These are the 11 best cities to visit in March
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Rome
If you head to Rome towards the end of March, you can enjoy warmer weather before it gets too crowded during the Holy Week of Easter in April.
It's the perfect time to soak up the culture, taste delicious Italian food and stroll the historic streets without the crowds.
Marco Rubino / EyeEm - Getty Images - 2/11
Venice
Exploring Venice before the summer rush starts, as it awakes from winter and the spring sunshine lights up its magnificent buildings, is simply beautiful.
It’s also a fantastic season for local produce and Venetian cooking is some of the most refined and delicious in all of Italy (with stiff competition!)
Ian.CuiYi - Getty Images - 3/11
Washington DC
Head Stateside to really celebrate the start of the new season with a trip to Washington DC, where you can see the city transform into a blooming pink wonderland for cherry blossom season.
Gifted by Japan in the early 1900s, the 3,000 cherry blossom trees are celebrated over five weeks from 20 March for the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Tetra Images - Getty Images - 4/11
Dublin
March 17th celebrates St Patrick’s Day and all things Irish, with Dublin’s biggest festival spanning over five days and attracting more than 100,000 visitors who travel for the huge party, which sees the pubs and streets brimming with revellers from around the world.
PAUL FAITH - Getty Images - 5/11
Florence
For a serious dose of culture, there are few better cities than Florence, with its sprawling alleyways and dreamy spires. It’s also the epicentre of Tuscan cuisine, where you’ll find mouth-watering street food and traditional trattorias serving up hearty plates of rural fare alongside some of Europe’s most revered wines.
Art-lovers will adore the frescoes on the walls of Florence’s ancient churches, or sculptures, like Michelangelo’s David, housed in the museums here.
massimo colombo - Getty Images - 6/11
Dubai
Want spring-time heat? Dubai’s a great choice for guaranteed sunshine and temperatures in the mid to high 20s in March.
The month also celebrates the Dubai Food Festival and the Dubai World Cup, so there’s plenty to keep you entertained during your trip.
Carsten Schanter / EyeEm - Getty Images - 7/11
Tromso
For a European city break to remember, head north to combine vibrant nightlife, local food and unique activities with the chance to spot the mystical Northern Lights in Norway's largest city in the north of the country, Tromso.
The lights are best viewed from September to April, with March providing a great chance to spot them in all their glory.
RelaxFoto.de - Getty Images - 8/11
Istanbul
Istanbul is an excellent city for experiencing a combination of the East and West. March is a great time to visit, when the warm, dry weather provides excellent conditions for browsing the endless streets and bazaars of the cities.
Be sure to explore both sides of the Bosphorus and don't miss the amazing Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque.
Morgane Loca Dupuis / EyeEm - Getty Images - 9/11
Vienna
The start of spring is a great time to visit Austria's capital city, when you can avoid the summer crowds and soak up the start of a new season on a Vienna city break in March.
There are museum exhibitions to browse and spring flowers to spot. This is your chance to go green and discover the imperial parks, tree-lined boulevards and blooming gardens of Vienna.
Manchan - Getty Images - 10/11
Edinburgh
See Edinburgh on a city break in March as Scotland's weather starts to get milder. There's more hotel room availability than during the festival and event seasons and you’ll be able to get a table at some of the city’s hottest restaurants.
The city is home to the second most Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK after London and has a vibrant independent dining scene with some of the country’s most exciting chefs cooking up a storm.
John Lawson - Getty Images - 11/11
Palma
March sees a rise in temperatures in Mallorca as spring arrives with highs of up to 17C, making it a pleasant time to explore.
Ancient port city Palma offers a blend of Gothic, Moorish and Renaissance monuments alongside palm trees, harbours and a great selection of shops and restaurants.
Mariusz Kluzniak - Getty Images