Perhaps the most famous of spring myths is the Greek myth of Persephone. While picking flowers in a meadow, the maiden goddess was abducted by Hades, ruler of the underworld. Tricked into eating pomegranate seeds, Persephone was bound to the realm and her mother Demeter was so devastated that she cast the world into an eternal winter. A deal was struck: Persephone would return to the world of the living for half the year. Spring marks Demeter’s joy as Persephone returns to her, and winter her period of mourning, as her daughter re-enters the underworld.

Deep in the Yucatán Peninsula, the ancient city of Chichén Itzá is home to one of the most extraordinary feats of Mayan engineering: El Castillo. Built in honour of the feathered serpent deity Kukulcán, the step-pyramid is designed to perform a breathtaking spectacle once a year on the spring equinox. As the sun sets, seven reversed isosceles triangles of shadow crawl down the pyramid, creating the illusion of serpents slithering down to the stone-carved head below. The celestial event marks the day Kukulcán descended into the underworld to return renewed later in the year. Each year thousands gather to witness the “Descent of the Feathered Serpent,” this mesmerising homage to myth and Mayan architecture.

The West Germanic spring goddess, Ostara – known in Old English as Eastre and in Saxon dialects as Eostre – is the namesake of the Easter festivities. According to Anglo-Saxon folklore, Ostara once found a wounded bird and, to save it, transformed it into a hare. The hare retained its birdlike tendencies and continued laying colourful eggs, and this legend offers a clear link to modern Easter traditions, where coloured eggs and rabbits remain enduring symbols of renewal.

Persephone is said to have been snatched from Sicily, so we suggest booking a stay at the Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel perched on the cliffs of Taormina, which offers breathtaking views of Mount Etna, a fitting setting for those seeking a mythical getaway. Or if you prefer celestial wonders, Chablé Yucatán is just a short journey from Chichén Itzá.

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