15 Most Romantic Getaways in the World for Couples

Romance in travel is not about heart-shaped bathtubs and rose-petal turndown services — though those have their place. The most romantic trips are the ones that pull you out of your routine and into a shared experience that feels like it belongs only to the two of you. A sunrise over a volcanic caldera. A candlelit dinner in a centuries-old palazzo. A walk through a night market where you cannot read a single sign, navigating together by instinct and appetite.

These fifteen destinations have earned their place on this list not through marketing but through the genuine magic of their settings, their food, and the way they make two people feel like they have discovered something together.

1. Santorini, Greece

The romance: Whitewashed villages clinging to a volcanic caldera above impossibly blue water. Santorini exists in a permanent state of golden hour.

Best romantic experiences:

• Watch the sunset from Oia — but skip the crowded castle viewpoint and book a table at a caldera-edge restaurant instead. Lycabettus is outstanding.
• Stay in a cave hotel with a private plunge pool overlooking the caldera. Properties like Canaves Oia Suites and Astra Suites offer the classic Santorini romance.
• Take a catamaran cruise around the caldera at sunset — swim in volcanic hot springs, snorkel in crystalline water, and dine on deck as the sun drops.
• Wine tasting at Santo Wines or Venetsanos Winery, both perched on the caldera rim with staggering views.

Best time: Late May to June or September to early October. July and August are hot, crowded, and expensive.

Budget: $150-400/night for caldera-view hotels. Budget couples can stay in Fira or Perissa for $60-100/night, though you lose the caldera views.

2. Kyoto, Japan

The romance: Cherry blossoms, lantern-lit streets, tea ceremonies, and a depth of beauty that reveals itself slowly. Kyoto is romance for couples who find intimacy in quiet, shared wonder.

Best romantic experiences:

• Walk through the bamboo grove at Arashiyama at dawn, before the crowds arrive. The light filtering through towering bamboo is otherworldly.
• Stay at a traditional ryokan with a private onsen (hot spring bath). Gion Hatanaka or Tawaraya are the gold standard.
• Attend a private tea ceremony — the ritual of preparation and the stillness of the tea room create a meditative intimacy.
• Stroll the Philosopher's Path during cherry blossom season, with petals drifting onto the canal.
• Dinner at a traditional kaiseki restaurant, where each course is a work of art.

Best time: Late March to mid-April (cherry blossoms) or mid-November (autumn foliage). Both seasons are busy — book months in advance.

Budget: Ryokan from $200-800/night including dinner and breakfast. Budget options from $80/night.

3. Amalfi Coast, Italy

The romance: Pastel villages cascading down cliffs to the Mediterranean, winding coastal roads, and food that makes you want to stay forever.

Best romantic experiences:

• Drive (or be driven in a private car — the roads are intense) the coastal road from Sorrento to Amalfi, stopping in Positano for lunch overlooking the beach.
• Book a table at Da Adolfo in Positano — accessible only by boat, this beachside restaurant serves seafood caught that morning.
• Take a private boat tour from Amalfi to the island of Capri, swimming in secluded coves along the way.
• Hike the Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) — a cliff-top trail between Agerola and Positano with views that justify the name.
• Evening passeggiata (evening stroll) through Ravello, followed by a concert at Villa Rufolo's clifftop gardens.

Best time: May to June and September to October. July and August are scorching, crowded, and pricey.

Budget: $150-500/night for hotels with views. The Amalfi Coast is not cheap, but sharing costs as a couple makes it more manageable.

4. Bali, Indonesia

The romance: Jungle valleys, rice terraces, flower-strewn temple ceremonies, and a wellness culture that turns relaxation into an art form.

Best romantic experiences:

• Stay in a private villa in Ubud with an infinity pool overlooking the rice paddies. Viceroy Bali and Hanging Gardens are iconic; boutique alternatives like Bisma Eight offer the experience at a lower price.
• Couple's spa treatment — Bali's spa culture is world-class, from traditional Balinese massage to flower-bath rituals ($30-100 per couple).
• Sunrise hike up Mount Batur (1,717m) — watch the sun rise over the caldera lake, then breakfast at the summit.
• Take a private cooking class in a family compound, learning to make offerings and traditional dishes.
• Beach club sunset at Single Fin in Uluwatu, perched on the cliff above the surf breaks.

Best time: April to October (dry season). July and August are peak tourist season.

Budget: Luxury villas from $150-500/night. Budget couples can find excellent guesthouses with rice paddy views for $30-60/night. Bali offers romance at every price point.

5. Paris, France

The romance: Paris's romantic reputation is a cliche because it is true. The light, the architecture, the food, the wine, the bridges over the Seine at dusk — the city is engineered for love.

