherry Blossoms are ready to view and a sea of pink covers the surrounding countryside.
Visit Japan
We have been organising and booking holidays and tours to Japan for over 25 years here at Aspen Travel. Working closely with our trusted operators in which provide some of the very best escorted tours, rail journeys and even ski holidays to the island of Japan. Experienced and trusted operators such as Wendy Wu Tours have some stunning tours to Japan as well as Titan Travel, Cox and Kings and Travelsphere to name a few, for a luxury all inclusive experience then look no further than Club Med’s Japanese resorts in which we can provide great offers and discounts if you just contact us today we can help you start your Japanese adventure.
Popular Japan Tours
Jewels of Japan
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Discover Japan
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Click here for more tours and resorts in Japan
Portugal
Visiting Portugal in April has many advantages, from delightful weather to cheaper air fares as well as less crowded tourist hot spots. Temperatures tend to vary from thirteen degrees to highs of twenty nine degrees if you are very lucky. Enjoy historic towns scattered around the country on the banks of the delightful River Douro.
Highlights
From the Algarve to the Douro Valley this country offers a huge variation of different experiences for any holiday maker visiting this diverse part of the world. Experience a river cruise through the waterways of the River Douro stopping off at the major landmarks and historic towns and villages found in Portugal, stopping off at many of the vineyards and eateries famous in the region on the way to keep your taste buds satisfied.
Starting in the countries delightful capital city – Lisbon. This city is easy on the eye set on a number of hillsides overlooking the stunning Rio Tejo lined with cobbled streets the city hasn’t changed over the years with ancient ruins on every corner. These hillsides offer great view points over the stunning historic buildings that were built after the great Lisbon earthquake in the 1950s. Grab a glass of the local delicious wines and watch the sunset over the city to start your night of mischief in the city that never sleeps, famous also for it’s night life you won’t struggle to find a party or dance hall and for those with the stamina closing time is sunrise.
Heading towards the south of the country you will find yourself on some of the best beaches in the Algarve region. On the dramatic coast of the Atlantic Ocean you can find some stunning coastal towns such as Faro and Albufeira home to some incredible resorts and beaches – one of our favourite coming in the form of Club Med Da Balaia a stunning resort perfect for golf lovers and families alike. Discover this rugged coastline which runs 150km long and is home to dramatic cliff edges and long empty beaches.
Food
Many people visit Portugal for it’s food, and it is easy to see why. From delicious pastries to fresh seafood you can find different delicacies in each area of the country. Lisbon is famous for it’s custard tarts known to locals as Pastel de Nata which you can binge eat for breakfast lunch and dinner. If you find yourself in the southern city of Porto you can indulge in a Francesinha a hearty sandwich made up of local meats and a lot of cheese whats not to like. We have a number of tasty tours for you to book today which explore the regions of Portugal and their tastiest foods just click here.
River Cruises
Many people prefer to see Portugal on board a river cruise. It’s a great way to experience the Portuguese country side the most relaxing way possible. Luscious rolling hills and exotic flora surround the famous Douro River full of vineyards and quaint villages full of art and culture. The River Douro runs from the coastal town of Porto directly through the country ending up in Spain’s North Western region.
We work with a number of trusted river cruise companies who have provided high quality cruises .Board some of the best ships available to Portugal and beyond. Companies such as Viking River Cruises sell two stunning cruises down in Portugal’s River of Gold a 10 day tour which includes a visit to Lisbon and Spain‘s historic city of city of Salamanca with stops at a number of wineries and historic villages on route. We can also highly recommend Emerald Waterways popular river cruise Secrets of the Douro in which aboard a brand new boat you discover famous wines and coastal Baroque Villages as you cruise down the river.
Portugal Resorts and Tours:
Club Med Da Balaia, Portugal
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Portugal and Madeira
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Portugal & the Douro
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