16 Martha Editors Pick Their Most Romantic Places in the World

Here at Weddings, we are lucky enough to be immersed in romance every day. So when we step out of the office, it takes a little something extra special to make us truly swoon. These destinations earned the distinction of being our favorites across the globe to visit with a loved one—or simply to go to for an experience you won’t soon forget.

With over two flower-filled acres to sit within and take in the scenery with a loved one, Florence’s rose garden is magical. The location feels so intimate and romantic despite its size. —Colleen Banks, Assistant Style Editor

After planning our July 2008 wedding within six months, all my husband and I wanted to do was get on a serene beach fast and relax. When we walked into our oceanfront suite at the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, it was simply glorious and it was the second time I cried that week out of sheer happiness! Sure, we went to local restaurants and had amazing meals—fresh seafood galore—we even rented motorcycles and went to a fun little nearby surf town for the day. But sitting in our private pool each day and looking out onto the Pacific still makes me smile; it was our beginning and it felt like the entire world was in front of us. —Elizabeth Graves, Editor-in-Chief

About a year after we got married, my husband and I drove across country from San Francisco to New York. While driving through Arizona and Utah, I couldn’t believe the landscape. We drove through Monument Valley just before dusk and stopped the car, got out, and sat together, totally losing ourselves in the vast beauty of the color and textures of the land and sky. We were the only ones out there as far as we could see and it was one of the most romantic moments in my life. —Kate Berry, Creative Director

My husband and I visited Huvafen Fushi Resort in the Maldives for our honeymoon. The spa, set out over the Indian Ocean, was postcard-picture perfect (this is an iPhone shot!), quiet, and serene. We enjoyed an amazing massage 25-feet below sea level in their glassed-in rooms. The real highlight, though, was the time we spent after the treatment—drinking tea and enjoying the views of the sea life swimming by. —Michael McCormick, Design Director

In 2008, my husband and I and two close friends hired a private driver and toured Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state, for about 10 days. The whole trip was incredibly beautiful—from meeting the people to boating Sumidero Canyon to staying at a hotel filled with 16th-century antiques (we slept in a four-poster bed draped in billowy cotton) in the remote countryside. But the most romantic experience was definitely visiting the sprawling Mayan ruins of Palenque, which is nestled in a lush jungle made even more out-of-this-world fantastical by the screeching howler monkeys that now call this place home. —Jennifer Hirshlag, Executive Digital Editor

There are plenty of amazing spots to stop along the Pacific Coast Highway that runs along the coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco, but for me it’s all about the drive. Last September, my boyfriend and I packed picnic supplies from Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco and set our GPS for Bolinas in Marin County—there aren’t any signs from the highway, thanks to reclusive residents who know just how special their beach is. Take your time on the ride back to stop at several of the scenic overlooks that dot the shoreline. —Katie Covington, Associate Style Editor

I’ve taken my mom, friends, my husband, even my toddler daughter to this bar carved out of a cliff overlooking the Saronic Gulf, and every single one of them has gasped at the incredible view of the sunset—which always seems timed to fit the music played on the sound system. The entire tiny, carless island is charming, but Hydronetta just blows you away. When you’re not staring at the sunset or gazing into each other’s eyes, you can watch local kids swim in and out of the caves below and adventurous tourists dive off the higher rocks. The only (hilarious) downside: you occasionally have to protect your drink and snacks from kamikaze seagulls. —Eleni Gage, Executive Editor

The Lapa Rios Ecolodge is literally in the middle of Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park, and there’s wildlife everywhere (perfect for a nature-lover like me). And to top it off, they have a pool hidden in the jungle that you can cool off in. —Anthony Luscia, Special Projects Editor

Tucked away in a quiet corner of the French Quarter and secluded from Bourbon Street’s party scene, this tiny boutique hotel has 31 rooms brimming with Southern charm. Mornings start like this: warm biscuits and chicory coffee delivered to your room (or to one of the hotel’s romantically overgrown courtyards) on a silver platter. —Julie Vadnal, Senior Editor

There’s nowhere in the world quite like Il San Pietro di Positano, a tiny, secluded five-star hotel on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast with the warmest, friendliest staff. Cocktails at sunset on a patio overlooking crystal-clear water, Michelin-starred food, and astonishing views accompanied by peaceful quiet—what’s more romantic than that? —Rebekah Lowin, Digital Assistant

Set in front of an affluent cluster of villas, this peninsula offers the most breaktaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and neighboring islands. After sunbathing at the ever-beautiful Magens Bay beach, we took a short drive—stopping to sip a milkshake at the ice cream hut Famous Delite—and carefully adventured across the rocky mass, through a maze of streams. About 15 minutes in, we cooled off in a natural tide pool, home to a few tropical fish. You can even end the journey with a campfire along the hiking trail as you watch the sun go down. —Taysha Murtaugh, Assistant Digital Producer

My boyfriend and I spent three days at Bar Harbor Inn & Spa and easily could have spent a month there instead. The location is tucked away, but still within walking proximity to all the shops, restaurants, and boats downtown. We had a beautiful view of the bay from bed (if we didn’t feel like watching from our private balcony). One morning, we drove to Acadia National Park and snuggled under a blanket on Cadillac Mountain, the highest point along the North Atlantic seaboard, which is the first place to view the sunrise in the States. We capped it off with a 90-minute massage back at the spa. Perfection. —Andie Diemer, Senior Associate Photo Editor

Located in a former farmhouse in southwestern Uruguay, La Casa de los Limoneros oozes with charm. Every room has a fireplace with a roaring fire and the grounds are a peaceful place to get away. Mario, the owner, and his staff are also very kind and cook their guests delicious meals. This is a wonderful place to relax and unwind, and feels like what a dream home would be. —Genevieve Panuska, Deputy Art Director

Located just on the other side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains from Yosemite, this wilderness area named after the famous photographer offers the same sparkling lakes and magnificent peaks as the national park, but with zero tourist crowds. While the 16-mile round-trip hike to Thousand Island Lake may not sound like a dream date, having this view all to ourselves was well worth the effort. —Lyndsey Matthews, Associate Digital Editor 

Isla Ometepe, an hourglass-shaped volcanic island in Lake Nicaragua, isn’t easy to get to—you’ll take an hour-long ferry ride from San Jorge, Nicaragua, and then settle into a bumpy ride over unfinished and unpaved roads. The payoff? A virtually secluded stay among majestic volcanoes, forested spring-water fed swimming pools, and a 165-foot waterfall, all of which you can explore via horseback or rented motorbike. The accommodations are rustic, but charming. We stayed at La Omaja, a collection of cute cabanas surrounding an open-air bar and restaurant, and an infinity pool with killer views of the lake’s azure waters. Roughing it has never been so romantic.—Jaime Buerger, Senior Editor

Surrounded by clear ocean, colorful ships, and shops fit for a storybook, it’s difficult to resist diving into all the island has to offer, but this old structure—built in the early 19th century—demanded admiring and stole our attention on more than one overcast afternoon. Curled up at its foot with a book and a glass of wine and sprawled out on a beach towel, I felt like we stepped straight from a postcard, only we were creating a memory together that we could keep, and what’s more romantic than that? —Becky Mickel, Editorial Assistant