The Best Honeymoon Destinations in Europe & the Caribbean
A firsthand guide to where I'd send the couples I care most about — from the Amalfi Coast and Santorini to St. Lucia and Turks & Caicos — with honest advice, real hotel picks, and Fora perks to make it unforgettable.
Honeymoon planning is my favorite kind of planning. There's a lot on the line — it's the first big trip you take as a married couple, and I want it to be exactly right. Not just beautiful, but right for you. The destination that fits your pace, your personalities, and the kind of memories you want to carry home.
I've planned a lot of honeymoons. Europe and the Caribbean are where most of my couples end up — and for very good reason. Both regions offer extraordinary variety, and I have deep hotel relationships across both. Here's my honest, firsthand guide to the destinations I recommend most — and the hotels I'd book for the people I love.
The most important question I ask every honeymoon couple: do you want to relax, explore, or both? If you both want to collapse on a beach and do nothing for a week, the Caribbean is probably your answer. If you want culture, history, incredible food, and some beach mixed in, Europe is your answer. If you want one of each — a few nights in Italy followed by a Caribbean island — that can work beautifully too. Tell me what you're dreaming of and I'll help you figure out the rest.
Europe honeymoons have a particular kind of magic — breathtaking scenery, extraordinary cuisine, ancient history, and some of the finest hotels in the world. The best time to go is May–June or September–October: warm enough for beaches and al fresco dining, uncrowded enough to actually enjoy it. I send very few couples to Santorini or Positano in July and August — the crowds genuinely diminish the romance.
The Amalfi Coast is the one that makes people say "I want to go back before we've even left." Positano — the tumbling pastel houses, the lemon groves, the impossibly blue water — is one of those places that simply looks and feels like a honeymoon. You can spend days doing nothing but eating, swimming, and watching the light change on the cliffs. Easy day trips to Capri, Ravello, and Pompeii if you want them.
My honest caveat: Positano is very hilly and involves a lot of stairs. It's part of the charm, but worth knowing. If mobility is a concern, Ravello (up in the hills above the coast) offers a quieter, more refined alternative with equally stunning views.
A classic pairing: 3–4 nights Amalfi + 4 nights Rome, or extend north to Lake Como — cooler, quieter, and achingly beautiful in a completely different way.
Santorini is one of those places that almost doesn't look real — the blue-domed churches, the white-washed buildings stacked along the caldera cliffs, the sunsets that genuinely stop you mid-sentence. It's iconic for a reason. The caveat: it's extremely popular, especially July and August. May, June, September, and early October are significantly better months.
For couples who want Greece without the crowds, I love Mykonos for a livelier, more stylish scene, or the quieter islands of Milos and Paros for something more authentic. Combining two Greek islands — Santorini + Mykonos, for example — makes for a wonderful 10-day honeymoon with real variety.
Paris is the city that invented romance — and a Paris honeymoon, even a short one, is something you will never forget. I'd recommend at least four nights to do it justice. Stay on the Left Bank for the most classic experience, wander the Marais, and have at least one long dinner at a proper brasserie.
Extend south to the French Riviera — Nice, Antibes, or Cap-Ferrat — for beach alongside the city. The Côte d'Azur has a glamour and warmth that perfectly complements a few nights in Paris. For something more intimate: Provence in June, when the lavender is in bloom, is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
Portugal has become one of my most-recommended European honeymoon destinations. It delivers extraordinary variety — a beautiful capital city in Lisbon; dramatic cliff-backed beaches in the Algarve; and the breathtaking wine country of the Douro Valley — all in a compact country that's easy to navigate and remarkable value compared to France or Italy.
My favorite 10-day itinerary: 3 nights Lisbon + 3 nights Algarve + 3 nights Douro Valley. It's one of the best honeymoon itineraries I plan, and it works for almost every kind of couple.
Croatia is having its moment, and the Dalmatian Coast deserves every bit of the attention. Dubrovnik's medieval city walls, the crystal-clear Adriatic, island-hopping by boat, extraordinary seafood — it's a destination that feels active and adventurous rather than just relaxing, which is perfect for certain couples.
The magic is the combination of history and water. Walk 800-year-old city walls in the morning, swim off a boat in an impossibly blue cove in the afternoon. Hvar is chic and lively. Vis is quiet and unspoiled. Best for couples who love water, outdoor activities, and want something a little different from the standard Italy or Greece honeymoon.
"The right European honeymoon isn't the most famous destination — it's the one that fits you. Tell me what you want to feel, and I'll tell you exactly where to go."
A Caribbean honeymoon is about one thing: completely switching off. The warm water, the trade winds, the unhurried pace — the Caribbean does something to your nervous system that nowhere else quite replicates. The decision isn't whether to go — it's which island.