Best romantic experiences:

• Evening walk along the Seine from Notre-Dame to the Eiffel Tower, watching the tower sparkle on the hour after dark.
• Picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens or along the Canal Saint-Martin with a baguette, cheese, charcuterie, and a bottle of Burgundy from a neighborhood cave (wine shop).
• Breakfast in bed at a Left Bank hotel, or croissants and cafe creme at a sidewalk terrace.
• Dinner at a candlelit bistro in the Marais or Saint-Germain. Le Comptoir du Pantheon, Chez Janou, and Au Passage are romantic without being stuffy.
• Visit the Musee de l'Orangerie together — Monet's Water Lilies in the oval rooms are profoundly calming.

Best time: April to June and September to October. Summer is crowded; winter is cold but atmospheric.

Budget: $150-400/night for a well-located hotel. Paris dining ranges from $15 bistro meals to Michelin-starred splurges.

6. Maldives

The romance: Overwater bungalows, private beaches, and water so clear you can see fish from your pillow. The Maldives is pure, unfiltered paradise.

Best romantic experiences:

• Overwater villa with a glass floor panel for watching reef fish from bed.
• Private sandbank dinner — your resort arranges a table on a tiny sand island, just the two of you, a private chef, and the stars.
• Snorkel or dive together on a house reef teeming with turtles, rays, and reef sharks.
• Sunset dolphin cruise — spinner dolphins are common in Maldivian waters.
• Spa treatments over the water with the ocean visible through the floor.

Best time: November to April (dry season). The shoulder months (November and April) offer the best value.

Budget: $300-1,500/night for resorts. Budget options exist on local islands ($50-100/night guesthouses on Maafushi or Thulusdhoo), though the resort experience is the main draw.

7. Tuscany, Italy

The romance: Rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, golden light, and a pace of life built around food, wine, and long afternoons.

Best romantic experiences:

• Rent a farmhouse (agriturismo) surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. Cook dinner together with ingredients from the local market.
• Wine tasting in Chianti — drive between small producers, not just the big names. The Chianti Classico region between Florence and Siena is the sweet spot.
• Truffle hunting in the Tuscan countryside with a local guide and their dog, followed by a truffle lunch.
• Sunset from the walls of San Gimignano or the Piazza del Campo in Siena.
• Hot springs at Saturnia — natural thermal pools in the open Tuscan countryside, free and open 24 hours.

Best time: May to June and September to October. Harvest season (September-October) adds grape-picking energy.

Budget: Agriturismo from $80-250/night. A rental car is essential.

8. Marrakech, Morocco

The romance: A riad courtyard with a plunge pool, the call to prayer echoing over the medina, and a sensory overload of spices, colors, and textures that makes every moment vivid.

Best romantic experiences:

• Stay in a riad (traditional courtyard house) in the medina. Properties like Riad Yasmine and El Fenn offer intimate luxury with rooftop terraces and plunge pools.
• Get lost together in the medina's winding alleyways — it is genuinely disorienting and genuinely thrilling.
• Sunset camel ride in the Agafay Desert (45 minutes from Marrakech) with a private camp dinner under the stars.
• Hammam experience — a traditional steam bath and scrub is deeply relaxing and culturally immersive. Heritage Spa and Les Bains de Marrakech are couple-friendly.
• Cooking class in a riad kitchen, learning tagine, couscous, and Moroccan pastry.

Best time: March to May and September to November. Summer is extremely hot (40C+).

Budget: Beautiful riads from $60-200/night. Marrakech offers exceptional value for the level of luxury.

9. Big Island, Hawaii

The romance: Active volcanoes, black sand beaches, snorkeling with manta rays, and a lush tropical landscape that feels primordial.

Best romantic experiences:

• Watch lava flow into the ocean at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (when active — check current conditions).
• Snorkel with manta rays at night off the Kona coast — these gentle giants glide just feet away, illuminated by underwater lights.
• Drive the Hamakua Coast, stopping at Rainbow Falls and the Waipio Valley overlook.
• Stargaze from Mauna Kea — at 4,200m, the summit offers some of the clearest skies in the world.
• Couple's massage at a cliffside resort with the sound of waves below.

Best time: Year-round. April to May and September to October offer the best combination of weather and value.

Budget: $150-400/night for hotels. Condos and vacation rentals offer more space and kitchen access.

10. Cape Town, South Africa

The romance: A city where mountains meet the ocean, with world-class wine regions 45 minutes away and a food scene that punches far above its weight.

Best romantic experiences:

• Sunset from the top of Table Mountain or Lion's Head (the latter is a 2-hour hike with 360-degree views).
• Wine tasting in Stellenbosch or Franschhoek — the Cape Winelands produce exceptional wines in a setting of dramatic mountains and manicured estates.
• Drive the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point, stopping at Boulders Beach to see African penguins.
• Dinner at La Colombe, The Test Kitchen, or any of the city's world-class restaurants.
• Private picnic in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with a charcuterie board and South African wine.

