Best romantic holiday destinations

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Treat your favourite foodie to a romantic holiday this Valentine's Day (or any day, for that matter!), whether it's a getaway to a village in the UK, a romantic weekend break in Italy, or even a tropical getaway to the Caribbean. Here are our favourite romantic holiday destinations for foodies...

Or, if you're looking to celebrate with a romantic meal, check out the UK's most romantic restaurants and the most romantic restaurants in London. Or, if you fancy more romantic getaway inspiration, discover the most romantic UK hotels.

Best romantic holiday destinations

Paris – for classic romance

It's a cliché for a reason. Paris, the 'City of Love', is a romantic destination you have to tick off your bucket list to visit with your partner. From picnics under the Eiffel Tower to golden-hour walks down the river Seine and lazy afternoons in wine bars on the streets of picturesque neighbourhoods, it has everything you need for a romantic getaway.

Weekenders often stick to the single-figure arrondissements, but if you’re willing to head slightly further out you’ll find a dynamic foodie hotspot around Charonne Metro in the historically working class 11th arrondissement. Bertrand Grébaut’s rustic, unpretentious fine dining restaurant Septime is the area’s big hitter (book three weeks in advance, or try for a lunchtime table) but if you don’t manage to get a reservation, try Grébaut’s nearby walk-in-only spot, Clamato for sublime seafood.

Where to stay: in the heart of the bustling Le Marais district, Le Grand Mazarin achieves an impressive feat of being full of eclectic colours and patterns, yet still remaining a chic and calm oasis. The hotel has 61 rooms and suites, an indoor pool, restaurant, bar, courtyard dining and gym. Bedrooms are decorated with carefully sourced vintage objects, custom rugs and Murano light fittings. Rooms are bold and colourful yet always elegant. Think raspberry pink walls, tapestry canopies over beds and yellow tiles in the bathrooms. Extra touches such as Diptyque toiletries in the waterfall showers and curtains that close from a touch of a button by your bed add a luxurious feel.

Hotel bar and restaurant Boubalé (meaning ‘little darling’ in Yiddish) combines Eastern European and Mediterranean flavours. Share a giant chicken schnitzel and incredibly rich spinach risotto, then finish with the signature ‘benimousse’ – a large scoop of rich chocolate mousse topped with a generous drizzle of olive oil and scattering of sea salt. Make sure to look at the colourful ceiling above you: it may look wooden, but every detail and flower was hand-painted. See our full guide to the best hotels in Paris for more extra special places to stay.

Doubles from £515, check availability at booking.com

Valletta, Malta – for five-star glamour

Malta's capital city Valletta is one of our new favourite destinations, and still somehow feels like a hidden gem. It's an underrated destination for a romantic city break, with plenty to discover. Absorb the rich history of this ancient walled city, stroll through the clean tiled streets to see the unique, colourful architecture and make sure you take a boat trip across the harbour to see all sides of the city.

For a memorable meal, you're spoilt for Michelin-starred choice: the two-starred Ion Harbour from Simon Rogan offers dramatic city views from its rooftop terrace, while one-starred Noni is located at the other extreme, set in underground stone vaults over 400 years old. See our guide to the best restaurants in Valletta for more hotspots.

Where to stay: For five-star luxury, stay at Iniala Harbour House. Situated on the harbour front with incredible views over the water, it has a range of luxurious rooms and decadent suites to choose from. Rooms and suites vary by design, from bold splashes of colour and eclectic artwork to moody wooden panelling and custom tapestries. The best rooms come complete with private plunge pools and Maltese balconies to sit out on and watch the boats go by. Breakfast is served on the rooftop terrace (also home to the Ion Harbour restaurant) to soak up the views.

Doubles from £463 per night, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or expedia.co.uk

An overview of Valletta city with old buildings and the harbour

Ortigia, Sicily – for remote romance

Ortigia is a tiny island off the coast of Sicily, connected to the city of Syracuse by two bridges. It is perfect for history fans, with winding medieval streets and impressive architectural sights including the Fountain of Arethusa and Temple of Apollo. Lively squares are the perfect setting for aperitivo hour, filled with lively restaurants and bars to relax in after all that sightseeing.

Where to stay: Palazzo Artemide is perfectly placed to explore Ortigia’s sights. Rooms, neutrally decorated, come with thoughtful touches like welcome sweets, candied orange peel and Marzola mandarin liqueur. Some feature Juliet balconies with views over the Via Roma’s bustling shops and bars. Breakfast can be taken on the terrace and is buffet-style, featuring Sicilian cheese like tangy pecorino dotted with peppercorns, salami, spinach-filled pastries and sweet treats including cornetto cioccolato and crema-filled cannoli, apricot crostata bread and ciambella.

