What is the most important thing in a honeymoon? Offhand, beautiful views from the hotel window, romantic places for breakfast and less headaches with visas and flights. We have taken all this into account and created the perfect selection of honeymoon destinations! And no, we will not recommend the Maldives or Santorini (everything is clear about them anyway), but we will tell you about attractive alternatives to classic resorts.
Contents
- Budva, Montenegro
- Cesme, Turkey
- Bukhara and Khiva, Uzbekistan
- Chefchaouen, Morocco
- Borneo, Malaysia
- Teriberka, Kola Peninsula
- Digoria, North Ossetia
- Manzherok, Altai
- Ples, Ivanovo region
- Iturup and Shikotan, Kuril Islands
Abroad
Budva, Montenegro
- How to get: to Tivat with a transfer in Belgrade or Istanbul (from 75,500 rubles in both directions from Moscow). Either by direct flights to Belgrade (from 87,800 rubles in both directions from Moscow), and then by rented car or bus to the resorts.
- Rules of entry:Russians do not need a visa to travel for up to 30 days.
- Cities of Montenegro: where to go, what to see.
On a honeymoon, you want to relax, and not bother with visas and flights. What should you do if you and your partner prefer Europe out of all the places on earth? Go to Montenegro! Just imagine: the turquoise Adriatic, ancient towns with cobbled streets, cozy cafes on miniature squares and medieval fortresses. There are plenty of Montenegrin resorts to choose from: Budva, Kotor, Bar, Herceg Novi. If desired, you can rent a car and arrange a road trip along the coast.
Just imagine: turquoise Adriatic, ancient towns with cobbled streets, cozy cafes on miniature squares and medieval fortresses. Photo: Nikiforov Alexander/Shutterstock.com
Cesme, Turkey
- How to get: direct flights of Pegasus Airlines from Moscow to Izmir (from 42,500 rubles in both directions), or with a transfer in Ankara, Istanbul or Baku (from 36,300 rubles in both directions from Moscow).
- Rules of entry:Russians do not need a visa to travel for up to 90 days per half-year (but no longer than 60 days per entry).
- Non-obvious seaside resorts in Turkey.
To the west of Izmir, on the Cesme peninsula, there are small picturesque villages where Turkish stars and wealthy citizens like to relax. The most famous of them are Cesme and Alacati. Here the newlyweds will find a classic Greek atmosphere: turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea, snow-white houses with colorful shutters and narrow cobbled streets. And don’t forget to take a walk around the town of Birgi, which has a history dating back 3,000 years. On the coast of the peninsula you will find beaches with white sand and fewer tourists than in popular resorts. For a cultural program, go to the city of Selcuk to the ruins of ancient Ephesus. It is most convenient to travel around the peninsula by rented car, but you can also use public transport (buses and an electric train run to Ephesus). Another option is a taxi.
Here the newlyweds will find a classic Greek atmosphere: turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea, snow-white houses with colorful shutters and narrow cobbled streets. Photo: Kadagan/Shutterstock.com
Bukhara and Khiva, Uzbekistan
- How to get: direct flights of Aeroflot, Pobedy or Utair from Moscow (from 23,000 rubles in both directions), St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk to Samarkand.
- Rules of entry: Russians do not need a visa to enter. If you stay in the country for more than 15 days, you need to register at the hotel or passport office.
- The Great Silk Road: 5 days in Uzbekistan.
Bargain in the markets with a colorful kaleidoscope of carpets, robes, jewelry and sweets. Photo: Nomad1988/Shutterstock.com
Casablanca, Morocco
- How to get: Royal Air Maroc direct flights from Moscow to Casablanca (from 66,500 in both directions).
- Rules of entry:Russians do not need a visa to travel for up to 90 days.
- 10 things to do in Morocco.
Morocco is an oriental fairy tale with a Berber flavor. In Fez and Marrakech, the narrow streets of the Medina (the old market part of the cities) with impregnable walls of riad houses and real oases inside are waiting for your couple. Modern Morocco can be seen in Casablanca and neighboring Rabat. For romance, go to the blue city of Chefchaouen, and for extreme sports, go on safari in the Sahara Desert. By the way, here you can conquer the local dunes on a sandboard, and then stay overnight in a Berber camp. For a beach holiday, come here from May to September. Most of the local resorts are located on the Atlantic coast, which means there will be waves ideal for surfing. Popular Moroccan resorts are Agadir and Essaouira.
Go to the blue city of Chefchaouen for romance. Photo: Kadagan/Shutterstock.com
Borneo, Malaysia
- How to get:Etihad Airways flights with a transfer in Doha to Kuala Lumpur (from 55,000 rubles in both directions from Moscow), then a flight to Kuching or Kota Kinabalu (from 9,500 rubles in both directions). The ticket price is given as an example and shows the minimum prices for the summer of 2024, available at the time of publication of the article.
- Rules of entry:Russians do not need a visa to travel for up to 30 days.
- Holidays in Malaysia: which cities and islands to visit.
The island of Borneo (aka Kalimantan) is an ideal destination to escape from civilization and feel like a bit of a mowgli, lost in the wild jungle. Well, night views of the Milky Way with billions of stars, swirls and nebulae add 100% to the romance of such a trip.
