Best places to visit in March

Wondering where to head for an early spring break? You’re in the right place. From culture-drenched sojourns in European cities, to extraordinary adventures in South America, our run-down of the best places to visit in March has you covered.

For more inspiration, you might want to read the Rough Guide to the best travel destinations in 2023. You'll also find tonnes of insider info in our huge range of guidebooks.

1. Berlin, Germany

Best for art and cool café culture 

Into art and edgy culture? Packed with world-class galleries and museums, you'll love Berlin at any time of the year. But with the world-renowned European Month of Photography celebrating its tenth anniversary in the city in March 2023, art-lovers have all the more reason to visit. 

Don't worry if you’re not especially into art. Gritty and glamorous, fun and funky, there are plenty of reasons you voted cosmopolitan, dynamic Berlin one of the coolest cities in the world.

Alongside seeing iconic sights like the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, and strolling Under den Linden, don’t miss hip and happening districts like Kreuzberg. Think cool, canal-side café-bars, indie boutiques, and unusual museums like The Museum of Things.  

Make the most of your time in Berlin

• Into street art? Explore Berlin's graffiti culture with a local guide.
• Discover the best things to do in Berlin and fab things you can do in Berlin for free.
• Get yourself a Mini Rough Guide to Berlin.
• Like to immerse yourself in the destinations you visit? You'll love our customisable tour of Berlin and Potsdam.
• Interested in travelling further afield? Consider booking a culture-focused Capitals of Europe trip that covers Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and more.

Where to stay

• Best for cool couples: Eastern & Western Comfort Hotelboat. Cosy cabin rooms moored on the River Spree.
• Best for budget travellers: Die Fabrik baxpax Hotel. Cool, comfy, and near East Side Gallery and Görlitzer Park.
• Best for 5-star luxury: Hotel Adlon. This Brandenburg Gate legend has a double Michelin-star restaurant.

Browse more places to stay in Berlin.

Gritty and green — Berlin is one of the best places to visit in March © Novikov Aleksey/Shutterstock

2. Muscat, Oman

Best for ancient culture and easy access to outdoor activities 

Given that so many of you are hankering after new experiences in 2023 (for proof, read the results of our 2023 travel trends survey), you might want to add Oman to your to travel wish list.

With an almost Mediterranean climate, visiting Oman in March offers immersive experiences in near-perfect conditions. And that applies whether you’re in the market for meandering Muscat’s Muttrah Souk, or want to take yourself off to the desert.  

Atmospheric Muscat is a wonder to wander, with cutting-edge, contemporary architecture sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with ancient marvels, such as the Grand Mosque. 

Muscat is also the ideal base from which to visit the otherworldly Wadi Shab pool, cave and Bimah sinkhole, and to enjoy whale and dolphin-watching excursions and snorkelling.  

All that considered, it’s clear why Oman is one of the best places to visit in March, not least if you’re looking for a thoroughly diverse trip.

Make the most of your time in Muscat

• Take a Muscat tour that includes a visit to the ancient city of Nizwa.
• Book a dolphin-watching trip with snorkelling stop-off.
• Read our first-timers guide to Oman, and discover ten reasons to visit Muscat.
• Want to get off-the-beaten track? Find out about wild camping in Oman.
• Peruse our customisable Oman itineraries — from epic dune and canyon hikes to blissful beach breaks.
• Get yourself The Rough Guide to Oman.

Where to stay

• Best for couples: Jumeirah Muscat Bay. Five-star finery in a secluded cove, close to top hikes.
• Best for indie travellers: Coral Muscat Hotel and Apartments. A four-star aparthotel with rooftop shisha lounge.
• Best for special family trips: Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah. Lovely rooms and grounds, and loads for kids to do.

Find more places to stay in Muscat.

Muscat, Oman — one of the best places to visit in March for culture and outdoor activities © Shutterstock

3. Torres del Paine, Chile

Best for hiking, wildlife and heavenly landscapes 

Torres del Paine National Park in Chile’s Patagonia region is a richly-rewarding destination for intrepid travellers who want big, back-to-nature experiences. 

What’s more, visiting in March means lower prices than in the December-February high season. It also means fewer folk on trails through extraordinary panoramas of glaciers, icebergs, and spiky mountains. 

In addition, late March sees blazes of orange and gold add spice to the already spectacular landscape as the park shifts to its autumn livery. 

Arguably best of all, though, is an increased chance of seeing puma cubs. Usually born in December, they’re strong and brave enough to venture out by late March and April.  

Make the most of your time in Torres del Paine and Patagonia

• Not keen on planning? Book a customisable, tailor-made trip from Santiago to Torres del Paine.
• Read up on Patagonia's legendary Ruta 40, and be mesmerised by pictures of Patagonia.
• Get yourself The Rough Guide to Chile and Easter Island. 

Where to stay

• Best for style: Río Serrano Hotel. Epic views, plus a pool and spa.
• Best for couples: Hotel Lago Grey. A cosy, welcoming base with stunning vistas.
• Best for road-trips: Hotel Estancia El Ovejero Patagónico. Well-located for Argentina crossings.

Browse more places to stay in Chile's Torres del Paine region.

Make March magical — Torres del Paine is one of the best places to visit in March for nature and stunning scenery © Shutterstock

4. Norfolk, England

Best for boating, birding and blissful strolls 

If you’re looking for a UK staycation that delivers soulful scenery and wildlife, Norfolk is one of the best places to visit in March.

First up, March is when seal-spotting trips begin. After leaving Morston quay, the ferry stops at Blakeney Point Nature Reserve. From late spring, this beauty-spot’s dunes, salt marshes and mudflats attract tonnes of seabirds. 