Every island has its own personality. St. Lucia is dramatic and adventurous. Turks & Caicos is pristine and understated. St. Barths is glamorous and chic. Jamaica has soul and great music. The BVI is for people who want to be on the water as much as on land. Knowing which of those sounds like you is the first step.
Best time to visit: December through April (dry season). Hurricane season runs June through November — I'd avoid the peak of it in August and September.
St. Lucia is, in my opinion, the most beautiful island in the Caribbean. The twin Piton mountains rising straight out of the sea, the lush rainforest interior, the volcanic beaches, the thermal springs — it's unlike any other island in the region. It's also been named the World's Leading Honeymoon Destination for seven consecutive years at the World Travel Awards.
Perfect for couples who want drama alongside relaxation. You can hike to a volcano, go snorkeling in a marine reserve, and be back at your private plunge pool in time for a sunset cocktail. The west (Caribbean) coast is calm and sheltered — that's where all the best resorts are. The east (Atlantic) coast is rougher. Stick to the west for a honeymoon.
If St. Lucia is dramatic, Turks & Caicos is quietly, understatedly perfect. Grace Bay Beach is consistently ranked among the most beautiful beaches in the world, and the water is a shade of turquoise that doesn't look real until you're actually standing in it.
Ideal for couples who want pure luxury and simplicity. Excellent restaurants, world-class snorkeling and diving, beautiful boutique resorts — no crowds, no nightlife to speak of, and a pace that is genuinely restful. One of the easiest Caribbean islands to reach from Atlanta — direct flights under 3 hours.
St. Barths occupies a category of its own — equal parts French sophistication, Caribbean warmth, and understated elegance. The food is outstanding (it is a French island), Gustavia harbor is one of the most picturesque in all the Caribbean, and the beaches are stunning.
Best for couples who appreciate great food, beautiful design, and a scene that doesn't feel too try-hard. It's also expensive — I won't sugarcoat that. But for the right couple, it's worth every penny. Getting there requires a connection through St. Maarten — it's part of the experience and nothing to worry about.
Jamaica has a warmth and personality that no other Caribbean island quite replicates — the music, the food, the people, the energy. It's also one of the most well-developed honeymoon destinations in the Caribbean, with an enormous range of resorts specifically designed for couples. Sandals and Couples Resorts have built their entire identities around the Jamaica honeymoon, and they do it extremely well.
Beyond the resorts, Jamaica has extraordinary natural beauty — Negril's Seven Mile Beach is one of the best beaches in the Caribbean, and the Blue Mountains produce some of the world's finest coffee. Best for couples who want a social, lively atmosphere with great music and food, or who love the all-inclusive format.
The BVI is for a very specific kind of couple: one that wants to be on the water as much as on land. More than 50 islands, crystal-clear sailing waters, extraordinary snorkeling and diving — the BVI rewards exploration in a way no other Caribbean destination quite does.
The classic BVI honeymoon involves chartering a yacht or catamaran — with a captain and private chef — and island-hopping for a week. Virgin Gorda and The Baths, Jost Van Dyke, Anegada for flamingos and lobster. Each island is different and all are beautiful. I can help arrange the charter as part of a full-service honeymoon plan.
Europe or Caribbean — How to Decide
When couples come to me unsure between the two, I ask a few simple questions:
- How long is your honeymoon? A week or less favors the Caribbean. Two weeks opens up Europe beautifully.
- What's your energy post-wedding? If you want to collapse and do nothing, Caribbean. If you'll go stir-crazy without things to do, Europe.
- What time of year are you going? December through April is prime Caribbean season. May through October is ideal for Europe.
- Is there a food-and-wine person in the relationship? Europe wins that argument convincingly.
- Have you been to both regions? Always go somewhere new for the honeymoon.
And honestly — if you genuinely can't decide, consider doing both. Three or four nights in southern Italy followed by a week in St. Lucia, or Paris followed by Turks & Caicos. More couples do this than you might think, and it works extraordinarily well.
"I've never had a couple come back from either of these regions disappointed. The question isn't whether it'll be wonderful — it's which kind of wonderful is right for you."
How I Plan Honeymoons
Every honeymoon I plan starts with a conversation — I want to understand who you both are as travelers before I make a single recommendation. What you've loved in the past, what you're dreaming of, your budget, and what you want to feel on this trip.
From there, I research and curate options, book hotels with Fora perks included (room upgrades, resort credits, daily breakfast, welcome amenities — at no extra cost), and build a detailed day-by-day plan. My full-service planning fee is $50 per day of travel. Hotel-only bookings are always complimentary.
The best honeymoons I've planned have one thing in common: the couple trusted me to handle the details so they could be fully present for each other. That's what I'm here for.
Ready to plan your honeymoon?
I've helped dozens of couples plan the honeymoon of their dreams — with exclusive hotel perks, careful attention to every detail, and a personal touch that makes all the difference.
