Planning the biggest trip of your life is daunting, so Condé Nast Traveller's editors have rounded up 19 honeymoon destinations for 2027 — and the list works as a decent shortcut for any couple, married or not. The broad strokes: classic beach romance (Maldives, Mauritius, Bora Bora, St Lucia), European food-and-culture trips (Italy, Greece, France, Portugal), adventure picks (New Zealand road trips, Iceland's Northern Lights, Scotland's Highlands) and more unusual options like Bhutan's Himalayan monasteries or a Costa Rican rainforest.
The detailed write-ups are worth a look. Greece leads for island-hopping: Santorini's caldera villages for the postcard sunsets, quieter Paros for space to breathe, with picks including Andronis Arcadia on Santorini, Summer Senses on Paros and the adults-only wellness retreat F Zeen on Kefalonia. Late spring or early summer beats the August crush, and London to Santorini is only about four hours direct.
Italy gets the la-dolce-vita treatment across three settings: Rome for culture and long dinners (Hotel Hassler at the top of the Spanish Steps, or the newer Six Senses with its Roman bathing circuit), the Amalfi Coast for slow days and cliffside drives — Casa Angelina in Praiano and the storied Hotel Santa Caterina get the nod — and Sicily, where Taormina (fresh from its White Lotus fame), Palermo's markets and the Baroque streets of Noto reward a multi-week loop. Spring and autumn spare you peak heat and crowds; Naples is under three hours from London.
Mexico is the pick for couples who want beaches and substance. Los Cabos offers whale watching between December and April along a 32km resort corridor; the Riviera Maya pairs Caribbean sand with cenote swims, Tulum's ruins and a day trip to Chichén Itzá; and a few days in Mexico City — Roma and Condesa neighbourhoods, street tacos, the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán — add genuine city energy. Direct flights to Cancún run 10–11 hours from London.
The FAQ-style sections are quietly the most useful part. On budget: Thailand and Bali deliver boutique hotels and tropical beaches at a fraction of Maldives prices, and Portugal stacks beach days, wine tasting and coastal towns within easy reach of the UK — travelling shoulder-season helps everywhere. On luxury: overwater villas in the Maldives and French Polynesia, Piton views in St Lucia, or a South Africa trip combining a high-end safari with Cape Winelands tasting. On the unconventional: Bhutan, Iceland's volcanic terrain, or Costa Rica's wildlife.
Who is this for? Anyone early in honeymoon planning who wants a map of the options before committing. It won't tell you exact prices, but it does a good job of sorting destinations by trip style — beach, culture, adventure, budget or splurge — which is genuinely the first decision to make. The hotel picks alone are a solid starting shortlist.
Condé Nast Traveller UK
