Nine islands for easy spring warmth, from La Graciosa to Ilha de Tavira

As UK skies remain a perpetual shade of slate, thoughts naturally turn to sunshine and perhaps island nations where you can spend a week or so escaping reality. If summer feels like too long to wait, there are plenty of islands that are already warm in March, April, and May. Spring escapes come with the bonus of fewer crowds and more wallet-friendly prices, too. Here are nine islands to head to for a decent dose of vitamin D before peak season begins… (Photo: George Michalisles)

La Graciosa, Spain

A 25-minute ferry ride from the port of Órzola on the northern tip of Lanzarote, La Graciosa is Spain’s eighth Canary Island. With no sealed roads, limited vehicles and just two main villages, it’s an easy-going place. Spring days are best filled with bike rides to scenic spots such as the sea-framing stone arches at Arco de Los Caletones or hikes along the island’s four main walking routes, which unspool for up to 10 miles, traversing unpeopled beaches and inching up volcanic peaks such as 525ft “red mountain” Montaña Bermeja. Evenings are all about tucking into fresh seafood in the boxy whitewashed restaurants of capital Caleta de Sebo. For warmer nights, restaurant El Veril has sand-top tables overlooking the sea. The average cost of a night’s stay in neighbouring Lanzarote is £186 between March and May, according to hospitality insight company Lighthouse, but apartments at the likes of sea-view Evita Beach Suites in Caleta de Sebo are available from £132. Flights from Luton to Lanzarote cost from £46 return with easyJet in March, while the ferry from Órzola costs £26.50 return. Temperatures hit highs of 22°C and eight hours of sun in March. (Photo: Getty)

São Tomé

Rising out of the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, 150 miles from the west coast of Africa, São Tomé is known as the Chocolate Island for its cocoa, and visiting a “roça” (pronounced “raw-sa”) – a plantation – such as Roça Diogo Vaz is still one of the most popular things to do during a stay here. These farms were established by the Portuguese and often have a dark past with their links to slavery. Now, however, they offer a chance to educate visitors about São Tomé’s history and to provide tourism income. Just ahead of peak wet season, the beginning to the middle of March offers a window where both visitor numbers and prices are lower - but still with highs of 31°C and four hours of bright sun (12 hours of daylight overall). Expedia offers seven nights at the beach-front Pestana São Tomé from £1,683pp (compared with £1,959 in July), including flights. These early-spring weeks also provide the opportunity to see waterfalls such as the 130ft Angolares at their best and to witness the island’s orchids bloom. There is still a chance to catch sight of turtles as they scurry from their nests into the sea for the first time. (Photo: Getty)

Masirah, Oman

An island of untouched sandy beaches, fishing villages and nesting sea turtles, Masirah is little-known among British tourists. Off the east coast of Oman, it is a 90-minute ferry journey from Shannah Port on the mainland (about 6.5 hours’ drive from Muscat) or SalamAir offers semi-regular flights from Muscat. Masirah’s turtle population is a major attraction, with loggerheads, greens, hawksbills and olive ridleys among the species to spot. Nesting season starts around April and peaks in the summer, but turtles can be seen throughout the year. Twitchers also visit Oman’s largest island for the 300-plus bird species, including hundreds of crab-plovers. Kite-surfing, stand-up paddle-boarding and deep sea fishing are among other holiday pastimes. Masira Island Resort is a boutique property with rooms or chalets, some with views over the Arabian Sea. There’s a restaurant, two bars and swimming pool on site. Doubles start from around £140 per night in March, when temperatures hit highs of 27°C and there are still 11 hours of sun. Flights from Muscat to Masirah are available with SalamAir from about £60 return. Return flights from the UK to Muscat start at around £490 in March. (Photo: Bassem Zein/Getty)

Symi, Greece

Visitors to Symi, a 90-minute ferry crossing from Rhodes, are greeted by the pastel-painted, balconied buildings of Gialos port and its flotilla of fishing and sail boats. Ducking in and out of sponge and olive wood shops, tasting Symi’s speciality shrimp in waterfront tavernas such as Pantelis, and climbing the 500 steps of Kali Strata to the hillside “upper town” are the main things to do in the island’s capital. Elsewhere, there is the 18th-century Monastery of Archangel Michael Panormitis to explore, and a belt of pebbly beaches and coves such as cliff-backed St George Dysalona. Return flights from Gatwick to Rhodes are available from £63 with easyJet in April, when there are highs of 20°C and nine hours of sun. The Rhodes-to-Symi ferry costs £32.90 return. Rooms at Iapetos Village, a five-minute walk from Gialos, cost from £85 a night. (Photo: Perikles Merakos/GNTO)

