Honeymoon plans: help me make a decision

Fiancée and I are tying the knot in late April and looking for a mid May plan for honeymoon in Europe. Budgeting about 2 weeks (give or take a day). First stop will be in Andalucía, mostly in Jerez to coincide with the Feria del Caballo from 5/8-5/13. We’ll do a night in Sevilla, probably at the Alfonso XIII and perhaps a stop in Córdoba or Malaga.

It’s the second part that we’re undecided on. Should we aim for:

Alsace
Loire Valley
Côte d’Or area
Somewhere else?

Focusing more on good eating, some scenic sightseeing and relaxing.

Thanks in advance.

You should consider the Balearic Islands since you’re already in the south of Spain. Mallorca and Ibiza in particular. Quite beautiful, but less of a food destination. Alternatively, San Sebastián and the North Coast of Spain Or the west coast of Portugal have it all

David, yes, Mallorca is potentially in the cards. San Sebastián we’ve decided to save for another trip with friends. We have our hearts set on France as a compliment to south of Spain. We feel Portugal would be too similar to the Andalusian experience.

Congrats on your upcoming marriage.

Maybe you have already been, but we spent 4 days in San Sebastian this past August and I can’t imagine a better place for “good eating, some scenic sightseeing and relaxing”. To top it all off, you’ll already be in Spain.

The Balearics are great. I think Sevilla and possibly Cordoba need more than 1 night but don’t know your time frame.

How about the south of France? You will be there before the summer tourists but the weather should be good. Lots of options from big luxury hotels to small boutique ones. Plenty of great places to eat. Easy to get around by car. We were there this past summer and really enjoyed it. Friends went on their honeymoon in September and loved it. They took a couple of days to go to Piedmont also as it is drivable.

George

I’d 2nd the south of france suggestion. Typically, weather will be lovely and everywhere will be very relaxed and uncrowded. Eg. Ste Tropez is actually really nice out of peak season. You can just turn up for lunch at club 55!

In Cordoba, I can recommend the Palacio Bailio highly.

Why not spend more time in Seville and take in Granada. The Alhambra is very romantic and at least for seafood there is a great option (Bar FM). Was there last May. Also liked Córdoba but haven’t been there in years.

As far as Mallorca, the Park Hyatt has a gourmet restaurant that was superb (Voro). Loved our time there but don’t think of it as a honeymoon destination. Nice or other souther France places have it all- gardens, palaces, beaches , ancient towns in the mountains, perfume factories etc. And the food is the intersection of French and Italian food with many awesome options. A couple of nights in the Chèvre dOr and the rest in Nice sounds perfect.

Thanks all. South of France sounds like an option but we both also wanted to focus on a more renowned wine region. Since we would get our fill of beach and sun in south of Spain, we’d be ok with a more “verdant” scenery in France. But definitely will keep the south in contention.

You know even if I’m not physically at the winery, you would get the Royal Treatment!!! I vote to take in Granada and the Alpujarra!

The beaches in Jerez de la Frontera, Cordoba and Sevilla are stunning!!

[snort.gif] [snort.gif]

George

Then it comes down to what you want to drink, no?

I found Piemonte to be even prettier than Burgundy or Alsace but all are nice.

My sarcasm meter might be a bit on the fritz…but at the chance you’re not being 100% honest, there’s a bunch of options on the Costa del Sol, amigo mío.

Ha!!
If you do go to the beach, ask the locals for the best cheringuito and order a paella or a selection of the best local catch! You won’t be disappointed.

First, congratulations and best of luck to the both of you.
Second, you are picking a great time to vacation in Europe. Spring should be in full glory.
Finally, FWIW, I would suggest narrowing down to a few top possibilities, then both of you do some homework with an eye to your interests and the choice may be clearer. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you really can’t miss.
Enjoy.

Yes… I was kidding. Certainly lots of options in the Costa del Sol. Congratulations on your impending nuptials.

George

Firstly: Congratulations!

Second: I’m guessing you’ve both been to Paris enough that you’d rather not go there? Because it’s hard for me to think of a more romantic place to honeymoon in May…

Thank you Jay. Yeah, would rather avoid a huge metropolis such as Paris. Especially with all the socioeconomic issues that could be brewing this year there. Much prefer a jaunt through countryside France.

Have you ever been to any of the three regions you mention? The villages of Alsace are obviously unique and something to be experienced and the region overall is a very beautiful and special one and the distances are not that great. Loire is much, much larger but if you are into visiting the castles then it’s the place. That said Burgundy is Burgundy and for me and my girlfriend, having been to all three regions several times, that is where we are sure to return again and again. Obviously you have lots of good restaurants in each region but the combination of gastronomy and wine makes Burgundy the number one for me and most definitely there is something magical about this region and the famous villages.

Congratulations, Jorge!

Andalucía is a terrific choice and Seville is a nice base. My wife and I were there in late October. While Cordoba is a nice town, I’d do it as a day trip, or as an over night stop over, rather than as a base for multiple days stay. Many good restaurants to choose from and we settled with an excellent lunch at Bodegas Campos for local dishes.
Málaga is very energetic and lively. Don’t miss out on Atarazanas Market if you’re into fresh foods, especially seafood.
You may also want to consider Granada where the tapas flow freely and often. Taberna La Tana is one very good wine bar if you start craving wines form othr parts of Spain (Rioja, etc.).

As for the rest of your plan, and being that it’s a honeymoon, I’ll be partial with Alsace. The beautiful villages are stunning. Needless to say, the local foods and wines are world class. While it may be touristy, Riquewihr would make an excellent base for a first-timer.

Avignon? It’s beautiful, great food, CdP… loads of gorgeous little towns abound.