Stay in an old Riad house in Morocco, a cave hotel in Turkey or a private bungalow in the Maldives. From ancient souks to medinas, ports and islands there’s a real Arabian nights quality to a lot of these romantic destinations.

  1. Damascus, Syria

    This town is something out of an Arabian fairytale, and a uniquely romantic destination for a honeymoon. It is reputedly the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city and there are plenty of old Silk Road ruins, Crusader castles, treasure-filled souks and merchant houses to explore.

  2. Zanzibar, Tanzania

    This idyllic port with its dhow boats, flying fish and pepper plantations was once busy with spice merchants and slave traders. Today it basks in the Indian Ocean inviting tourists and honeymooners to sample its coral gardens, wander the fortress ruins and sultan’s palaces of the capital Stone Town or the miles of palm-fringed coves.

  3. Cappadocia, Turkey

    Snuggle up together in one of the many hotel caves built into the rock side of this region in central Turkey. Early Christians used many caves as churches and monasteries, you can still see the frescoes and visit complete underground cities with subterranean levels linked by a labyrinth of tunnels. The volcanic valleys are also very interesting to explore on foot.

  4. Romantic Safari, Botswana

    These wildlife safari’s aren’t just about tenting and hardship. You can enjoy a fabulous wildlife experience while also enjoying five star luxury and being miles from civilization. It’s the best of both worlds.

  5. Cairo, Egypt

    Spend your days visiting the sights including the pyramids, sphinx, Islamic mosques and the Egyptian Museum and then get off the beaten track. You can ride horses around the pyramids, visit 10th century churches in Old Cairo, shop at the Khan el Khalili bazaar and Kardassa village, travel to the ancient capital Memphis, explore Egypt’s first pyramid in Saqqara and travel to Aswan.

  6. Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Stay right amidst the vineyards in the Cape Winelands area of South Africa. Some wine estates offer accommodation and there are plenty of cute B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels.

  7. Seychelles

    This archipelago is all about luxury, beauty and romance. Remotely located in the western Indian Ocean, the Seychelles enjoy stable weather all year round. Honeymooners can take romantic dinners on the beach, check out the underwater wonderlands, island hop between 16 locations offering accommodation and enjoy some of the best powder-soft sand beaches in the world.

  8. Mauritius

    Get marooned on a tropical island on your honeymoon. The stunning locations and idyllic beaches make this island perfect for some romance. Lush plantations, cascading waterfalls and rainforests spread back from the beaches and there is some brilliant wildlife in the game parks, a swanky capital with colorful traditions and festivals and good surfing at Tamarin. Or you could hike at Port Mathurin, dive at Rodrigus or do some caving at Caverne Patate.

  9. Essouira, Morocco

    As far as romantic locations in Morocco go, this one’s hard to beat. Book yourself into a traditional Riad, a typical Moroccan house and make the most of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ancient medina is free from traffic and there is a feast to see around every corner from friendly market shoppers, to carpet sellers, slipper makers and fishermen.

  10. Maldives

    Choose a private bungalow with your very own piece of white, sandy beach or take a water villa on stilts over the crystal-clear lagoons of the Indian Ocean. You could take in some his and her pampering in the resorts, a boat cruise or check out the underwater world.