Top 10 Places to Visit in May

Yosemite is a national park in California. It is famous for its granite cliffs and waterfalls. May is the peak time to see the water because the snow melts from the mountains and fills the falls to their highest levels. The park covers 1,187 square miles. Most visitors stay in the valley area. About 95 percent of the park is designated as wilderness. You can find groves of giant sequoia trees and many mountain meadows. Crowds begin to arrive in late May. Traffic can be heavy on holiday weekends. The weather is usually mild during the day but cold at night.

The Namib is a coastal desert in Southern Africa. It stretches for more than 2,000 kilometers. May is the start of the dry season. The air is clear and the heat is not as intense as in the summer. The desert has very high sand dunes. The orange sand looks sharp against the blue sky. You can see the Atlantic coast where the desert meets the sea. Wildlife is more visible in May. Animals gather at water holes because it is the dry season. The nights are much cooler than the days.

The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of land in Italy. It overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea. May is a good time to visit because the spring flowers are in bloom. The weather is warm but not hot. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The towns are built on steep hills. You can walk between them using old paths and stone stairs. May is less crowded than July. Prices for hotels are lower in the spring. Many restaurants open for the season in April or May.

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th century palace. It is located on a hill in the German Alps. It is near the border with Austria. May offers good visibility of the castle and the lakes below. The castle was built for King Ludwig II. It has many towers and stone walls. The surrounding forest is green and lush in the spring. The climb to the castle is steep. You can walk or take a shuttle bus. Most people visit to see the architecture and the mountain views.

Plitvice Lakes is a national park in Croatia. It was founded in 1949 and is a UNESCO site. It has 16 lakes that are connected by waterfalls. May is a great time because the water flow is very strong. The park covers nearly 300 square kilometers. There are wooden walkways that go over the lakes. This allows you to see the water and fish from above. The park is in a mountainous area. The air is fresh and the trees are very green in May. It is a popular spot for people traveling between the coast and the inland.

The Gateway Arch is 630 feet tall. It is located in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a monument to the expansion of the United States. May is a good time to visit because the weather is pleasant. The structure is made of stainless steel. It is the tallest arch in the world. You can take a tram to the top to see the city. The park around the arch is a National Historic Landmark. It is easy to walk to from the center of St. Louis. The views from the top cover the Mississippi River and the surrounding area.

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is in Spain. It is a museum for modern and contemporary art. The building was designed by Frank Gehry. May is a good month because it is less rainy than the winter. The building is made of titanium and glass. It sits next to the Nervion River. It is one of the largest museums in Spain. Inside you will find works by international artists. The exhibits change throughout the year. The area around the museum has many sculptures and walkways.

The Sagrada Família is a large church in Barcelona. It was designed by Antoni Gaudí. Construction started in 1882 and continues today. May has long days of sunlight that light up the interior. The church has many tall towers. The outside is covered in stone carvings. Parts of the building are UNESCO World Heritage sites. The interior has columns that look like trees. The stained glass creates many colors on the floor. It is the tallest church in the world.

Lake Como is a deep lake in Italy. It is located at the foot of the Alps. In May, the weather is mild and the gardens are full of flowers. The lake has a shape like the letter Y. The area has been a popular retreat for a long time. You can visit many old villas and their grounds. Ferries travel between the towns on the lake. The mountains around the lake still have snow on them in May. The water is clear but very cold. It is a quiet place for a spring trip.

Santorini is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It is a volcanic island with a large caldera. May is a good time to visit because it is not as crowded as the summer. The houses are white with blue roofs. They are built on the cliffs overlooking the sea. The weather is sunny and warm enough for walking. You can visit the volcanic islands in the center of the caldera. There are also many paths for hiking between the villages. The sunsets are famous in this part of Greece.