Doubles from £137, check availability at booking.com

Sifnos, Greece – for island elegance

Santorini and Mykonos are well known as romantic Greek destinations, but the secret being out means you can expect big crowds and plenty of tourists. For a more secluded alternative, try Sifnos. Known as the Cycladic island of gastronomy, Sifnos is the birthplace of renowned 20th century Greek chef Nikos Tselementes, whose cookery book is still the home-cooking bible for Greeks.

In recent years, Sifnos has begun to draw an elegant crowd with its contemporary restaurants, notably Cantina, which perches above the water in the shadow of Kastro, the ancient capital of the island, and its new sister restaurant Pelicanos, a reimagined waterside taverna in Faros. Check out our Greek island getaways guide for more lesser-known travel ideas, or explore inland with our expert picks of 5 lesser-known destinations on the Greek mainland.

Where to stay: The place to stay is Versina Astra, a sexy boutique hotel just above the idyllic swimming spot of Poulati. The suites are set on a striking cliff edge, each with memorable views over the Aegean Sea. The saltwater infinity pool, also with uninterrupted sea views, is hard to beat.

Doubles at Verina Astra from £349 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Bali – for an eco-chic escape

For a tropical romantic break, head to Bali. Soak up the warmth by relaxing on the beaches, go for a swim in the Indian Ocean and immerse yourself in Indonesian culture exploring the bustling cities. You'll be reminiscing together about the unbeatable sunsets long after you go home. Base yourself in Seminyak – a blend of luxury that still feels laid-back, with buzzy beach clubs, wide beaches and endless beachside cafés to while away the days at.

Where to stay: Stay at Potato Head, an eco-chic retreat on Seminyak’s beachfront. Book the Oceanfront Studio to wake up to daylight pouring in and stunning sea views. To enjoy golden hour as the sun sets, a wood-panelled bath takes centre stage, which can be drawn with floating petals, and fresh dragon fruit and watermelon platters on the side. The room is complete with a custom-made maxi-bar, stocked with the likes of spiced rum and pink guava kombucha. There are multiple dining options on-site: Kaum serves authentic Indonesian dishes, or find fresh seafood cooked on open fire at Ijen, and contemporary plant-based versions of classics such as báhn mì or crispy oyster mushroom katsu at Tanaman.

Doubles from £157, check rates and availability at booking.com

Dolomites, Italy – for mountain luxury

Whether you want to ski, hike or enjoy the panoramic mountain views (especially at sunrise and sunset) from the sanctuary of restaurants and spas, the romance of the Dolomites is hard to ignore. Mountain activities include skiing, naturally, as well as forest bathing and foraging for a wellness weekend – or you can focus on the après-ski.

Where to stay: At 1,800m above sea level, surrounded by panoramic views of the Dolomites, Forestis offers a unique stay. Split between the original 1912 larchwood building and three modern towers, everything is designed to bring the landscape in – from floor-to-ceiling windows in suites to booths arranged in an amphitheatre-like structure in the main restaurant, ensuring everyone has prime views. Wellbeing is at the hotel’s heart – there’s Plose spring water sweetened with pine syrup on arrival, plus the spa’s successive indoor-outdoor mineral pools and saunas, daily rituals and a wyda (a local Celtic version of yoga) studio.

An evening at new restaurant concept Yera is an experience like no other. Follow a torch through the forest into an earthy mountain cave, hand in phones at the door and let Roland and his team guide you through an immersive spectacle of fire, ferments and ancient Celtic traditions. A nightcap at the bar might be a fresh fig old fashioned, an apricot-enriched Plosestar martini, or a negroni infused with Plose cranberries.

Check rates and availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Durgerdam, Netherlands – for a rural waterside escape

A 15-minute drive or boat ride from Amsterdam city centre, Durgerdam is a collection of colourful clapboard houses strung along a dike in the rural wildlife-rich wetlands. It's a romantic destination in its own right as well as an ideal base for winding down after a day hopping round the city's best restaurants. Spend the day cycling through the wildlife-rich wetlands, stopping at farm shops to buy your own cheese and strawberries for picnics. The cycle paths string together hamlets home to old schoolhouses transformed into waterside cafés and wine bars.

Where to stay: De Durgerdam is a 17th-century inn that has been meticulously restored into a stylish restaurant with rooms. Perch on a parasol-shaded bench out front for coffee and madeleines, while folk cycle past on a country escape, before sauntering down the jetty to swim off the pontoon.

The destination restaurant, De Mark, is a collaboration between some of Amsterdam’s most applauded chefs. Dine waterside among the reeds or head inside for cosy, candlelit dinners with nods to the sea at every turn. After your meal, retire to the reading room, a terracotta cocoon complete with antique honesty bar, alluring window seat and wood stove to keep things cosy in the colder months. The 14 rooms are sumptuously decorated in warm, earthy tones with velvet throws, frilly wall lamps and armchairs.

