Hey there, fellow travelers! If you are planning your honeymoon, congratulations! We get a lot of questions from our fans about planning a honeymoon in Europe. If you’re also planning a wedding, you know that a lot of stuff with the wedding planning is out of your control, but the honeymoon is all yours. So today, we’re answering some of those questions of how to plan a honeymoon in Europe.
Who Should Go on the Honeymoon?
This may seem obvious, but the honeymoon should only have two people; the bride and the groom. At all costs, resist any temptation (or pressure) to make this a family trip, or plan to meet friends along the way. It can be hard to say no to friends who may be traveling at the same time, but this one trip should be about you and your new spouse. Save the family trip for next year.
What Should We Do on the Honeymoon?
You need to sit down with your new spouse and figure out what kind of honeymoon do you want to have? What do you want to see? Is it a cultural trip where you’ll visit tons of museums and galleries, or do you want to relax and sip wine in an Italian village somewhere? Whatever you choose, I recommend no more than two sights per day, so you have time to relax. Don’t feel like you have to conform to anyone else’s idea of a honeymoon; only the two of you need to have any input on your activities, but this is a super important step that has to be discussed before moving on to the next step of planning your honeymoon in Europe.
Where Should We Go on the Honeymoon?
There are tons of great honeymoon destinations in Europe. Some cities may evoke romance more than others, but your European honeymoon destination is entirely up to you and is only based on what you want to do. For outdoor adventure couples, Iceland makes a great honeymoon destination, while others may prefer the haute cuisine and designer boutiques of Paris or the beaches of Greece. Knowing what you want to see and do on your honeymoon will help you settle on the best European honeymoon destinations.
How Many Days Should We Spend in Each Place?
The average honeymoon is about ten days, so you’ll have to plan carefully how many days to spend in each destination. Don’t try to “backpack through Europe” and see a ton of countries in limited time. You’ll be on the run too much and won’t get to relax. Three cities, with three days in each city, is the maximum number of cities we recommend for an average-length honeymoon. Otherwise, you will burn out and you’re already going to be burned out from the wedding and wedding planning.
How Should We Get There?
Once you know where you’re going to go, and when, the next thing to figure it is how to get there. Try to buy your airline tickets up to six months in advance for the best price. Also, see if you can book an open-jaw ticket where you fly into one city and home from another city. It may not cost any more and will save you from having to return to the first city to fly home. Rather than spending a whole day getting back to your first destination, you’ll have an extra day to enjoy your honeymoon.
How Will We Get Around?
If you choose European cities that are relatively close, you can travel by train between them. When it comes to traveling between cities in Europe, don’t leave it to chance and assume you can just hop on a train to your next destination. Check out the schedules ahead of time and plan your route. You can save up to 50% by buying train tickets in advance, and this helps you plan out your schedule, too.
Read: Six Unwritten Rules of European Train Travel
Where Should We Stay on the Honeymoon?
Hotels will eat up a large part of the budget for your honeymoon in Europe. If you’re visiting three cities, I recommend one splurge hotel, one budget hotel and one B&B, which will help you save money but you won’t feel like you are on a budget vacation. Do not even think about staying in a hostel on your honeymoon!
What About Eating in Europe?
Food will take up another big chunk of your budget, if you are traveling on your own, and not part of a cruise or all-inclusive resort. If you can, try to choose a hotel with a free breakfast. You can save money this way, but if the breakfast is free, and you sleep late, you’re not losing any money. If breakfast is not included in your hotel, don’t eat at the hotel. Go somewhere nearby and you’ll save a ton of money. Dinner will be your biggest expense. One thing you can do is have a bigger meal at lunch and have a light dinner. However, if your idea of a honeymoon involves romantic candlelit dinners that last all night, then you can try to save money on lunch by packing a picnic.
Read: How to Eat Cheap & Well While Traveling
What About Sexy Time?
Let’s be honest, this is a honeymoon, after all. One thing to keep in mind is that although contraceptives are available everywhere, do you really want to spend time on your honeymoon looking for condoms? Just put them on your pre-honeymoon shopping list and you will be prepared whenever the mood strikes.
We hope these tips help you better prepare for your honeymoon in Europe. For more travel tips and advice, check out these blog posts and videos: