The Perfect Spain Beach and City Honeymoon Itinerary
If you’ve dreamed of a unique European honeymoon, filled with sun & sangria we have just the one for you! You can certainly embark on the first-timers tour of Spain hitting major cities such as Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Granada, and Barcelona but for this honeymoon, we are spicing things up a bit!
I would definitely recommend you visit at least 2 major cities and then spend some time on the Balearic Islands which are made up of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera if you are going to be traveling during the “summer” season which runs between May and September.
We don’t just make recommendations at The Honeymoon Concierge, we go and experience all there is to do and perfect our itineraries. Below is a quick recap of my honeymoon research trip!
Day 1 – 2: BARCELONA
Barcelona is a great first stop because there are direct flights daily from the US and you can be sipping cava over a seafood paella with your new hubby by mid-afternoon! That’s exactly what we did – this place is a must-visit Xiringuito Escriba Barcelona. If you take anything away from this post, make sure you hit up this place. We didn’t make reservations but were lucky enough to grab a seat. It is about a five-minute cab ride from the gothic quarter and right next door to Hotel Arts Barcelona, a 5-star property facing the Mediterranean sea which is a great option if you don’t want to waste any time getting into that swimsuit!
Whenever I am in a new city, I deliberately make sure there is time with no plans and I don’t use any maps – I love stumbling upon city treasures and Barcelona did not disappoint. The next two days were at our leisure exploring the different districts and city landmarks such as Las Ramblas, Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and Casa Batlló. I also didn’t waste any time getting into my afternoon siesta schedule and waking up for a late afternoon stroll and dinner at 10 pm, which is the norm in Spain!
Romantic Tips for Barcelona
- Get tipsy on a carafe of wine and flamenco
- Snuggle up on a rooftop bar
- Share a Paella
- Discover Park Guell
- Watch the sunset from Turo de la Rovira
- Rent a rowboat in Pac de la Ciutadella
DAY 3 – 9: MALLORCA
I had been dreaming about Mallorca for so many months before this visit and researched every single hotel on the island. When choosing my own accommodations the 2 most important requirements for me are a fantastic view of & an authentic experience during my short stay.
Sa Pedrissa was the peaceful oasis of my Mallorca infused dreams. This adult-only rural hotel is located in the village of Deia, right in the middle of the Tramuntana mountain range and is a dream location for your honeymoon! Pictures say 1,000 words but in this case, the photos of beautiful Sa Pedrissa don’t even do it justice!
We settled into our beautiful Finca estate (Finca is Spanish for an “estate” and refers to a piece of rural or agricultural land, typically with a cottage or farmhouse) and enjoyed every moment of the next 4 days we spent here. There are only a handful of rooms so we felt like we had the place to ourselves.
To explore the island I decided to rent a convertible, which was a great move but I would say driving is not for everyone here because the roads are super steep and winding around the mountain bends. On my list of villages to visit were Palma, the capital city, which was a really incredible day spent touring the street markets and stopping for some tapas and pictures or the beautiful architecture along the way. I also wanted to visit Soller, Valldemossa, Arta and Cap Formentor on the north coast where we spent our final 2 nights on the island. I always recommend moving to a new area every 3 or 4 nights on a trip to somewhere new if you know you are not gonna make it back to for a long time. It is the perfect amount of time to settle in and relax for a few days before the next adventure. Each leg of this trip had a completely different vibe. My husband is more of the lay back and relax type, so he did some more of that while I went out and shopped or hiked down to the beach.
If I had to do this trip over again I would have spent more time in Mallorca because it is truly so beautiful- the Spanish equivalent to the Amalfi Coast, for sure.
The history, the architecture, breathtaking views around every turn and really yummy Rioja wine and Michelin Star dinners made for such a memorable trip. (One night we had dinner next to Mary Kate Olsen & her husband, which was pretty cool! #1990s fan girl)
A few of our other favorite hotels on the island include the stunning Belmond La Residencia in Deia and the one of a kind Cap Rocat. If you’re a Hyatt loyalist, there is also an amazing Park Hyatt on the Island and for the Marriott lovers, a seafront St Regis.
Must-dos for Mallorca
- Enjoy a glass of Cava at the bar in Hotel Cort in Palma
- Rent a convertible to visit the villages around the island. Valldemossa is so romantic!
DAY 10 – 11: IBIZA
Since we were only a short ferry ride away from Ibiza, I had to check it out. Again, I rented a car so I could roam around the island on my own schedule. I opted to stay away from the beaches and club scene because I fell in love with this rural bohemian paradise called
Es Cucons, a family-run hotel in the heart of a picturesque almond valley in Santa Agnés. The original farmhouse was built in 1652 and reformed by the owners in 1997 and has been welcoming guests from all over the globe for the past 20 years.
The next two days were all about hiking to the beautiful beaches for some sun and sand and really feeling like a local sans bathing suit top. Another highlight was exploring old town Ibiza called Dalt Vila, located on a little mountain above the sea and is one of the many UNESCO World Heritage sites we visited on this trip to the Balearic Islands.
I found the way we explored Ibiza to be extremely relaxing and quite different than the “party town” Ibiza I had in my mind. There is something for everyone and two nights was the perfect amount of time for us to explore.
DAY 12: MADRID
Our last day of the trip ended in Madrid before heading back to the states and we hit all of the tourist hot spots! We strolled through Retiro Park, toured The Royal Palace of Madrid, drank our last glass of sangria in Plaza Mayor and viewed The Garden of Earthly Delights at the Prado Museum! We spent our final night at Hotel Santo Mauro which was absolutely divine.
Top Tips for Honeymooning in Spain
- Bring really good walking shoes
- Don’t make too many plans for dinner, you’re going to stumble upon great places and eat tapas all day!
- Spend most of your time on the islands if you are traveling in the summer months, you won’t regret it!
- Rent a car if you are comfortable driving in a foreign country, you will be able to see and do more.
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