Borneo does not have the usual beaches withresorts, but the island was occupied by national parks with unique wild animals. Orangutans live only here and in neighboring Sumatra. You can see them in two nature reserves: Seminggoh in Kuching and Sepilok, near Kota Kinabalu. Cruises on local waterways will be the most romantic part of the trip. For example, in Kota Kinabalu, go on a trip along the Klias River to sail on a narrow punt among the wild jungles and see rare nosy monkeys, and after dark also admire the Milky Way. To see orangutans and elephants in the wild, fly to the Malaysian city of Sandakan and take cruises along the Kinabatangan River or book one of the resorts located along the river. By the way, the season in Borneo lasts all year round, rainy weather only happens from November to January.
Only orangutans live here and in neighboring Sumatra. You can see them in two nature reserves Photo: Sergey Uryadnikov/Shutterstock.com
In Russia
Teriberka, Kola Peninsula
- How to get: by train or plane to Murmansk (from 13,800 rubles in both directions from Moscow). Next — by transfer, by car or bus.
- Murmansk route for three days: icebreakers, northern lights and whales.
The Kola Peninsula is suitable for lovers of harsh Arctic nature who are not averse to spending a romantic trip away from the hot sun and southern beaches. You can come to Teriberka in search of whales, go hiking in the Khibiny or just hang out in ultra-modern resorts on the shores of the northern seas. For example, in the futuristic glamping “Whale Coast” or in the Titovka Arctic River Park complex on the coast of the Barents Sea. From the end of August to April, you can see the northern Lights here. Do not forget about tasting dishes of the polar cuisine from fish, venison and northern berries, for example, cloudberries.
You can come to Teriberka in search of whales, go hiking in the Khibiny or just hang out in ultra-modern resorts on the shores of the northern seas. Photo: Lizavetta/Shutterstock.com
Digoria, North Ossetia
- How to get: by train or by planes Pobedy, Nordwind and S7 from Moscow (from 14,500 rubles in both directions), St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Kazan to Vladikavkaz. Then — by regular bus, taxi or transfer to the desired village.
- Route through North Ossetia: what to see in five days.
Digoria is one of the most picturesque parts of North Ossetia, located among the mountains of the Greater Caucasus Range. Its territory is included in the national park “Alanya”. Here meadows with fragrant herbs are replaced by inaccessible mountains with fluffy snow caps and gorges with countless waterfalls. You can come to Digoria all year round — the summer here is not hot (about +20 ° C), and the winter is mild (about -3 ° C). Newlyweds should take a closer look at modern glamping — for example, the triangular houses of the Zgid Sky Hotel — and enjoy the spectacular scenery every morning. Be sure to include simple day hikes in the surrounding area in the program.
Digoria is one of the most picturesque parts of North Ossetia, located among the mountains of the Greater Caucasus Range. Photo: Jelenka180885/Shutterstock.com
Manzherok, Altai
- How to get: by plane to Gorno-Altaysk (from 28,500 rubles in both directions from Moscow) or by train to Biysk. Then by car, bus or transfer along the Chui highway (25 km).
- Top 8 places in Altai that are worth a look.
There are many beautiful and interesting places in Altai, but the all-season resort Manzherok on the lake of the same name is suitable for a honeymoon. Along its shores there are beaches with sun beds and umbrellas. The water here is fresh and soft, the lake is fed by underground springs and streams. Winter option: in the neighboring village of Ozernoye there is a ski base, and cable cars are raised to a height of 1600 m all year round. If you want to find ultramodern and romantic accommodation, then take a closer look at the recreation center “Attic” on the banks of the Katun River and the futuristic hotel in the GEOMETRIKA forest.
There are many beautiful and interesting places in Altai, but the all-season resort Manzherok on the lake of the same name is suitable for a honeymoon. Photo: Maltsev Semion/Shutterstock.com
Ples, Ivanovo region
- How to get: by car, or by “Swallow” Moscow — Ivanovo (from 257 rubles), and then by bus or taxi from Ivanovo to Ples.
- Almost the Hamptons: how to spend a fabulous winter weekend in Ples.
What else can you do here during your honeymoon? Take a leisurely walk and admire the wooden merchant houses, admire the views from Cathedral Mountain and Levitan Mountain and, of course, steam in the sauna from the bottom of your heart. The cultural program should include the Levitan House Museum and the Plessky Art Museum-Reserve.
Imagine: you are sitting in a wooden house with a carved front garden, drinking hot tea and admiring the Volga expanses. Photo: Baturina Yuliya/Shutterstock.com
Iturup and Shikotan, Kuril Islands
- How to get: by plane to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (from 25,000 rubles in both directions from Moscow), then by cruise or Aurora Airlines plane to Yuzhno-Kurilsk (from 13,700 rubles in both directions).
- Sakhalin: what to see and do on Russia’s largest island.
Iturup, Kunashir and Shikotan are islands with incredible landscapes and a secluded atmosphere. Photo: LARISA DUKA/Shutterstock.com
If after reading our selection you still could not decide where to go on a honeymoon, you know: you can go to several places at once. It is not necessary to get married again for this!
Cover photo: Foto Pettine/Shutterstock.com
