Southampton · May · warmth

Warmest places to go from Southampton in May

The warmest place you can reach from Southampton in May within 15 hours is Edfu at 31.4 °C, costing 960 kg CO₂e return. The lowest-carbon option is Exeter at 12.1 kg — 79× less carbon for 18.4 °C less.

Every destination here is on the efficiency frontier: nowhere else in Europe is both warmer in May and lower in carbon. Anything a better option beats outright has been left out.

Where they are. Solid lines are rail or ferry, dashed are flights, from Southampton. Pick one to compare.

By rail or ferry By air

Carbon against warmth, May, departing Southampton. Journeys of up to 15 hours each way.

What the 15-hour limit costs: at this budget Alzira can only be reached by air — 329 kg CO₂e, in 5h 12m. Allow up to 24 hours and the train does the same journey for 49.5 kg in 22h 18m — 7× less carbon for 17h 6m more travelling.

May from Southampton — 18 destinations on the frontier, 4 without flying.
Destination	How	CO₂e return	Temp	Sun/day	Rain/day	Journey
Exeter, United Kingdom	Rail	12.1 kg	13.0 °C	11.4 h	2.7 mm	4h 6m
Antwerp, Belgium	Rail	18.3 kg	14.2 °C	10.4 h	4.0 mm	7h 48m
Nijmegen, The Netherlands	Rail	21.2 kg	14.6 °C	11.0 h	3.5 mm	9h 12m
La Rochelle, France	Rail	26.6 kg	15.6 °C	11.3 h	3.1 mm	11h 42m
Montpellier, France	Air	227 kg	17.4 °C	11.3 h	3.3 mm	4h 42m
Perpignan, France	Air	244 kg	17.9 °C	11.3 h	1.6 mm	4h 48m
Zaragoza, Spain	Air	259 kg	18.8 °C	13.1 h	0.8 mm	4h 54m
Alzira, Spain	Air	329 kg	20.3 °C	12.2 h	1.3 mm	5h 12m
Seville, Spain	Air	389 kg	21.7 °C	12.3 h	0.8 mm	5h 36m
Kairouan, Tunisia	Air	485 kg	21.8 °C	11.0 h	1.7 mm	6h 6m
Metlaoui, Tunisia	Air	505 kg	23.8 °C	11.8 h	0.8 mm	6h 12m
Tozeur, Tunisia	Air	513 kg	25.8 °C	11.6 h	0.6 mm	6h 12m
Moulay Ali Cherif, Morocco	Air	552 kg	26.6 °C	12.1 h	0.1 mm	6h 24m
Zagora, Morocco	Air	583 kg	27.6 °C	12.4 h	0.0 mm	6h 36m
Assiut, Egypt	Air	890 kg	29.0 °C	11.9 h	0.0 mm	8h 36m
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt	Air	920 kg	30.0 °C	12.6 h	0.1 mm	8h 42m
Luxor, Egypt	Air	941 kg	31.2 °C	12.0 h	0.0 mm	8h 54m
Edfu, Egypt	Air	960 kg	31.4 °C	12.1 h	0.0 mm	9h

Warm is not the same as pleasant, which is why sunshine and rainfall are shown alongside temperature. All three are ERA5 monthly means for 2023–2024.

Where the curve breaks

The frontier is gentle until it isn't. Going from Seville (389 kg, 21.7 °C) to Kairouan (485 kg, 21.8 °C) buys 0.1 °C more warmth for an extra 95.7 kg — 957 kg of CO₂e per degree. That single step is the most expensive warmth on the whole curve.

The pick of them

ExeterUnited Kingdom12.1 kg CO₂e return13.0 °C · 11.4 h sun · 4h 6m by railmild and bright La RochelleFrance26.6 kg CO₂e return15.6 °C · 11.3 h sun · 11h 42m by railwarm but wet EdfuEgypt960 kg CO₂e return31.4 °C · 12.1 h sun · 9h by airwarm, bright and dry

If you'd rather have sunshine than heat

May answers differently depending on what you're after. The sunniest destinations from Southampton in May are a different list — the brightest places are not always the hottest, and in winter the difference is large.

Where to stay in Edfu

Places to stay in Edfu, Egypt, on a live map. Prices and availability come from Stay22 and its booking partners.

Affiliate disclosure. A booking made through this map may earn 0xCarbon a commission, at no extra cost to you. It changes nothing above it: the emissions figures come from UK Government conversion factors and are computed before anyone is paid anything.See the method.

Other months from Southampton

May from elsewhere

Questions

Where is the warmest place to go from Southampton in May?

Edfu, Egypt, at 31.4 °C. Reaching it emits 960 kg CO₂e return, travelling 9h each way by air.

Can I get somewhere warm from Southampton in May without flying?

Yes. La Rochelle reaches 15.6 °C and is reachable by rail or ferry in 11h 42m, emitting 26.6 kg CO₂e return — though Edfu is warmer still, if you fly.

How much carbon does a return trip from Southampton to Edfu produce?

960 kg CO₂e for one person, return, by air. That uses the UK Government's 2026 conversion factors, including radiative forcing for flights.

Carbon uses UK Government (DESNZ/DEFRA) 2026 conversion factors applied to great-circle distance, with radiative forcing included for flights. Rail journey times are modelled estimates, not timetabled services. Full method · download the data.