Porto Santo, Madeira

A two-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from the capital of Funchal, Porto Santo in the Madeiran archipelago is known as “the Golden Island” for the colour of its five-and-a-half mile beach. Yet there is much more to this place than sand. With its not-too-hot temperatures, April provides the perfect conditions for kayaking tours to the caves of nearby Cal Islet, horse-riding to viewpoints like Miradouro das Flores, and hiking to Pico Branco peak (a three-mile round trip). April also heralds the start of prime whale-watching season, as humpbacks and fins arrive to feed. Most hotels on Porto Santo flank the main beach or cluster around the capital on the south coast. While the average cost of a night’s stay in Funchal is £203 between March and May, according to Lighthouse, Porto Santo Hotel and Spa, near Pedras Pretas beach, has rooms from £77. There are some equally affordable options in the rural east of the island, such as ranch-style Quinta da Serra, which has rooms from £98. Visitors in April can expect highs of 20°C and eight hours of sun. (Photo: Getty)

Gozo, Malta

Separated from the main island of Malta by a 4.3-mile slither of Mediterranean Sea, Gozo’s highlights include the red sand beach at Ramla Bay, the fortified citadel of the capital Victoria (aka Rabat), and the “place of the giants” archaeological park, where the Unesco-listed temples are older than the Egyptian pyramids. With Goldilocks temperatures, spring is the sweet spot for hiking on Gozo, especially in the Wied il-Ghasri valley, which is speckled with red poppies between April and May - when temperatures are around 19°C with eight hours of sun. With the vines newly bushy, spring is also a good time to visit the island’s wineries and sample Gozo’s one-of-a-kind DOK wines – Tal Massar and Ta’ Mena Estate offer tours and tastings. Flights from Stansted to Valletta are available on Ryanair from £48 return in April. Buses run all day from Valetta airport to the ferry terminal, from which the ferry journey to Gozo is 25 minutes, with services running throughout the day and overnight. Olympic Holidays has a package for a seven-night B&B stay at Murella Living near Ramla Beach from £403pp, including flights from Gatwick departing 11 April. (Photo: Giovanni Boscherino/Getty)

Mljet, Croatia

Two-thirds covered in forest, Mljet is one of Croatia’s greenest islands. In the national park to the west, hiking and cycling trails squiggle their way through the Aleppo pines, and there are two saltwater lakes, which are best explored by kayak in spring. Backed by 1,686ft Mali Grad mountain, inland Babino Polje is Mljet’s main town. Better kitted out for tourists, however, are the lake and seaside settlements of Pomena, Polace, and Sobra, with their cafés, red-roofed seafood restaurants and bars. For a change of scene, catch the ferry across to the Pelješac peninsula and the village of Mali Ston, which is said to serve the best oysters in Croatia. The closest airport to Mljet is Dubrovnik, and easyJet offers flights from Gatwick from £81 in May. It is a couple of hours’ drive from the airport to the island. Car hire from the airport is around £5 a day. Accommodation tends to be private guesthouses and apartments such as Pomena and Pavlic, which have rooms for £57 and £48 a night in May through booking.com. Tourists in May can expect highs of 21°C and eight to ten hours of sun. (Photo: Helena Lovincic/Getty)

Ilha de Tavira, Portugal

About 25 miles and a €1.70 (£1.50) ferry ride from the tourist Algarve honeypot of Faro, the Ilha de Tavira is a seven-mile lozenge of dune-rumpled sand. The east side of the island is organised with smart bars and restaurants where day beds, wicker egg chairs, and swing seats spill onto the sand and happy hours offer two beers for €2.50 (£2.15). Walk beyond the last row of loungers, and there are acres of space to spread towels and stake windbreakers (hireable from the ferry dock). Holiday itineraries can be plumped up with time in Tavira town, hops across to the nearby fishing village of Santa Luzia (aka “the octopus capital of Portugal”), and 4×4 rides into the salt flats to spot flamingos. Some of the most affordable accommodation can be found near the harbour, at Camping Tavira. Or there are options on the mainland, such as Hotel Don Rodrigues, a 15-minute walk from the town centre, which has rooms from £70 in May. Ilha de Tavira boasts highs of 22°C in May, with nine hours of sun. (Photo: Getty)

Sardinia, Italy

Italy’s second-largest island is best known for the medieval old towns of Cagliari, Alghero and Olbia, Unesco-listed Bronze Age “nuraghi” towers and the Emerald Coast of cannoli-coloured beaches that trickles down its north-eastern edge. As an alternative to Sardinia’s best-known sandy stretch, try the antler-shaped peninsula that overlooks the Asinara Gulf, where fine sand beaches and a protected island await. Or take advantage of mellow spring temperatures to venture into one of Sardinia’s protected parks. In Gennargentu, the valleys and pastures are scored with more than 40 hiking and biking trails, while Sette Fratelli is contoured with seven scalable peaks. Skyscanner earmarks April and May - when there are highs of 23°C and nine hours of sun - as the cheapest months to fly to Olbia in 2026, with flights from London starting at £37 return. Just opening for the season in May, Una Hotels Club Hotel Ancora Stintino on the Asinara Gulf has rooms from £113 a night. (Photo: Getty)