Top 5 Romantic Destinations for Couples Abroad

8 min read · Published: February 19, 2024 · Updated: October 29, 2026 · Prices and details checked: October 2026

The five places below suit couples for five different reasons: Santorini for sunsets over a volcanic caldera, Kyoto for quiet gardens and temples, Buenos Aires for tango at midnight, and Cape Town and the Cape Winelands for mountain views followed by long lunches among the vines. Each section tells you what is special, when to go and how to get there, so you can match a place to the kind of trip you want.

Key takeaways

Santorini: watch the sunset from Oia, then take a caldera boat trip. Athens to the island is about 50 minutes by air.
Kyoto: spring brings cherry blossom along the Philosopher’s Path, a walk of about 30 minutes. The Haruka train from Kansai Airport takes about 80 minutes.
Buenos Aires: tango runs late into the night every night of the week, and the city holds a tango festival every August.
Cape Town: Table Mountain by cable car, then a day in the Winelands, where Stellenbosch is about 50 km from the city.
Franschhoek is especially pleasant from September to April, and estate restaurants should be booked ahead.

Table of contents

How do you pick a romantic destination?
What makes Santorini romantic, and when should you go?
Why is Kyoto good for couples who want calm?
Is Buenos Aires the right choice if you want music and nightlife?
What does Cape Town offer a couple that other cities do not?
Why should you add the Cape Winelands for food and wine?
FAQ
Next step

How do you pick a romantic destination?

Choose by what you want to do together, not by a ranking. Start with the mood: sunsets and swimming, culture and calm, music and nightlife, or food and wine. Then check three practical things: the season (and whether it falls in the heat, rain or crowds), the journey (a long flight is easier if you plan a stay of at least a week) and how much time you want to spend in one base.

We chose these five because each has one clear romantic strength, not because they are the most famous. For the step by step side of a trip, such as choosing a room, booking a dinner or planning a surprise, see our guide to planning a romantic trip.

What makes Santorini romantic, and when should you go?

Santorini is romantic because of the caldera: whitewashed villages sit on the rim of a flooded volcanic crater, and the sun sets over it every evening. The Greek national tourism organisation recommends Oia for sunset, when the sun goes down behind the islets of Palea and Nea Kameni.

Whitewashed houses on the hillside at sunset on Santorini, Greece — Houses at sunset on Santorini

For a second highlight, book a caldera boat trip. Boats leave from Fira, Athinios, Ammoudi near Oia, or Vlychada, and stops include the crater of Nea Kameni and the hot springs at Palaia Kameni. Wear closed shoes on the volcanic ground. On land, the island has black and red sand beaches, and the Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri, preserved under volcanic ash, is a quiet daytime option.

The best season is spring to autumn. In midsummer the heat and humidity are strong, so do any walking early in the morning. Athens to Santorini takes about 50 minutes by air, while ferries from Piraeus take about 4.5 to 8 hours depending on the vessel. We would choose the flight unless you want to make the crossing part of the trip.

Tent and car camping by a lake at sunset

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Why is Kyoto good for couples who want calm?

Kyoto works for couples because the city rewards slow walking: temples, gardens and canal paths are close together, and many of them are quiet early in the morning or near sunset. The Philosopher’s Path runs from near Eikando to Ginkaku-ji and takes about 30 minutes at a steady pace, though most people stroll it.

Spring is the classic season. Kyoto’s official tourism site names the Philosopher’s Path as a tunnel of somei yoshino cherry blossom of about 2 km, and Maruyama Park in Gion has a cherry tree that is lit at night. Those places get crowded in blossom season, and the Japan National Tourism Organization notes that the Philosopher’s Path thins out by sunset. Go late in the day, or choose a quieter time of year and enjoy the temples with fewer people.

To get there from Kansai International Airport, the JR Haruka limited express takes about 80 minutes without a change. From Tokyo, the Tokaido Shinkansen takes about 130 minutes on the Nozomi and about 170 minutes on the Hikari. Note that the Japan Rail Pass cannot be used on the Nozomi.

Is Buenos Aires the right choice if you want music and nightlife?

