Top 10 Romantic Travel Destinations

Romantic travel isn’t about rushing from sight to sight or keeping tight schedules. It’s about choosing destinations where days flow easily, meals last longer than planned and time spent together matters more than what’s next on the list.

These are our top picks for favourite romantic travel destinations around the world, places we’ve experienced personally and would return to in a heartbeat. From memorable stays to standout food and wine, each destination on this list has earned its place.

“Love is a promise; love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear.”  — John Lennon

1. The Island of Mallorca

Mallorca is set in the perfect Mediterranean location, boasting warm breezes and 300 days of sunshine. There is a reason many notable celebrities have been captivated by its charm and have homes here.

The island’s hidden coves, dramatic mountain villages and citrus groves inspire spontaneous walks, swims, afternoon café visits and evenings that last late into the night.

Find peaceful villages mixed with markets, restaurants and hotels. Enjoy it without a set plan.

Just 20 minutes from Palma, Valldemossa is often called Mallorca’s most beautiful mountain village.

 Intrigued, we strolled the cobblestone streets, where every turn revealed another discovery: flower pots draping over shutters, artisan shops tucked into doorways, and sweeping views of the Serra de Tramuntana.

Come in late autumn for olive oil tastings and rustic harvest menus, or in January and February when almond trees burst into pale pink and white blossom. Valldemossa’s bakeries and cafés celebrate the seasons, making it rewarding for food lovers at any time of year.

Next to Valldemossa, in the quiet village of Puigpunyent, you will find Mallorca’s most exclusive 5-star luxury boutique hotel, the Grand Hotel Son Net. Hidden in the Tramuntana Mountains, it was once an aristocratic palace dating back to 1672. This storybook estate is where past and present come together under the Mediterranean sun.

The beautiful mountain town of Valldemossa. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

2.  Amsterdam, Netherlands:

Amsterdam is full of history, with its famous canals, museums, and culture. It is very easy to get around and extremely walkable, but watch out for the enormous number of bikes navigating the city. Bus transportation is good, and there are many hop-on, hop-off canal and bus tours available. Take a more private romantic canal venture or an evening tour to see the city’s lights.

Don’t miss the chance to experience Europe’s highest swing at The A’DAM Lookout Tower. Thrill-seekers will not be disappointed. The “Over the Edge” attraction swings riders 100 metres above the ground.

Consider a great day trip from Amsterdam to explore the charming countryside and these three areas:

• Edam, the Dutch town known for its famous Edam cheese. It is about 23 km or 35 minute drive from Amsterdam.
• Volendam, a picturesque Dutch town only 8 kms from Edam.
• Zaanse Schans, 25 km further offers a large collection of fully operational historic Dutch windmills.

View a collection of windmills and learn about Dutch history at Zaanse Schans in the beautiful countryside of Holland, near Amsterdam. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr

Hilton Amsterdam

On March 24, 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono rolled up in a white Rolls Royce and stayed for one week for the famous protest against the Vietnam War, the “Bed-in” for peace.

The Hilton is located on a canal, a short walk to Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s largest park. This park is a great place to people-watch, and in the summer, many locals stop by just to relax, drink beer, smoke a joint, or take in the open-air theatre. The Museum District is only 1 km away.

Note: This historic hotel is temporarily closed for extensive renovations.

3. Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is special. It captures your heart. The enchanted Emerald Isle is filled with myths, legends, and culinary delights and boasts a unique history and geology not found anywhere else in the world. This area also offers some of the best gastronomic and cultural experiences, including stays in ancient stone castles and cooking classes that rival those in Tuscany, Italy.

The landscape is stunning, with dramatic views along the Giant’s Causeway of windswept beaches and unusual rock formations developed over 60 million years.

We stayed at three unique locations: Bushmills Inn, originally a coaching inn from the 1600s, the 17th-century Bellagally Castle, overlooking the countryside and luxurious Killeavy Castle Estate and Spa Hotel set on 365 acres in County Armagh.

