Where To Go In April 2024

Where To Go In April 2024

Spring is firmly in the air and we’re looking forward to sun-dappled city breaks across Europe and the US, as well as shoulder month stays in the Italian and Portuguese countryside.

/ By 84 Rooms Team

New York City

The Big Apple comes into its own in April. Cafes and bars spill onto sidewalks, rooftops are revived and it feels like a time for lovers. Stay in Manhattan at Nine Orchard, converted from the century-old former Jarmulowsky Bank in the Lower East Side. The hotel is also home to Corner Bar, which sits on Allen & Canal and has chef Ignacio Mattos at the helm.

Another place to bed down is the Hotel Chelsea, perhaps the most fabled hotel in New York, its corridors humming with history and the spirit of past guests including Andy Warhol and Patti Smith. Its Victorian doors reopened last year after a sensitive refurb by the team behind The Ludlow and The Bowery, and now it’s perhaps the coolest hotel in town again. We also love its restaurant, Cafe Chelsea — grab a seat at the bar and order the steak frites.

Read our Guide to the Best Restaurants in New York.

Madrid, Spain

First-class museums, imposing Baroque architecture, a buzzing gastronomic scene, and countless vermouth bars, the Spanish capital is one to keep in mind for a spring city break. Stay at the iconic Bless Madrid, which is located on the ‘Golden Mile’ in the desirable Salamanca neighborhood and inspired by the latter’s elegant, 19th-century houses with interior design by Lázaro Rosa Violán.

Start your day with a little shopping: El Rastro flea market for vintage and antique finds; Tado for unique pieces by Spanish artists and makers; Casa Hernanz for handmade espadrilles; and Maleza for bespoke hats. Then make time for the Prado Museum, a walk through Retiro Park, the royal family’s former retreat, and flamenco at Corral de la Moreria. And, of course, then it’s all about the food: O’pazo is a much-loved, old-school seafood restaurant; and Bodega de la Ardosa has been deep-frying croquettes since 1892. For more of a contemporary vibe — with a side of sustainability and economic justice, try Mo de Movimiento.

For More Tips, Read our Madrid Guide.

Alentejo, Portugal

South of Lisbon towards the Spanish border and stretching out towards the Atlantic, the Alentejo region remains the unsung hero of Portugal. Undeveloped and dotted with cork forests, wildflower meadows, and white-washed villages, it is a rough and ready rural idyll where time seems to stand almost still. The place to stay is São Lourenço do Barrocal, a quietly luxurious farmhouse surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, which sits under the ancient hilltop town of Monsarez. Barns and workers’ rooms on the eighth-generation family estate have been transformed into rustic chic rooms that are designed to be symbiotic with the local vernacular, while guests can make the most of the foodie landscape with foraging, cooking workshops, olive oil, and wine tastings.

Puglia, Italy

An authentic slice of rural Italy, we love Puglia more and more as each year passes — and April is a wonderful time to visit as the landscape starts to bloom. Make one of the Masseria Moroseta villas, Casa Maiora or Casa Guaceto, your stylish base for a spring break. Both are located near Carovigno and Ostuni, one of the Citta Bianca and our favorite spots for coffee, aperitivo, and dinner. Spring in Puglia is all about making the most of nature’s larder and your villa kitchens, bike rides across vineyards and olive groves, ceramics shopping, and, if you are brave, bracing swims in the sea in the Torre Guaceto Nature Reserve.

Read our Guide to Puglia here.

Val di Non-Valley, South Tyrol, Italy

The Gasthof Zum Hirschen in South Tyrol's remote Val di Non-Valley is a historical retreat, a refuge to switch off, and recharge your batteries in nature, to consciously enjoy. The uniqueness of the house lies in the harmonious combination of ancient spiritual wisdom and a contemporary comfort culture. A special experience for the guests is the family hospitality and the unique gastronomy at the knot of two cultures. The best gastronomic traditions of Austria and Italy are served in their elegant CERVO Restaurant. Their sumptuous and diet-conscious menu combines traditional cuisine with an innovative flair. And for total relaxation, individual wellness treatments are offered. Whether it's a wrap with hay flowers, an alkaline foot bath for detoxification, or various peelings during a sauna session.