Doubles from £312, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Cappadocia, Turkey – for otherworldly views

If you've seen the pictures of hot air balloons at sunrise in Turkey, tick the experience off yourself for a romantic adventure. While it may be the mesmerising, otherworldly landscapes of Cappadocia that lure tourists from across the world, its food scene continues to garner international recognition. The Michelin Guide recognised restaurants in the region (including both Nahita and Seki) for the first time in 2026. For an authentic taste of the region, Green Garden offers Anatolian cookery classes hosted by husband-and-wife duo Güler and Sedat in their house-cum-restaurant with kitchen garden and clay tandoor.

Where to stay: Argos is a luxury cave hotel in the hilltop village of Uçhisar, with extraordinary views over the dramatic volcanic moonscapes and ‘fairy chimney’ landforms of Cappadocia. Most of the hotel’s 71 rooms are architectural hybrids, making use of caves hewn into the rocky hillside and finishing them in a contemporary style. Suites may take the form of single-storey warrens, with stone sitting areas concealing grotto bedrooms; others are duplex, with rooftop balconies spilling out onto the hillside. The most romantic options have their own jacuzzi, or even a swimming pool.

Argos’s cave spa offers one-of-a-kind subterranean escapism, and dining privately in the hotel’s ancient converted monastery, though an indulgent add-on to your stay, is a one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience. Hotel restaurant Nahita is the first farm-to-table restaurant in the region, where all ingredients are sourced within a strict 60km radius. The menu focuses on traditional local cuisine: think succulent lamb cooked in a tandoor for twelve hours, aubergine “testi” (dough-sealed clay cooking pots) kebabs, and pillowy, smoke-scented breads.

Check rates and availability at booking.com or argosincappadocia.com

Giglio, Italy – for rugged romance

Giglio, the second-largest island in the Tuscan archipelago, is lush with clifftop vineyards, fig trees and pines. It's a hidden gem away from crowds, where you can explore rugged trails by day and dine in restaurants in medieval castles in the evenings. With 21km of coastline, there are plenty of unspoilt beaches and coves to discover, whether from land or by boat. The island is most easily reached by ferry from Porto Santo Stefano in Tuscany, with the journey taking around an hour.

Where to stay: The serene and stylish seaside retreat La Guardia is perched atop a granite cave along from the pastel-hued harbour. Brushed concrete and original stone columns are softened with driftwood decorations and wispy wicker lanterns that flutter in the Mediterranean breeze. Chic neutral tones continue through to the rooms, all kitted out with luxury Sicilian Ortigia toiletries, and many boasting balconies and sea views. Book the junior suite to embrace the elements with a bathroom built into the granite and a beachside terrace for watching the waves lap against the rocks.

Mediterranean flavours and island cuisine are served in the on-site restaurant. Sip on a Venetian Select spritz at aperitivo hour before a candlelit dinner of Sicilian anchovies, palamita fish with marinated courgettes, and tagliolini with lemon butter and bottarga. The 70-strong wine list showcases rare bottles from Italy’s islands – Giglio, Ischia, Salina and beyond. Breakfast includes the likes of prosciutto, omelettes with Tuscan cheese, homemade fig bread and freshly squeezed juices. There are sunset yoga sessions on the terrace, healing zen shiatsu and Ayurvedic treatments, and e-bikes to explore the island’s rugged trails, cliff-face vineyards and restaurants in medieval castles.

Doubles from £241, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com or booking.com

Grossarl, Austria – for cosy winter feels

Looking for a romantic holiday in winter? If ski and snow are more your vibe than sun and sand, head to Austria. An hour south of Salzburg, Grossarl is ideally placed for a romantic weekend in the mountains. Stop off at Muhlwinkelhutte in Dorfgastein for käsekrainer (grilled sausage stuffed with cheese), or Gehwolfalm for tiroler gröstl (potato, onion, bacon, sausage and fried egg). Sauerkraut is optional, but why wouldn’t you?

After a day on the slopes, book a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride under the stars to the Aschaustüberl restaurant in Hüttschlag. Warm up with mulled wine round an open fire, then order the bauernbratl, traditional local dumplings, and kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake) with apple purée. Check out our picks of the best ski destinations in Europe for more snowy travel inspiration.

Where to stay: Stay at the Grossarler Hof for a comfortable base with striking views. Luxurious facilities include a steaming outdoor whirlpool and Finnish-style spa, but the hotel retains the charm of a family-run chalet. The breakfast table is piled high with alpine cheeses and traditional jams, and dinner options include paprika-rich meat stews topped with fried eggs and sharp pickles, and comforting buttered späetzle (soft egg noodles) countered with bottomless glasses of floral grüner veltliner.