Yes, if your idea of romance includes dancing. Buenos Aires is the city of tango, and the city tourism board describes milongas, the social dance evenings, as running into the early hours every night of the week. Formal milongas expect smart dress, while newer ones are more relaxed, and many start with a class before the dancing begins.

You do not need to dance well to take part. If you would rather watch, there are stage shows with live orchestras and dinner packages, and the city’s historic cafes are worth a visit for their interiors alone. Tango is most strongly tied to the southern districts of San Telmo, Barracas, Balvanera and Boedo, so base yourselves near one of them if tango is the point of the trip.

Time your visit to the Buenos Aires International Tango Festival and World Cup, which takes place every August with free shows, classes and milongas. August is winter in Argentina. Buenos Aires is a long flight from most of Europe, so plan at least a week and consider adding a second stop in Argentina.

What does Cape Town offer a couple that other cities do not?

Cape Town combines a city, a mountain and a coast, and you can see all three in one trip. The anchor is Table Mountain. The Aerial Cableway runs “weather permitting”, with hours that change by season, so check the operator’s website for the current times and buy tickets online before you go. In spring (September and October) the first car goes up at 08:30, which makes a morning visit easy.

Table Mountain rising above Camps Bay beach in Cape Town — Table Mountain above Camps Bay

Keep a free half day in your schedule so you can go up when the cloud lifts.

Cape Town also works as a base for day trips, and the best of them for couples is the Winelands, covered in the next section. Our practical advice is to spend three to four nights in the city and then move on to a wine estate for the rest of the trip, because the drive between them is short.

Why should you add the Cape Winelands for food and wine?

The Cape Winelands suit couples who like long lunches. Stellenbosch is about 50 km east of Cape Town, with oak-lined streets, Cape Dutch buildings and cafes on the pavement, and it is easy to explore on foot. Franschhoek lies further inland, has a French influence in its food and design, and is described by South African Tourism as the country’s gourmet capital with about 50 active wineries.

The official advice is to book lunch at an estate restaurant in advance, which is good advice for a couples’ trip too. Franschhoek is especially lovely from September to April, while Stellenbosch is good all year, though it rains in winter. If you want a quiet pace, stay at least two nights on an estate or in a village guesthouse, and skip the idea of tasting at five estates a day.

FAQ

Which of these destinations is best for a honeymoon?

Santorini suits a short honeymoon because the flight from Athens is quick and the setting is easy to enjoy without planning. Kyoto or the Cape Winelands suit couples who want a longer trip with more variety. Buenos Aires fits a honeymoon only if you both enjoy nightlife and dancing.

Which one is cheapest?

Prices vary too much by season to quote here. The flight and the hotel make up most of the cost, so compare total trip costs in the shoulder season, not just room rates.

When is the best time to visit Kyoto for couples?

Spring is the most famous season because of the cherry blossom, but it is also the busiest. If you prefer fewer people, visit the Philosopher’s Path early in the morning or near sunset, or travel outside the blossom weeks. Kyoto’s official site also lists varieties that flower from October into winter, so there is some blossom outside spring.

Do you need to book restaurants and activities ahead?

For the Cape Winelands, yes: South African Tourism advises booking lunch at estate restaurants. In Santorini, book sunset dinners and caldera boat trips early in the season you travel. In Buenos Aires, check the venue for dinner shows, and in Kyoto, popular restaurants may need a booking too.

Is Santorini better by ferry or by air?

By air is quicker: about 50 minutes from Athens. The ferry from Piraeus takes about 4.5 to 8 hours depending on the vessel, so it suits a trip where the journey itself is part of the plan.

Can you combine two of these places?

Not easily, as they are on different continents. Combine each with a nearby stop instead: Santorini with another Greek island, Kyoto with Tokyo, Buenos Aires with another Argentine region, and Cape Town with the Winelands.

Next step

Choose the destination that matches your mood and season first, then work out the flights and a base. If you would like help turning one of these into a booked trip, send us your dates through our booking page, or compare the other styles of romantic trip in our guide from Malta to the Maldives.