Scandinavians fly south to avoid fickle spring weather
Spring can be a fickle time of year in Sweden and the other Nordic countries. Lovely spring weather can quickly turn to snow and cold, icy winds. And each time, we pale Scandinavians stand there disappointed, with our new sunglasses and spring shoes. Maybe it is the unreliability of spring that makes us Nordic folk want to travel on minibreaks at this time of year.
“Spring (April and May) is our absolute peak season for weekend trips,” explains Marie Söderlund at travel agency Ticket. “There are lots of public holidays and people are desperate for a taste of the sun. The vast majority of people travel south, where spring is slightly more advanced than here at home.”
“If the winter has been long and cold, there is greater demand for holidays during the spring months. You notice a clear difference. However, if we have a warm and beautiful spring, things are a little quieter in the office,” comments Annika Björkroth at Travel Beyond.
In contrast to holidays during the rest of the year, spring breaks mainly involve cities. The big favourite for Scandinavians is to seek out the earliest hints of summer in southern Europe. Paris, Rome and Barcelona have been some of the classic favourites over the past few springs.
For a city break, Barcelona is the ultimate weekend destination, according to Marie Söderlund. The city offers everything you could want – warmth, culture and outdoor dining, as well as a bit of a Latin temperament that makes the city feel much more exotic than London or Paris.
Classic beach holiday destinations such as Tenerife and the Canary Islands are becoming less popular. Instead, the trend is towards weekend trips to classic charter destinations such as Malaga and Palma.
“With Sterling and other scheduled airlines flying direct to these destinations, a long weekend in Palma is now perfect possible,” says Annika Bjökroth. “The flight is no more than four hours, and Palma is a city with a great deal to offer. It’s really trendy, and there is a whole host of really cool hotels attracting discerning guests from around the world.”
