When it comes to a European honeymoon, it’s tempting to go for the tried and true spots for romance — Paris, Tuscany, Santorini. But do you want your honeymoon Instagram feed to look like everyone else’s?
Think beyond the cliches and check out these five alternative escapes that will guarantee a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Discover ancient history in a perfectly preserved walled city
Tallinn, capital of Estonia is a fairy-tale-like walled city that dates back to the 13th century.Getty Images/iStockphoto
Steep, winding cobblestone lanes, ancient candy-colored buildings, medieval fortresses and churches all encircled by 800-year-old stone walls — this is the magical city of Tallinn. Estonia’s capital isn’t the likeliest honeymoon destination, yet its fairy-tale-like Old Town is among the most beautiful in Europe (and attracts far fewer tourists than its walled cousins Dubrovnik, Croatia and Bruges, Belgium).
Enter through one of its massive gates, framed by enormous, ivy-covered turrets that date back to the 13 th century. The curving, cobblestone streets of the UNESCO-designated Old Town are home to more than 20 churches, including the landmark St. Olav’s church, whose towering spire once made it one of the world’s tallest buildings. Cafes surround the historical main square, which is dominated by the sturdy stone town hall, built in 1402 and now a museum.
You could easily spend a week climbing all of Tallinn’s fortifications, among them the 15th-century Kiek in de Kök, now filled with war memorabilia. And the hilltop Toompea Castle, a patchwork of ancient defensive towers and fanciful Baroque buildings, offers one of the best views of the city below.
Take an early evening stroll along the centuries-old ramparts, followed by dinner at Leib, a farm-to-table restaurant with a charming terrace hidden in the courtyard of the members-only Scottish Club.
Bed down at the five-star Hotel Telegraaf, with 83 rooms tucked into a 19th-century former post office in the heart of Old Town.
From $130. Vene 9, Tallim, Estonia.
Sip fine vintages in an unknown wine region
If you’re tired of treading the familiar territories of Bordeaux, France and Tuscany, Italy, consider Switzerland’s Lavaux. Wait, the Swiss make wine? Yes, but exports less than 2 percent, which means one of the only ways you can taste its homegrown varietals is by visiting this French-speaking Swiss wine region.
Just a 15-minute train ride from Lausanne, Lavaux is a gorgeous landscape of terraced vineyards set along steep hillsides that sweep down to the crystalline waters of Lake Geneva. Monks began cultivating vines here in the 12th century — the region is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site —and you can freely roam the paths among the vineyards and ancient stone walls, soaking in views of the surrounding snowcapped Alps.
Stop at traditional tasting rooms like Les 11 Terres, in the village of Epesses, where you can sample a crisp white Chasselas or a fruity red Gamaret.
Cap off your stay at the magnificent lakefront Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne whose Michelin-starred restaurant Anne-Sophie Pic offers an extensive list of Swiss wines by the bottle.
From $500. Chemin de Beau-Rivage 21, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Take a gastronomic journey aboard a luxury train
Spain’s northern coast — stretching from the Basque country through Asturias and Cantabria and west to Galicia — is most notable as the main pilgrimage route (Camino) to Santiago de Compostela. But it’s also emerged as a trail for foodies, with its shining star the port town of San Sebastian, home to a trio of the country’s Michelin-starred restaurants.
Still, who has the time to walk the 500-mile route? Instead, hop aboard the luxury train Transcantabrico Gran Lujo, Spain’s answer to the Orient Express.
The eight-day trip spirits you along the sea and through the mountains to all the major coastal towns. Feast on pintxos (small snacks) in Bilbao to Asturian fabada (bean stew) to Cantabrian anchovies — the traditional regional cuisine is served at gourmet area restaurants as well as onboard in the swanky dining car.
The train itself is comprised of original 1920s Pullman coaches housing just 14 deluxe suites, with a glamorous wood-paneled living room, bedroom and en-suite bathroom. It runs April through October.
$5,800 for a deluxe suite.
See nature’s ultimate light show right from your bed
Your free-standing glass-domed suite in Norway offers a panoramic view of the Northern Lights.Michael Kaack
At Norway’s Holmen Husky Lodge, you can have your own private light show through the glass ceiling and panoramic wall of windows of its Artic dome suite. Snuggle beneath the covers or cozy up in armchairs next to the wood-burning fireplace and watch as emerald green, violet, and pink streams of the Northern Lights dance above your heads. The freestanding domed room also comes with its own sauna.
The lodge is a half-hour outside of Alta, home to the world’s first Northern Lights observatory, which means there’s a high probability of seeing this celestial display.
Holmen Husky is also home to around 80 furry, friendly Alaskan Huskies. Be sure to take a team out for a dashing dog-sledding ride through the pristine, snow-covered countryside.
$460 including meals, dog-sledding and transport from Alta. Holmen 48, Alta, Norway.
Get your art fix in a French capital (that isn’t Paris)
Bordeaux has long been France’s wine capital, but the city’s emerging arts scene makes it among the buzziest destinations for culture lovers. Start at the CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art, a 19th-century warehouse whose interior of soaring stone arches is itself worth a visit. Its 1,300-strong collection includes works by notable artists such as Bruce Nauman and Richard Serra. Perhaps the grandest space in the city to see modern and contemporary art, the Bernard Magrez Cultural Institute is a palatial 18th-century mansion owned by the eponymous private collector; rotating exhibitions have focused on Frida Kahlo and Marc Chagall. The edgy La Base Sous-Marine is a WWII-era submarine bunker turned arts center, whose massive underground concrete structure hosts a variety of digital and street art exhibits.
If your tastes lean toward the traditional, the Bordeaux Musée des Beaux-Arts’ vast collection spans from the 16th to the 20th centuries and includes heavy-hitters like Titian, Picasso, Brueghel, and Corot, as well as splendid animal paintings by area artist Rosa Bonheur.
And, the newly opened maritime-themed Musée Mer Marine features temporary exhibitions of paintings and photographs related to seafaring.