Talking of water, boating the Norfolk Broads is another wonderful way to see the region. Take your pick from rowing, motor boating, or skippering a sailing boat.

Prefer to keep your feet on dry land? The Norfolk Coastal Cycleway traverses an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Meanwhile, Norwich city has plenty to keep history buffs and foodies well and truly sated. After spending a morning marvelling at the medieval majesty of Norwich Cathedral, head to Elm Hill.

Stop off in indie boutiques and eateries as you wind your way up the impossibly picturesque incline, all the while surrounded by blossoming trees. 

Many the most of your time in Norfolk

• Get to know Norwich on a fun hop on, hop off bus tour.
• Find out fifteen reasons to visit Norfolk.
• For local intel and time-saving itineraries, see our Staycations Norfolk guidebook.
• Planning a longer break? You need the bumper Rough Guide to the region.

Where to stay

• Best for city-breaking couples: The Maid’s Head Hotel, Norwich. A 13th-century building with period features.
• Best for would-be captains:: Norfolk Broads Cruiser, Gorleston-on-Sea. Sail, sleep and sightsee in style.
• Best for rural retreating: Heacham Manor Hotel. Country house with golf course and award-winning restaurant.

Explore more places to stay in Norfolk.

Handsome Holkham bay, North Norfolk © Andy333/Shutterstock

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5. Monaco — one of the best places to visit in March 

Best for chic sightseeing, big spending and exhilarating events

Small in size, but big on style and showstopping events, Monaco is a fairy tale princedom with unique personality.

A magnet for yachters, shoppers and strutting-their-stuff-ers, Monaco rises from the rocks like a haven for hedonists. Quite literally in the case of its Old Town, which perches on the Rock of Monaco. Surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean, it’s mind-blowingly located, and well-endowed with atmosphere and history. 

Even if you’re not a millionaire and have no intention of gambling, it’s worth taking a gander at Casino de Monte-Carlo’s Belle Époque building. The same goes for the opulent Opéra de Monte-Carlo. Built by the guy who created the Paris Opéra Garnier, just stepping into its fresco-filled foyer will take your breath away.  

As for why Monaco is one of the best places to visit in March, this month sees Monte Carlo host the Printemps des Arts festival.

Running from 8th March until 2nd April 2023, the festival will see around 500 artists perform everything from classical recitals, to juggling extravaganzas and contemporary dance.  

Make the most of your time in Monaco

• Uncover Monte Carlo's medieval, art deco and belle epoque architecture on a guided tour.
• Monaco is covered in The Rough Guide to Provence and the Cote d’Azur and the Pocket Insight Guide to the French Riviera. 
• Brush up your language skills with a French phrasebook and dictionary. 
• For more ideas about breaks in the south of France, browse our customisable walking-focussed trip.

Where to stay

• Best for palatial style: Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo. A luxurious, historic five-star near Monte Carlo Casino.
• Best for good value: Hôtel de France. In a high-end hotspot, this is a pretty reasonably priced and well-located.
• Best for couples: Port Palace. Smart, central and overlooking the port.

View more places to stay in Monaco.

Old town, Monaco © Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock

6. New York City, USA

Best for leprechauns, orchids and iconic attractions 

The seasonally shifting green and gold of Central Park. The ever-present neon glare of Times Square. The eternal Art Deco elegance of the Empire State Building. While there’s no bad time to visit New York City, there are some mighty fine extra reasons to visit in March. 

First up, many of New York’s top winter activities can still be enjoyed in March. Head to Bryant Park Winter Village to ice skate in the invigorating spring air until 5th March, with plenty of other activities on-going. 

Then, with March being on the cusp of brighter days, it’s also a great month to visit NYC to enjoy some seasonal specials. For example, the beautiful Brooklyn Botanical Garden opens its doors to a world-famous Orchid Show towards the end of the month.

Home to one million plants and more than 50 gardens, this is gorgeous to visit at any time of year, but the late-March/early April Orchid Evenings are especially enchanting .

Oh, and we can’t not mention New York’s legendary St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Held on 17th March — or the following weekend if the 17th falls on a weekday — it sees NYC transformed into an emerald ocean as around one million people take to the streets.

Make the most of your time in New York City

• Pre-book skip-the-line tickets to the Empire State Building.
• Go on an express cruise from Downtown Manhattan to see Lady Liberty up close.
• Read up on how to get off the beaten track in New York City.
• Thinking of travelling solo? Find out why New York is one of the places to travel alone in the USA.
• Fancy a longer East Coast adventure? Check-out our customisable trip that includes NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. 
• Discover all you need to know about the Big Apple with The Rough Guide to New York City.
• Planning a shorter break? Take your pick from the itinerary-oriented Pocket Rough Guide to NYC or the Mini Rough Guide to New York.

Where to stay

• Best for creative couples: Freehand New York. Fab four-star in Manhattan’s Flatiron District,
• Best for budget breaks: HI NYC Hostel. Sociable, and a ten-minute walk from Central Park.
• Best for hipsters: CODA Williamsburg. Boutique hotel with a rooftop lounge presenting Manhattan views.

Nosy around more places to stay in New York, and read our guide to accommodation in different areas of NYC.

The iconic Manhattan skyline © Shutterstock

Searching for more seasonal inspiration? Discover the best places to visit in January, and the best places to visit in February.

In the market for a UK staycation? Discover the best UK places to visit in spring, and read up on the best places to visit in spring around the world. You might also want to explore our best travel destinations for 2023.

Wherever you're thinking of heading, there's sure to be a Rough Guide to enhance every step of your journey from the moment you start planning. Not keen on planning? Browse our expert-curated, 100% customisable Rough Guides tailor-made trips.

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Header image: Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile © Shutterstock

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