The best places for an anniversary celebration share a sense of occasion and a setting that suits the couple. At Wedded Wonderland, we plan celebrations from proposals and weddings to the anniversaries that follow. These twelve places range from Italian lakes to Pacific islands, and each suits a different kind of anniversary. Season shapes each one, so check the World Meteorological Organization's World Weather Information Service before you settle on dates.
Where to hold an anniversary celebration depends on the size of the gathering and the milestone. Two people often choose a journey, a family often chooses a villa or private estate, and many couples choose both, with a trip first and a gathering at home afterwards.
This guide focuses on destinations. For stays matched to each milestone, our anniversary trip ideas pair every year with a place to sleep, and our guide to big milestone anniversaries covers dinners, vow renewals and parties at home.
The Amalfi Coast suits an anniversary celebration built around a long lunch above the sea. Terraced towns such as Positano, Amalfi and Ravello step down to the water, and a private boat is the easiest way to see the coast at its best. Ravello is the quieter base and Positano the livelier one. Our Amalfi Coast pages cover the setting.
Lake Como suits a milestone anniversary shared with family. Villas line the shore between Bellagio, Varenna and Tremezzo, and ferries and private boats make a day on the water simple to arrange. A villa weekend gives the couple a private evening and the family a long table. Our Lake Como pages cover the setting.
Tuscany suits an anniversary celebration at a private estate. Hill towns, olive groves and vineyards surround the villas, and a lunch among the vines is a natural setting for a vow renewal. The Val d'Orcia and Chianti each offer a quiet base. Our Tuscany pages cover the setting.
Santorini suits couples who want a view and a quiet evening above all else. Whitewashed villages sit along the rim of the caldera, and a table facing the sunset is the island's signature. Imerovigli and Oia are the best-known bases, and a return visit after a honeymoon here has a pleasure of its own. Our Greece pages cover the setting.
The French Riviera suits an anniversary celebration with a sense of old-world glamour. Coastal villages such as Èze and Cap Ferrat sit between the Mediterranean and the hills, and a long lunch by the water is the region's signature. Nice makes an easy base for day trips along the coast. Our France pages cover the setting.
Mallorca suits couples who want coves, mountains and long evenings on one island. The Serra de Tramuntana rises behind the north-west coast, and stone fincas set among olive and almond groves suit a private gathering. A day at a quiet cove by boat is a good counterpoint to a long dinner.
The Maldives suits an anniversary celebration for two. Private-island resorts, seaplane transfers and calm, clear lagoons give the days a rhythm of their own. Couples often choose a villa over the water for the privacy it offers, and a dinner on a sandbank is a milestone in itself.
Bali suits couples who want a celebration with ceremony in it. Ubud's rice terraces, Uluwatu's cliffs and a long tradition of blessings make it a natural place for a vow renewal. A few nights inland and a few by the coast give the stay two moods. Our Bali pages cover the setting.
Queenstown suits couples who want mountains, water and wine in one setting. Lake Wakatipu sits below the Southern Alps, Central Otago's vineyards lie within easy reach, and a helicopter flight over the ranges is a fitting gift for a milestone. Lodges on the lake shore offer privacy. Our Oceania pages cover the region.
Byron Bay suits an Australian anniversary celebration without a long flight. Beaches, a green hinterland and long lunches in small villages give the days an easy pace, and the lighthouse walk at sunrise is a ritual in itself. Many couples pair the coast with a night or two in the hinterland.
Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai suit couples who want desert, mountains and sea within a short drive. Ras Al Khaimah offers a quieter coast and the peak of Jebel Jais, and Dubai adds a city of restaurants and rooftop evenings. A night in the desert gives the milestone a moment of its own. Our Ras Al Khaimah pages and Dubai feature cover the setting.
Maui suits couples who want a coast and a volcano on one island. Wailea and Kapalua offer calm beaches, and a pre-dawn drive to the summit of Haleakalā rewards a sunrise. The road to Hana adds a day of waterfalls for couples who like to travel by car. Our North America pages cover the region.
Three questions narrow the twelve quickly: when you can travel, how long you can be away and who is coming with you. The notes below take each one in turn.
Season shapes every place on this list. Mediterranean coasts and lakes are generally most comfortable outside the height of summer, the Gulf is at its best in the cooler months, and the Southern Hemisphere reverses the Northern calendar. Check official forecasts for each place before you settle on dates.
Long flights suit a celebration of a week or more, and a shorter trip suits a long weekend. Our guide to how long a honeymoon should be is a useful reference for trip length as well.
A villa or private estate suits a larger group, and a small hotel or island resort suits two. Guests who travel need time to arrange flights, so settle on the date early. Entry requirements and visitor rules change, so confirm them with the destination's official tourism board or your government's travel advice before you book.
An anniversary abroad works best when someone has thought about the route, the season and the stays before you land. At Wedded Wonderland, we help couples make the trip happen, from the first choice of place to the last evening.
Our travel service and destination packages shape the journey, and our destinations pages cover the regions we plan for.
Wedded Concierge is a service that accommodates whatever a couple or their guests ask for, and it is a natural place to begin.
Written by
Editor & Content Writer
Jillian Arambulo is the Editorial and Content Writer at Wedded Wonderland, specialising in branded content strategy. Her writing spans luxury lifestyle, travel, culture, beauty and emerging trends, bringing together comprehensive guides and features that connect readers with the places, ideas and experiences worth discovering.
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