Uzbekistan – See the Silk Road showstopper in fine weather.
Caravansaries. The Silk Road. Spices. There’s something undeniably romantic about travel here, which has been the cultural heart of Central Asia for millennia. This is especially true of Uzbekistan’s trio of historic cities – Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva – which glitter with mosaic-tiled mausoleums, mosques and medressas (religious schools) that still speak of ancient times.
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Bukhara’s Silk and Spices Festival (late May) seeks to celebrate that legacy, showcasing the carpet weavers, wood carvers, musicians and artists still practicing traditional skills. Indeed, May is the perfect month to visit. Temperatures in the mid-70s°F (mid-20s°C) make for comfortable sightseeing, while tulips and apricot blossoms enliven the landscapes.
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Norway – Sail to the fjords in sunshine on the west coast.
Hurtigruten ferries ply Norway’s 1491-mile (2400 km) west coast, from southerly Bergen to Arctic Kirkenes year-round. They are a lifeline for people living along this wild, fjord-serrated seaboard – so they must depart, whatever the weather. That said, May to June is a good time to visit.
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The weather is generally mild and days are extraordinarily long. By mid-May, the sun doesn’t set at all in far-north Tromsø – which means you can watch the jaw-dropping scenery glide by all night long. Better weather and more light make it easier to hop off for activities, too. There are 34 ports of call; disembark to fish in the Lofoten Islands, meet Sami people at North Cape or hike near Geirangerfjord. Note that May is a month of festivals in pretty Bergen, so allow extra time here before you sail.