Easter holiday deals: get an early fix of spring

With winter refusing to relinquish its icy grip, Easter is the perfect time to get away. Nick Trend goes walking in Andalucia and offers advice on skiing and sun holidays

Spring is dragging its feet this year. The snowdrops on our annual woodland walk, usually well past their best by late February, had barely opened last weekend.

But compared with southern Europe, we are, of course, always behind the seasonal times. Even though it is not yet March, today the forecast for Nice is 61F (16C) and sunny, while in Paphos, Cyprus, it is expected to be 64F (18C) with sunshine and light showers.

So I always think that Easter provides a wonderful opportunity to head south for an early fix of spring – especially if you are prepared to get out into open countryside and don't mind the risk of a few seasonal showers.

Last April, I spent a week with the family walking in mountains a little to the east of Ronda in Andalusia. Over Easter in previous years we'd had similar holidays, walking across the western tip of Cyprus, or among the villages of southern Tuscany. We had always been blessed with wonderful weather – warm sunny days, not too hot for walking and untroubled by rain. In Andalusia, however, we were not quite so lucky.

Things had looked promising. The evening we arrived two sunburnt English couples were relaxing on the rooftop terrace of the hotel in the little village of Cartajima. They were just back from a day's hike in glorious sunshine. But we woke the next morning to be confronted by low grey clouds capping the tops of the mountains on the opposite side of the valley. A gusty shower blew through the village as we had breakfast, and we packed waterproofs into our bags.

Strolling down through the oak and chestnut forests on the farm tracks that linked the "pueblos blancos" (whitewashed villages), however, we managed to forget about the glowering clouds. This is excellent walking country, hilly enough for the views and the vegetation to change constantly, but not so vertiginous that it demands demoralising ascents. And because most of the walks we followed passed through at least one village with a bar or restaurant, we didn't have to buy, prepare or carry food. (If you pick a week like ours, you can use the bars to take shelter, or dry out after a heavy shower).

The occasional downpour was counterbalanced by a wonderful sense of renewal. Walking down into the first valley was like sliding into a horn of plenty. Prickly pears were ripening on the edges of their thick, spiny stems, the cherry, peach and olive trees had already blossomed, and the chestnuts, figs and vines were coming into leaf. Some of these trees were of massive proportions, ancient stumps pollarded over centuries to produce new growth for firewood.

Each time a shower ceased, the woods rang with birdsong. I'm not twitcher enough to identify many, but I saw goldfinches and great tits flitting among the branches, and when the skies cleared, buzzards wheeled on the updraught. In the higher and more remote valleys there are, apparently, golden eagles and griffin vultures, though they were elusive on the week we went.

But it was the spring wildflowers of Spain that came into my mind as I looked last weekend at those stunted British snowdrops. One high-banked path, steaming in the warm sunshine after another shower, will forever stay in my memory. Great drifts of brilliant yellow broom alternated with clumps of deep purple, bulbous-headed lavender, and wild lupins in pinks or brilliant blues, which bowed slightly under the accumulated raindrops.

That, for me, is what travel at Easter is about. But whether you like the idea of a walking holiday, or you prefer the thought of lying on a beach or hitting the ski slopes, it is worth bearing in mind that Easter Sunday this year falls on April 4 – more than a week earlier than last year (April 12) and nearly three weeks earlier than it will be next year (April 24). This has a few practical effects on travellers, depending on whether or not you are tied to the school holidays.

Of course, schools adjust their term dates so that the early Easter falls at the beginning of the holidays. Many are not breaking up until the week before Easter, not even allowing a full week's holiday before Good Friday. So, even more than usual, flights and airports will be busy over the weekend.
Skiing

Because of the time most schools are breaking up, the week before Easter is quieter than you might normally expect it to be. I had no trouble finding good-value fares to Zurich for a flight departing on Sunday March 28, for example. Travel over the Easter weekend and you will typically pay an extra £200 per person for a basic package – perhaps £1,000 for a family.

The earlier week is also a better bet for reliable snow. But so good is the snow this season that waiting until the week after Easter, and opting for a departure around April 11 or 12, could be a canny move and still keep you within school holidays. There is no need to book just yet, either – you will probably get a better price by waiting until three or four weeks before departure and seeing what late offers are available.

We highlight the best last-minute skiing holidays every Friday; another good source is igluski.com.
Sun

For most Mediterranean beach destinations, Easter, especially an early one, is a risky option. Grey skies or showers may be fine for a walking holiday, but they can ruin a day in a beach resort. For those who want some warm sunshine, but who can't afford to jet off to Barbados or some other far-flung destination, the Canaries or the Egyptian Red Sea coast are the best bet for reliable April weather; in the Mediterranean, Cyprus offers the most consistent climate.

For good-value late deals and Easter availability, see our Deals of the day – we list cruise deals on Tuesdays and winter sun on Wednesdays.
Walking and other activities

As I found in Andalusia, the odd April shower isn't too much of a problem for more active holidays. Warm weather and a beautiful landscape are what you need. Apart from Andalusia, Sicily, Gozo, Morrocco, Cyprus, Majorca and Crete are all good options at this time of year, "My trip to Ronda" was organised by Headwater Holidays (01606 720199; headwater.com); its eight-day "Secret Valleys of Ronda" holiday costs from £938 per person, half board, in April, including walking notes and car hire but not flights.

Nick Trend, The Telegraph 25-02-2010

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