March, at the world’s best hotels.

Late-season altitude: long light, quiet pistes and terrace lunches once the school holidays pass.

Spring on the lake: gardens in bloom before the summer set arrives.

Spring on the lake: gardens in bloom before the summer set arrives.

The palace without the crowds — winter light in the Hall of Mirrors.

After Epiphany Florence has its quietest and cheapest stretch of the year, with crisp clear days, the Uffizi and the Accademia without the lines, and the city's great hotels at their softest rates until Holy Week.

Spring on the lake: gardens in bloom before the summer set arrives.

Spring on the lake: gardens in bloom before the summer set arrives.

Winter sun season proper: 18 degree afternoons, empty golf courses, heated pools and the Golden Mile's lowest room rates of the year.

Early spring: almond blossom and the year's gentlest rates.

Ireland's great houses in winter: drawing-room fires and the demesne to yourself.

Spring on the lake: gardens in bloom before the summer set arrives.

After Epiphany Florence has its quietest and cheapest stretch of the year, with crisp clear days, the Uffizi and the Accademia without the lines, and the city's great hotels at their softest rates until Holy Week.

The Alentejo's quiet half-year: olive harvest, starlit skies, fireplaces lit.

Deep-winter country house season: long walks, longer dinners, fires everywhere.

The Alentejo's quiet half-year: olive harvest, starlit skies, fireplaces lit.

Early spring: almond blossom and the year's gentlest rates.

Deep-winter country house season: long walks, longer dinners, fires everywhere.

Deep-winter country house season: long walks, longer dinners, fires everywhere.

Fireside season — frost on the meadows, the village to yourself.

Early spring: almond blossom and the year's gentlest rates.

The quiet months in spa country: thermal baths and three-star cooking without the summer cure crowd.

Late wet season: the island at its lushest before the dry-season rush.

The rains bring the jungle alive and the valley falls quiet.

The rains bring the jungle alive and the valley falls quiet.

The rains bring the jungle alive and the valley falls quiet.

Winter kaiseki and hot springs with the temple town to yourself.

Snow-country bathing and crab season on the quiet Japan Sea coast.

Deep-winter onsen bathing after the New Year rush clears out.

Green season: newborn game, dramatic skies, and the bush at its lushest.

Kalahari summer: meerkat pups, desert blooms, and the reserve's quietest months.

Green season on the pans: zebra migration, desert flowers, dramatic storm light.

Winter on the strait: gardens in bloom early, the city at its most local.

The American Riviera's soft winter — green hills and empty beaches.

Vermont's secret season: sugaring, spring rivers, and the woods waking up.

Storm-watching season — whales offshore, fires lit, the coast dramatic.

The American Riviera's soft winter — green hills and empty beaches.

Deep winter is the Adirondacks at their most atmospheric, with frozen-lake skating, snowshoeing and toboggan runs at a fraction of summer pricing.

Clear winter light, green hills, and the town back at work.

Storm-watching season — whales offshore, fires lit, the coast dramatic.

Clear winter light, green hills, and the town back at work.

Clear winter light, green hills, and the town back at work.

Clear winter light, green hills, and the town back at work.

The American Riviera's soft winter — green hills and empty beaches.

Clear winter light, green hills, and the town back at work.

Clear winter light, green hills, and the town back at work.

Autumn in Torres del Paine: red lenga forests and the year's stillest light.

The green season on the atoll: brief warm rains, dramatic skies, meaningful savings.

After the rains: clear water, warm days, the archipelago to yourself.

Late heli-season corn snow and lengthening arctic days.

The tail of the dry season, with calm seas, sunny mornings and the crowds thinning out after Chinese New Year.