There’s nothing more cheerful than a daffodil. I love everything about them: their vibrant hue, their elegant trumpets, their perfect timing heralding the arrival of spring. And for me, daffodils always seem most at home in the gardens and verges of a tranquil village.
So, where to go now that the daffodils have arrived? I’d opt for somewhere low-key, perhaps with thatched or half-timbered buildings, a good church and a comely green. But also somewhere with attractions reopening after winter, seasonal cafes putting their kettles back on and easy access to the rousing, blossoming, bird-busy countryside. Below, I’ve chosen 10 pretty places to inspire your spring travels.
1. Lavenham, Suffolk
England’s best-preserved medieval village, Lavenham is a picturesque cluster of pastel-painted half-timber houses – and it’s even more colourful in spring, when flowers bloom and wisteria runs rampant. Visit the Guildhall and the Little Hall Museum, one of the village’s oldest buildings, and enjoy afternoon tea at the Blue Vintage Tea Rooms, served in the 15th-century parlour or sun-trap garden.
New for 2026 is Eezybike’s solar-powered collection pod: pick up an e-bike to pedal into the awakening countryside, via quiet lanes and blousy hedgerows.
Where to stay
On the village’s high streets, The Swan has doubles from £240 per night, including breakfast.
2. Aberdaron, Gwynedd
Cast away at the end of the Llŷn Peninsula, little Aberdaron is a great escape from the rest of the world. Visit the seaside pilgrim church, stroll the sandy beach and even brave a swim – warming up afterwards with a sauna and homemade crab cakes at Sblash.
Nearby, the 17th-century Plas yn Rhiw manor is set in woods blanketed in bluebells, or you can walk the coast path to Porth Meudwy, joining a boat trip to Bardsey Island – tours resume in spring, just as the puffins return.
Where to stay
Gwesty Tŷ Newydd on Aberdaron Beach has doubles from £110 per night, including breakfast.
3. Clun, Shropshire
South Shropshire is spoilt for pretty villages – there’s a cluster strewn along the green and blossomy Clun Valley. The main hub, Clun, is officially a town, though with a population of 650 it hardly feels like it. Clun does have a ruined castle, small museum and two traditional pubs: the White Horse and the Sun Inn.
It also hosts the Green Man Festival (2-4 May), when the Green Man battles the Frost Queen, accompanied by Morris dancing and general merriment.
Where to stay
A former “rural pub of the year”, The White Horse has also doubles from £105 per night, including breakfast.
4. Church Houses & Low Mill, North Yorkshire
These two tiny hamlets sit at either end of Farndale, Yorkshire’s cheeriest spring spot. This is the “daffodil dale”, where the banks of the meandering River Dove are rampant with golden bulbs, and “Daffy Teas” are served in the Band Room, a teeny corrugated music and community venue.
Even if you miss the flowers, this is a lovely spot for spring walks amid gambolling lambs and rolling moors. Finish with a pint at the Feversham Arms.
Where to stay
Farnedale Cottages offers several properties; the Byre, sleeping two, costs from £976 for three nights.
5. St Mawes, Cornwall
Upgrade spring for summer-ish in idyllic St Mawes. Surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic, this Cornish beauty has its own microclimate; it may even be mild enough for al fresco drinks on the terrace of the Rising Sun or the swish Idle Rocks.
That microclimate also nurtures Lamorran House Gardens, an Italianate exotica spring-flush with rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas. Time your visit with the Roseland Festival (April 24 - May 3) to add in folk, film, history, walks and talks too.
Where to stay
Enjoy harbour views from The Rising Sun, which has doubles from £121 per night, including breakfast.
6. Ballater, Aberdeenshire
The Highlands hub of Ballater is a fine combination: an elegant Victorian village in the midst of truly great outdoors. And as temperatures increase, so do opportunities for getting out, from exploring the grounds of Balmoral to ambling by the River Dee, plunging into the Cairngorms or hiking with others at the Ballater Walking Festival (May 16-22).
Don’t miss nearby Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve, where the now-greening woods are carpeted with anemone and celandine, and alive with birdsong.
Where to stay
Located in the village centre, The Balmoral Arms has doubles from £150 per night, including breakfast.
7. Bosham, West Sussex
Bosham sits scenically on the edge of Chichester Harbour, a fine spot to welcome in the new season. The village, with its attractive cottages, coffee shops, historic quay and part-Saxon church, is a pleasing place for a wander. Even better, the old Bosham-Itchenor ferry restarts in April, as do boat trips to see the harbour’s resident seals.
You can also explore one of the newest stretches of the just-launched King Charles III England Coast Path, which visits Bosham en route from West Wittering to Hayling Island.
Where to stay
The Bosham Stream flows past the Millstream Hotel, which has doubles from £125 per night, including breakfast.
8. Broadway, Worcestershire
Spring in Broadway’s quintessentially Cotswoldian high street is extra dazzling: chestnut trees are in flower and honey-stone cottages festooned in wisteria. Meanwhile, the surrounding countryside is green, sheep-mooched and a-billow with apple, pear and plum blossom.
Drive, walk or cycle the 55-mile Evesham Blossom Trail (until mid-May) for the full effect, or take in the view from the top of Broadway Tower. Return to Broadway’s Crown & Trumpet for a pint of locally brewed Shagweaver ale.
Where to stay
Rooms at The Fish Hotel offer far-reaching countryside views. Doubles cost from £250 per night, including breakfast.
9. Cushendun, County Antrim
The sea is glittery and white-washed cottages glow against swathes of gorse in cutesy Cushendun come spring. Cushendun is also Northern Ireland’s best spot for red squirrels, which are busy right now – book the hide at Cregagh Wood to increase your chances of sightings.
Finish at Mary McBride’s pub, where there’s a fire for chilly days and a tiny terrace for soaking up spring sun.
Where to stay
Coastal Strand House, sleeping five, costs from £812 for three nights.
10. Whalley & Wiswell, Lancashire
Only a mile or so separates this pretty pairing in the Ribble Valley. In Whalley, there are handsome old cottages, refined Georgian buildings, diverting shops and galleries, and the ruins of a Cistercian abbey. Chocolate-box Wiswell has the Freemasons, a gastropub where acclaimed chef Mike Shaw has just been appointed chef patron.
Both villages are close to Spring Wood, one of Lancashire’s best-loved bluebell spots, while Pendle Hill beckons above – great for hikes and spotting dotterel, ring ouzel and snow bunting making their seasonal passage.
Where to stay: The Freemasons in tiny Wiswell has doubles from £95 per night, room only.