Kyoto, Japan

Japan’s cherry-blossom (hanami) festivals, which typically stretch from the end of March to the first week of April, are the most dazzling in the world, and Kyoto, which was the imperial capital for nearly 1,000 years, is one of the loveliest cities to see them in, says Matt Gross, the Frugal Traveler columnist at the New York Times.

Average Temperature: 47 to 67 degrees.

Where to Stay: As in most of Japan, space is at a premium, so don’t expect an enormous room. At the Hotel Nishiyama (doubles from $185 a night, www.ryokan-kyoto.com), a traditional Japanese inn, the rooms are snug but smartly laid out, says Gross. (Request a Western room or you’ll be sleeping on mats.)

What to Do: A prime spot to see an assortment of trees, according to Etsuko Kawasaki of the Japan National Tourist Organization, is the Haradani Cherry Garden. Less mobbed than settings such as Maruyama Park or the banks of the Kamo River, the garden has more than 200 weeping cherry trees, most of them of the dark red, multipetaled variety. The Philosopher’s Walk, which runs along the canal from the Nanzenji Temple to the Ginkakuji Temple, is also stunning. “It feels like you’re walking under a heavenly pink mist when the flowers are in full bloom,” says Kawasaki. For more information: www.pref.kyoto.jp.