By Vawn Himmelsbach
After post-pandemic lockdowns, people wanted to experience the world. They booked bucket-list trips, travelled to far-flung corners of the globe and packed in as much action (and Instagram shots) as they could. But over the past year or two, that’s shifted: people are now looking to slow down and connect with the places they visit.
That ‘slow travel’ trend has also caught on with honeymoons. Taking it slow doesn’t mean lying around on a beach for a week or two — it’s more about being intentional and experiencing a destination at a slower pace.
It’s also about authentic travel; more couples are seeking unique, meaningful travel experiences rather than cookie-cutter honeymoon packages. They may even want off-the-grid experiences so, rather than documenting every moment of their honeymoon on social media, they can create memories together instead.
“When a couple says we want a slow travel honeymoon, I don’t hear lazy — I hear intentional,” says Deanna Beatty, travel designer with Romance and Foodie Travel in Toronto. “Instead of a packed itinerary hopping between three countries in 10 days,
I’m planning for the couple to stay in one or maybe two places for a longer period of time.”
Slow travel honeymoons aren’t ‘niche’ anymore, she adds — more couples are specifically requesting them. “Over the last few years, more couples are coming to me and saying things like, ‘We don’t want to feel like we need a vacation after a vacation.’ Especially after planning a wedding, they would like to just take the time to be together.”
Longer stays, fewer places
Beatty likes to combine experiences with open days where nothing is scheduled. But it’s not about taking experiences away. “It’s about removing the need to over-plan, over-move and over-commit yourself,” she says.
So, instead of changing hotels every two nights, couples can pick one or two hotels as their home base and do day trips from there, leaving plenty of time for transitions. So, for example, when travelling between cities or regions, they can take a train or private transfer instead of a flight (nothing kills the romance like a stressful airport experience).
Slow travel honeymoons often mean longer stays in fewer places, with more cultural experiences — not packed guided tours with a bunch of strangers.
If couples want to prebook excursions or experiences, Beatty likes to find more meaningful ones, such as cooking with a local chef. Booking private, customized itineraries offers a more relaxed pace, so “the trip becomes more about savouring moments rather than rushing to tick off the checklist.”
Art de vivre
Some destinations have a slower-paced lifestyle that can be a natural fit for a slow travel honeymoon.
“The theme of slow travel fits perfectly with the French Riviera lifestyle, especially in more intimate destinations such as Antibes, Mandelieu-la-Napoule, Théoule-sur-Mer and Mougins,” says Florence Lecointre with Côte d’Azur Tourisme in France.
These destinations offer a more intimate experience for honeymooners “in search of serenity, authenticity and sensory discoveries,” she says, “far from the hustle and bustle of the big cities on the coast.”
Mougins, for example, is a hilltop village known for its ‘art de vivre,’ a French phrase that refers to the art of living well, savouring the moment and prioritizing pleasure in everyday activities — a perfect philosophy for a slow travel honeymoon.
This, of course, extends to gastronomy. In Mougins, newlyweds can base themselves in the newly renovated La Mas Candille for an authentic Provençal atmosphere, while taking cooking classes, discovering local artists or taking a wellness break at the spa.
Then there’s Antibes, which is perhaps not as well-known as its glitzy neighbours (it sits between Cannes and Nice). But this resort town has a bit of everything, including golden-sand beaches — unlike the pebble beaches the French Riviera is known for.
Newlyweds can stay in the art deco Hôtel Belles Rives, former home of F. Scott Fitzgerald, which features a private beach, Michelin-starred restaurant and historic Bar Fitzgerald. But there’s plenty to do in town, too, such as exploring Old Antibes, a maze of narrow cobbled lanes lined with boutiques and pavement cafés, wandering the Marché Provençal market (a traditional French covered market) and visiting the Musée Picasso (the artist was a frequent visitor to the area).
Off-season appeal
Ultimately, when it comes to slow travel honeymoons, the destination itself doesn’t really matter; it’s how the trip is designed.
“Even in a popular destination, if you travel just outside the peak season, the whole trip can feel different,” says Beatty. When crowds are smaller, local life comes back. “You’re not waiting in lines to see things, in turn giving you more time to relax and take things at a slower pace.”
Another bonus is that the off-season almost always brings more flexibility, more hotel choices and better rates.
Paris, for example, may be a sprawling city, but travelling in the shoulder season, planning fewer activities each day and booking private excursions can help couples embrace the City of Love at a slower pace. After all, why wait in line to go up the Eiffel Tower when you can get a private tour that also includes a stop at the Pierre Hermé macaron bar?
Couples may want to consider basing themselves in a small Parisian hotel, such as Hôtel Rosalie with its romantic hidden gardens and rooftop terrace, and signing up for one of Wecandoo’s workshops that include everything from learning to make Champagne-based cocktails to creating custom perfumes.
For a spa day, the iconic Waldorf Astoria Trianon Palace – Versailles is just 20 minutes from Paris, with a 2,800-square-metre spa. It’s also a great way to experience views of the Parc de Versailles without having to wait in a long lineup. You could also combine a stay in Paris with a getaway in the Loire Valley – maybe even spend a few nights in a Renaissance castle like the Château du Rivau.
Slower journeys
A honeymoon by train is another way to slow things down – you get to explore a country (or two or three), but you don’t have to repack your suitcase every night.
And there are plenty of options, like the Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru’s only luxury sleeper train, which you can combine with a stay at Las Casitas, a Belmond hotel, in Colca Canyon. Or there’s the Rovos Rail, where you can spend 17 days travelling through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania, including two nights on safari in the Madikwe Game Reserve.
For some couples, slow travel might involve immersion in nature. Buahan, an adults-only Banyan Tree Escape deep in the jungles of Bali, offers 16 private villas with a no-wall, no-door concept – so you’re completely immersed in nature, with unobstructed views of Bali’s seven peaks.
To literally unplug, there are a growing number of options where Wi-Fi or cellular access isn’t an option.
On Australis expedition cruises, which navigate the dramatic peaks and glaciers of the Patagonian Fjords, there’s no Wi-Fi or Internet — on purpose. In Canada, Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort in B.C.’s Great Bear Rainforest is so remote, there’s no cell signal. Couples can spend their time heli-hiking to hidden waterfalls, meditating in a floating sauna in the Pacific Ocean or just lying around with a good book.
“More couples are choosing slow travel honeymoons these days because they feel more honest. They give space for real rest, for connection,” says Beatty. “At the end of it, you truly feel like you’ve had a vacation, not just checked off a to-do list.”
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