Bushmills Inn along the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

A Haunted Night at Ballygally Castle Hotel. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

4.  San Francisco, California:

In an older, reasonably priced hotel with Victorian charm, The Beresford Arms is within walking distance of many attractions like Union Square shopping and historic Chinatown. It is only a few blocks to catch one of the famous cable cars running to Fisherman’s Wharf. The hotel is also home to White Horse restaurant, which features a bar reminiscent of an authentic English pub. The elevators are a little slow, but the stairs have easy access to the spacious rooms. There is complimentary morning coffee, tea and pastries, afternoon tea and a wine social in the lobby.

For dinner, check out San Francisco’s Little Italy, located in the North Beach district. We loved Sodini’s authentic, delicious homestyle Italian food and its friendly staff. Advanced reservations aren’t available, but put your name down and then walk around the area. It is worth the wait.

5. Santa Fe, New Mexico:

This city had been on our bucket list for years, and when we finally made it here, we fell in love with its charm. We can see why New Mexico is known as the “Land of Enchantment.”

We stayed at Las Palomas Inn. The adobe-style architecture created a wonderful atmosphere and character for the entire property, making it a perfect match for a great romantic southwestern experience. The charming one-bedroom casita couldn’t have been any better. The stay included a complimentary breakfast buffet, downtown shuttle service, homemade cookies, parking, and WiFi. Every room has a gas or wood-burning fireplace.

It was an easy walk to downtown Santa Fe and the historic Santa Fe Plaza. The location is close to restaurants, galleries and markets.

Terracotta Wine Bistro is located in a charming 19th-century adobe building in the historic district near Las Palomas Inn and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. It has two patios: a small one in front and an open courtyard in the back. We liked the atmosphere and came here twice during our short visit to Santa Fe.

Casa Chimayo Restaurant features traditional New Mexican cuisine, prepared with recipes handed down by the owner, Don Timoteo’s grandmother. It was featured on a segment of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.

Read more about our stay in Santa Fe and the top things to do.

Travel to New Mexico to discover the best of Santa Fe Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

6. Lake Powell, Utah and Arizona:

This area has immense beauty, unlike anything on this planet. Take tours to see iconic spots like Antelope Canyon, Rainbow Bridge and Horseshoe Bend or head out on a boat tour. You can even rent a houseboat.

Antelope Canyon is one of the most visited and photographed slot canyons in North America. The canyon is high on the list of the top things to do at Lake Powell. It is a 30-minute drive from Lake Powell to Antelope Canyon.

We stayed at Lake Powell Resort, located in Page, Arizona. The picture below is the view from our room.

Houseboat rentals on Lake Powell. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr

7a. Provence, France: The Most Beautiful Villages in France

Provence offers a pace entirely its own. Life here revolves around villages, weekly markets and meals that extend well past expectation. Hillside towns such as Gordes and Roussillon invite wandering. Their ochre-streaked buildings, cliffside views, and narrow streets often open onto small squares, bakeries, and cafés shaded by plane trees.

Evenings center on shared tables, local wine and easy conversation.

Gordes felt like a dream. Perched on the Monts de Vaucluse, this white-stone village glows under the Provençal sun and reveals one of the most iconic views in southern France.

Roussillon, set high in the Luberon region of Provence, immediately embraced us in a landscape so vivid with rust, amber and deep red hues evoking the wild beauty reminiscent of Utah’s Canyonlands.

We visited as part of our full Luberon day trip from Avignon, before boarding our luxurious Riverside Cruises Ravel for the journey from Avignon to Lyon.

The Ochre Trail in Roussillon Provence.

7b. Romantic Paris, the City of Lights

Paris is a city best explored on foot, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Some of our favourite memories are from crossing bridges, following the Seine and lingering for whole afternoons in one area. Long known as the city of romance, it is unforgettable.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the heart of Parisian café culture and the Marais offer cafés, bookshops, galleries, and small restaurants woven into daily life. Mornings begin quietly, evenings unfold slowly and a river walk after dinner feels like the perfect ending.

