Don’t miss out on these travel destinations in May!

1. Toulouse, France

Toulouse, France's fourth largest city, is known for all its buildings with red façades and is therefore also called 'La Ville Rose'. Toulouse is a trendy city with many nice sights and therefore really worth a visit! Toulouse is rich in beautiful architecture, nature and history. You will also find many nice shops and restaurants here. Don't miss the beautiful historical monuments, such as the mansion 'Hôtel d'Assézat, the Romanesque church and the Saint-Sernin Basilica. In addition, Toulouse is the centre of the French aviation industry and aircraft manufacturer Airbus. Do you find the aviation industry fascinating? Then visit the Aeroscopia aviation museum!

2. Ghent, Belgium

Known as one of Belgium's most beautiful cities, Ghent is rich in atmosphere, history and culture. You'll find mediaeval neighbourhoods, beautiful buildings and lively nightlife. There are plenty of fun things to do, for example, see all the districts on a canal boat. Belgium is known for its delicious special beers, fries and chocolate, so we highly recommend taking a fun beer tasting or a real chocolate tour of the city. Three typical Ghent delicacies you really shouldn't miss are Gentse waterzooi (a hot dish, sort of soup, with chicken or fish, vegetables, cream and potatoes), neuzen (a raspberry-flavoured candy shaped like a nose) and strop (a Belgian, blonde special beer). 

3. Athens, Greece

Athens is truly a city for lovers of history. In Athens, you obviously have to visit all the archaeological sites, such as the Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Parthenon and the Olympic Stadium. From Athens, you can take several fun boat trips and visit the islands. Highly recommended is a one-day boat trip to the Saronic islands of Poros, Hydra and Aegina, but you can also go snorkelling in a beautiful bay or go on a day trip to Mykonos! Some nice neighbourhoods to visit are Plaka and Monastiraki, where you will find many restaurants, bars and shops. Also, read our blog 'The best food hotspots in Athens!' In addition, Piraeus Harbour is also fun to explore. You will find beautiful yachts, a beach and a cosy boulevard where you can enjoy delicious food. 

After a visit to Athens, you're probably just as much of a Greece fan as we are! Have you ever thought about living and working there for a year? Then quickly check out our vacancies in Greece!

4. Willemstad, Curaçao

With an average temperature of 27 degrees, Curaçao is an excellent destination for a sunny holiday in May. All the beautiful beaches naturally make it a good location for a relaxing holiday. Sipping a nice cocktail on a pearly white beach and swimming in the azure blue sea sounds fantastic, doesn't it? If you like more of an active holiday, there is also plenty to do. For example, water lovers can go on a snorkelling safari, turtle excursion, jet skiing or kayaking. If you prefer to stay on land, you can make a road trip around the island and go 'beach hopping' or go on a jeep safari tour along the northwest coast and see the flamingos. Renting a car is recommended anyway, as public transport is limited on the island. The colourful Willemstad is a great place for fun photos, as is the top of Christoffel Mountain, where you have a great view of the whole island. And of course, a day trip to little Curaçao is a must! 

5. Osaka, Japan

When you think of Japan, you quickly think of the big cities of Tokyo and Kyoto, but Osaka is also definitely a must-visit. Osaka is a port city in western Japan and a real economic and cultural metropolis. It is a lot cheaper to stay compared to Tokyo and Kyoto. The city is known as a 'food lover's paradise' and for its vibrant nightlife. Street food you should definitely try here is Takoyaki, Udon hotpot and steamed pork buns. Osaka has many nice neighbourhoods to visit and walk around, such as America-mura ('the American Village'). Cafe Street is a short strip of cafés where you can eat and drink all kinds of things, and Minami is a neighbourhood where you can shop and find lots of entertainment. If you want to avoid all the crowds for a while, you can stroll along the Tombori River. A top attraction is the imposing Osaka Castle, but of course, there is much more to see! Do you still want to visit Tokyo? You can, within 2.5 hours you can get there by train.

6. Lisbon, Portugal 

Lisbon is possibly one of the most fun city trips in Europe! Enjoy the delicious food, visit the Time-out Market, have a drink in a cute bar on Pink Street and visit the industrial mini town ‘LX Factory’. Lisbon is built on 7 hills, so you will find many beautiful viewpoints, called ‘miradouros’. Tip: visit 'Miradouro da Senhora do Monte' just before sunset. There is often a band playing music and you can eat pastel de nata and drink Mojito here. This is such a fun experience! You can discover the city by bike or step, as there are many cycle paths. Another fun way to see the different sights is with a TukTuk tour or the well-known Tram 28. The Belém district is located just outside the centre of Lisbon, next to the Tagus River, and is fun to visit for a day. Belém is easy to reach by public transport and you can also get there perfectly by bike. Many explorers started their journey here in the past, such as Vasco da Gama and Bartolomeu Dias, and you can still find several influences from this era. For example, the monument 'Padrão dos Descobrimentos' in honour of the Portuguese explorers. In Belém, you can eat the original pastéis de nata and see and photograph the beautiful Belém Tower. You'll also find several museums, the impressive 'Mosteiro dos Jerónimos', a botanical garden and the national palace.  Finally, a day trip to Sintra is also highly recommended! From Lisbon, you can reach Sintra in an hour by train. Sintra is a beautiful fairytale village with castles. Also, read Kate's Lisbon blog for more information about Sintra! 

There's so much to discover in Lisbon, you'll probably need some time for it all! Quickly check out our vacancies in Portugal and who knows, maybe you'll soon be staying a bit longer in this sunny city.☀️

Is May not quite convenient for a spontaneous trip after all? Stay tuned, we will publish a blog at the end of May with the ultimate destinations for June! Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with the best destinations, travel tips and job postings.🤩🌍