Forget jetting off abroad, as a popular destination in Wales is set to beat the balmy temperatures in Athens this week, while also being one of the warmest spots across the UK

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Spring is springing, and this week a popular Welsh hotspot will be hit with some balmy rays – set to be hotter than Athens!

After what felt like a lengthy and rather gloomy winter, the UK has been experiencing some sought-after warmer rays and longer days filled with sunshine. Earlier this month, we lapped up the first ‘mini heatwave’ of the year, with temperatures only set to increase as we edge further into spring.

This week, temperatures are set to rise again, with Cardiff reaching a blistering 19C on Thursday (23 April), according to the Met Office. Not only is the Welsh city expected to be one of the warmest places in the UK, but it’s also set to be hotter than the sun-soaked climate in Greece’s capital on Thursday.

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Athens has long been a beloved holiday hotspot for Brits, thanks to its 300 days of annual sunshine and its status as one of the world’s oldest cities. Yet, on Thursday, temperatures are only expected to reach a mere 15C, the Met Office outlines, while Cardiff will bask in the warming rays of 19C.

Of course Cardiff is already a popular draw for tourists given it’s steeped in history and home to iconic landmarks, not to mention the ample green spaces make it one of the best places to soak up the spring rays. There’s the sprawling Bute Park near Cardiff Castle, with a riverside walk along the River Taff, as well as Roath Park with its lake, and the beautiful Parc Cefn Onn, on the outskirts of the city.

Cardiff is also incredibly walkable, thanks to its compact layout, with the warmer temperatures offering an ideal opportunity to explore the city on foot. But a trip isn’t complete without visiting Cardiff Bay, with an array of landmarks, walks, eateries and boat trips on the glistening waters, to really make the most of the sunshine.

Cardiff is also set to be hotter than Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday, with the city only predicted to reach a mere 12C on Thursday (23 April), before 15C on Friday, the Met Office reports. But Thursday isn’t the only day Cardiff can lap up the rays, as it’s predicted to hit 19C again on Friday, before a slightly cooler weekend.

For the forecast from Wednesday to Friday, the Met Office said: “Largely dry during the remainder of the week, with high pressure giving generally settled weather. Some warm sunshine, though breezy at first, and some patchy overnight frosts.” Meanwhile, Tuesday (21 April) will see temperatures of 16C, and 18C on Wednesday (22 April), before it creeps up to the welcoming 19C.

In Cardiff’s long-range forecast between 24 April and 3 May, the Met Office outlines: “High pressure is likely to be centred close to or across the UK through much of this period. So many places will be largely dry with clear or sunny periods.

“Colder air will try to push into the country from the north toward next weekend, but will probably only make limited progress into the northeast for a brief time, where it could bring a short lived showery interlude, some of these wintry. Winds will be mostly light, but briefly stronger in the northeast as that colder air tries to come south. Temperatures will probably be near normal or slightly above for many, but with a risk of colder conditions affecting the north next weekend.”

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