In the Latin Quarter, soak up the Bohemian vibe. Explore parks and gardens like the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Palais Garnier, which inspired the romantic Gothic story The Phantom of the Opera, a grand highlight for me.

We stayed at the Grand Hotel Champs Elysées, with views of the iconic Arc de Triomphe. It was about a 20-minute walk to one of the best places for romantic views of the Eiffel Tower, away from the crowds.

8. Montreal, Quebec:

We love walkable cities and Montreal has many areas to explore. The Old Montreal district is a favourite. We found the Embassy Suites by Hilton conveniently located just a few blocks from the famous Notre-Dame Basilica and close enough to where our Holland America cruise ship docked after our Canada New England cruise. Rooms here include a full, cooked-to-order breakfast and an evening cocktail reception.

For an extra special dinner, go to Garde Manger. It is a little pricey, but it is really worth the experience, and the food is some of the most flavourful we have had. Reservations are a must. Another great find for us to dine in Old Montreal is Mondavi. It has a warm, cozy French bistro atmosphere full of character, stone walls and live jazz music.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono came to Montreal for one week, from May 26 to June 2, 1969, staying at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel for the famous “Bed-in” peace protest.

9. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Explore the many quaint streets, courtyards, passageways, shops, restaurants, and art galleries or wander along the nature trails and beaches. Carmel-by-the-Sea is rated as “one of America’s top beach towns” by Travel + Leisure magazine, and for good reason! The unique fairy-tale houses are enchanting.

The Normandy Inn is charmingly romantic. This welcoming historic inn, built in 1921, is conveniently located in Old Town, on Ocean Avenue. It is just three blocks from sandy Carmel Beach on the Pacific Ocean.

The Normandy Inn is reasonably priced. The French-style inn’s rate included complimentary breakfast in its cafe. In the afternoon, a glass of sherry and freshly baked cookies are available by the inn’s inviting fireplace. We planned to stay one night, but we loved it so much that we extended our stay to three nights.

You can book special Carmel-by-the-Sea accommodation rates directly with each property, or search for hotels on Booking.com, and any commissions earned will help keep this website running.

Dametra Cafe is a highly popular, lively restaurant that offers a true Mediterranean food experience. Reservations should be made weeks in advance, but a few walk-ins are available. We did not make a reservation, and after registering our name, we waited an hour for a table.

We also dined at the cozy Porta Bella restaurant on Ocean Avenue, which is close to the Normandy Inn. There, we enjoyed wonderful French and Italian cuisine.

Charlie Chaplin graces the wall of the courtyard at Carmel’s historic Cypress Inn, built in 1928. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Unique fairy tale houses of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

10. Kalaloch Lodge, Olympic National Park, Washington

Watching the sunset and sunrise from the beach or from the overlook at Kalaloch is magical. We love Kalaloch Lodge!

The location is perfect, looking out over the wild west coast of the Olympic Peninsula. There are a variety of rooms and cabins to choose from. We were very fortunate to be upgraded to a cabin during our October stay. The cabins are warm and welcoming.

Ours had a fireplace, a kitchen, a living room, and a separate bedroom. There was no Wi-Fi available, making it the perfect place to relax from the world’s distractions.

We used this location as a base to explore and enjoy nearby beaches, Lake Quinault and Hoh Rain Forest.

We had booked for two nights, but extended it to three.

Travel to Olympic National Park to discover a wild, vast wilderness of nature at its best. The Pacific coast offers pristine sandy beaches and rocky shores. There are glacier-capped mountains and thick, lush rainforests. The park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and is also an International Biosphere Reserve. Top Travel Quotes. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr@

What’s your top pick for a romantic travel destination? Comment below?

Subscribe to Life’s Incredible Journey for more unforgettable travel guides, cultural experiences, and hidden gems—delivered straight to your inbox.
👉 Join the adventure here

We take pride in writing informative articles that offer interesting tips. Please leave any comments, questions or suggestions below.

Search for accommodation anywhere by using Booking.Com, book a sightseeing tour using Viator or a flight with Expedia. Any commissions earned will help keep this website running.