Best time: November to March (Southern Hemisphere summer). February is peak season.

Budget: $80-250/night for hotels with views. Cape Town offers extraordinary value by global standards.

11. Bruges, Belgium

The romance: A medieval city of cobblestones, canals, and chocolate. Bruges is small enough to explore in a weekend but atmospheric enough to linger.

Best romantic experiences:

• Canal boat tour through the medieval center, ducking under ancient stone bridges.
• Chocolate tasting at artisan chocolatiers — The Chocolate Line and Dumon are outstanding.
• Climb the Belfry for panoramic views over the red-tile rooftops.
• Dinner at a candlelit restaurant on the canals. Den Dyver pairs every course with a different Belgian beer.
• Sunset walk to the Minnewater ("Lake of Love") and the adjacent Beguinage convent.

Best time: April to June. December is magical with Christmas markets but cold.

Budget: $100-250/night. Bruges is compact — you do not need transport within the center.

12. Queenstown, New Zealand

The romance: Adventure shared is adventure doubled. Queenstown is for couples who bond over adrenaline.

Best romantic experiences:

• Tandem bungee jumping at the Kawarau Bridge or Nevis — holding hands on the way down is optional.
• Milford Sound cruise through towering fjords with waterfalls cascading from the cliffs.
• Sunset at the Queenstown Hill summit after a 2-hour hike.
• Wine tasting in the Central Otago Pinot Noir region — Amisfield and Gibbston Valley are standouts.
• Helicopter ride to a mountaintop picnic with views of the Remarkables range.

Best time: December to February (Southern Hemisphere summer) for warmth, or June to August for snow and fireside coziness.

Budget: $120-350/night. Adventure activities are pricey ($150-300 per activity) but unforgettable.

13. Luang Prabang, Laos

The romance: A UNESCO-listed town at the confluence of two rivers, where saffron-robed monks collect alms at dawn and the pace of life slows to a gentle drift.

Best romantic experiences:

• Wake before dawn to watch the alms-giving ceremony — hundreds of monks walking silently through the streets.
• Kuang Si Waterfalls — turquoise pools in a jungle setting, an hour from town.
• Sunset drinks on the banks of the Mekong River.
• Night market dinner — sit on low cushions along the main street and share Laotian dishes.
• Slow boat on the Mekong to Pak Ou Caves, filled with thousands of Buddha statues.

Best time: November to March (cool and dry).

Budget: $40-120/night. Laos is affordable, and Luang Prabang offers excellent boutique hotels at reasonable prices.

14. Scottish Highlands

The romance: Wild, remote, and moody. The Highlands are for couples who find romance in misty mountains, empty beaches, and firelit evenings in stone-walled lodges.

Best romantic experiences:

• Drive the North Coast 500 together, stopping at empty white-sand beaches and remote pubs.
• Stay in a converted bothy (shepherd's hut) or a castle hotel like Balmoral or Inverlochy.
• Whisky tasting on Islay or Speyside — the spirit of Scotland, shared in a distillery bar.
• Hike to the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye — crystal-clear pools beneath the Cuillin mountains.
• Wild camping (legal in Scotland) by a remote loch under the stars.

Best time: May to September for the longest days. September and October for autumn colors. Winter for cozy isolation and Northern Lights.

Budget: $80-250/night for B&Bs and hotels. A rental car is essential.

15. Cartagena, Colombia

The romance: A walled colonial city on the Caribbean where every street corner is photogenic, the music never stops, and the tropical heat makes everything feel more vivid.

Best romantic experiences:

• Walk the old city walls at sunset as the sky turns pink and orange over the Caribbean.
• Stay in a boutique hotel in the San Diego or Centro neighborhoods — converted colonial mansions with courtyards and rooftop plunge pools.
• Dinner at Carmen or Celele — Cartagena's fine dining scene blends Caribbean ingredients with world-class technique.
• Day trip to the Rosario Islands — white sand, turquoise water, and fresh seafood on the beach.
• Dancing salsa in a plaza or a local club — the music and heat make inhibition impossible.

Best time: December to April (dry season). January and February are peak season.

Budget: $60-200/night. Cartagena offers excellent value by Caribbean standards.

Planning a Romantic Trip

The best romantic trips share a few common elements: a balance between activity and rest, meals that feel special without being stressful, and enough unstructured time that spontaneity has room to happen.

TripGenie can help you plan a couples' itinerary that balances adventure with relaxation, books the sunset tables, and builds in the downtime that turns a good trip into a great one.

Plan your romantic getaway with TripGenie →