WALK DOWN THE ISLE
A wonderful landscape, strong dash of French influence and evocative wartime history are year-round Jersey draws but this month offers a duo of festivals to ice this Channel Island cake. Start at the Jersey Food Festival (May 14-22). Think atmospheric markets, food and ale trails plus a cider and sausage evening in an orchard.
Then you can work off the calories exploring vast beaches, rugged bays and a wildflower-bedecked interior of quiet lanes and wooded trails during the Spring Walking Week (May 14-21).
Hardcore hikers can opt for the five-day Around Island Walk (£20 fee to include transfers to each day's starting point) but there are also 40 free daily guided walks to save your soles.

Condor Ferries (0845 609 1024/ condorferries.co.uk) offers return sailings from Weymouth/Poole to Jersey from £180.
Jersey Tourism: 01534 448800/jersey.com

ROTTERDAM IN BLOOM
Flowers and windmills are two national icons celebrated this month for visitors to the cosmopolitan but laidback Netherlands. There's green-fingered nirvana at the Keukenhof flower festival, a short drive from Rotterdam, until May 20 (keukenhof.nl). This is complemented by the historic charms of nearby Haarlem, with its medieval centre and chic shopping.
Keukenhof's May highlights include orchids, summer flowers and the world's largest lily show, plus themed gardens to rival Chelsea's with the festival's flower parade on May 16.
May 14, meanwhile, is Holland's National Mill Day and arrivals in Rotterdam should combine exploring the modern architecture of this vibrant port with a poke around 20 of the country's finest old windmills neatly clustered at neighbouring Kinderdijk.

P&O Ferries (0871 664 2121/poferries.com) offers return sailings from Hull to Rotterdam from £218, including en suite cabin.
Visit Holland: visitholland.com

GREAT BRETON
Ancient granite marks the atmospheric Breton port of Roscoff with its bustling harbour, tropical gardens and the wonderfully quirky Onion Johnny museum. It's also a perfect entry point for the Festival of Brittany (May 13-22), which includes concerts, art and night-time dances known as "fest-noz".
Earmark May 21/22 to visit historic Nantes for the first Marathon Of Dance in Brittany, a 20-hour test of overnight endurance dancing.
For something more stately, the Pardon de St-Yves in Tréguier on May 15 is an ancient religious celebration with up to 10,000 flag-bearing costumed pilgrims brightening the village streets.

Brittany Ferries (0871 244 0744/ brittanyferries.com) offers return sailings from Plymouth to Roscoff from £235, including en suite cabin.
French Government Tourist Office: 0906 824 4123/franceguide.com

HERE FOR THE CRAIC
Vibrant nightlife, rich cultural history and a fine location on the banks of the Liffey have long inspired visitors to Dublin.
This month is a particularly good time to visit the Irish capital with diverse events, including a world-class modern dance festival and the Soul Festival from May 26 to May 29 (dublincitysoulfestival.com) which will also include a Soul Food Restaurant Trail.
May also sees a month-long celebration of the sparky originality of Ireland's older folk at the 16th Bealtaine Festival (bealtaine.com), showcasing dance, film, art and theatre by veteran creatives.

Stena Line (0844 770 7070/stenaline.co.uk) offers return sailings from Holyhead to Dublin from £218 Tourism Ireland: 0800 313 4000/ discoverireland.com

CALAIS CULTURE
With the bustling French port of Calais hosting a Nuits des Musées (nuitdesmusees.culture.fr) on May 14 with museums and galleries serving up an eclectic array of evening events, it's the perfect opportunity for a cultured Gallic foray.

Just 20 miles away, soak up the charms of Boulogne's superb seafood restaurants, its monument-studded medieval centre and fine beach before heading for the 13th-century ChateauMusée for an evening featuring dream-like imaginings of the stories behind its exhibits (registration required).

Alternatively, the charming Fashion And Lace Museum in Calais turns to music to put a novel slant on its collection while the LAAC modern gallery in Dunkirk serves up early evening dance as well as two late-night concerts.

Sea France (0871 423 7119/seafrance.com) offers return sailings from Dover to Calais from £50.