Doubles from £505, check availability at booking.com

Provence – for chocolate box romance

Head to Provence to explore pretty villages, ancient vineyards and historical cities. Hilltop village Crillon Le Brave is a vision of Provençal style; a clutch of honey-hued, pastel-shuttered houses surrounded by slopes carpeted with olive groves and vineyards. From here, you can hike up Mount Ventoux, head to a wine-tasting at Cheateau Pesquie (and enjoy a picnic in the pretty garden) or visit the idyllic village of L'Isle Sur-La-Sorgue on market day for antiques, bountiful fresh produce and lavender souvenirs to take home. See our best French food trips for more France travel ideas.

Where to stay: The top of the village is now the effortlessly elegant five-star Hotel Crillon Le Brave. The highlight has to be the 180-degree views of unspoilt rolling countryside, vineyards, olive groves and Mount Ventoux. Made of nine houses linked together by the village streets, the hotel's 34 rooms are stylishly decorated in soothing neutral tones, with Diptyque products in every bathroom. After a day of exploring, return to the hotel for dinner on the terrace at La Table du Ventoux. Admire the panoramic views while dining on seasonal French cuisine – expect local asparagus in spring and strawberries in summer.

Spend your time playing boules in the terraced garden, relaxing by the pool or having a massage in the tiny spa set in atmospheric ancient vaulted stables. Should you be able to tear yourself away from the hotel, borrow e-bikes to explore through fields and tiny villages.

Doubles from £408, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Istria, Croatia – for prime produce

Visit Istria, a peninsula in Croatia, to be transported to a sunny isle full of great food. It is a melting pot of cuisines, from world-renowned truffles and olive oil to impressive seafood platters and ancient mountain specialities. The unique positioning of the peninsula spanning Croatia, Italy and Slovenia, as well as its varied history, means there are different influences visible in the buildings, dishes and cultures.

Seafood is special here. Charming coastal towns including Rovinj, Pula and Poreč are full of restaurants serving fish platters, while the turquoise waters of Lim Bay are abundant with flat, sweet oysters. High, sun-soaked slopes and proximity to the sea means there's great wine too: visit Tomaz Winery where you can taste Istrian wines with breathtaking views of hilltop town, Motovun.

Where to stay: Tucked away in northern Istria’s foliage-rich hills is San Canzian, a medieval hamlet turned intimate boutique hotel. The 28 rooms are decorated in soft, muted tones pepped up with 15th-century vintage furniture and vibrant beeswax canvases.

Elegant on-site restaurant Luciano is strategically placed so guests can enjoy an aperitif from the 600-strong wine cellar as the sky turns pink over the olive trees, Adriatic Sea and Dolomites in the distance. Executive chef Pavo Klaric works homegrown and local ingredients into contemporary spins on traditional Istrian dishes – polenta-crusted cod on pine nut cream, rabbit slow cooked in red wine, and agnolotti pasta filled with young Istrian curd. After a breakfast of cured ham, crumbly cheese and fruits plucked from the abundant estate, take laps of the pool or pad down to the serene spa complete with Finnish sauna and candlelit hot tub.

Doubles from £303, check availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or mrandmrssmith.com

Mauritius – for tropical idylls

Whether it's for a honeymoon, special occasion or just the ultimate long-haul romantic getaway, sunny Mauritius remains a timeless romantic holiday destination. The tropical idyll is picture-perfect, its beaches washed by warm turquoise waters and cradled by coral reefs. The mountainous interior is swathed in luxuriant rainforest threaded with hiking trails that weave past thundering waterfalls. If you can tear yourself away from the beaches, you can go on a street-food tour in the capital, Port Louis, or visit the large outdoor market in Flacq, piled high with tropical produce.

Where to stay: Salt is something different from clichéd images of Mauritius: a forward-thinking hotel brand that aims to provide authentic experiences for “culturally curious” travellers. The idea is to introduce guests not just to places but to people. The design of the 59-room hotel, courtesy of French interiors guru Camille Walala, reflects the island’s vivid colours. Among its library of 300 carefully curated books, three-quarters are Mauritian.

Food is at the resort’s heart (the philosophy explained by catchphrases such as “Farming it, not flying it”) and everything from supper with a Mauritian family to fishing trips with a local fisherman are on the menu. With an eye on environmental impact, there are no minibars in the rooms and no single-use plastics. Each guest is given an aluminium bottle to refill at the water stations and to take home.

Doubles from £136 per night, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or tui.co.uk

Grenada – for a Caribbean escape

Looking for a foodie Caribbean holiday for two? Try Grenada. Grenada is famous for its homegrown spices, so much so that it is known as the Spice Isle. Nutmeg and mace are the two biggest that they produce, but also expect to find cinnamon, bay leaf and turmeric. Like other Caribbean islands, Grenada is a big producer of rum, so rum cocktails and punches are a must, as is trying the locally produced cocoa and chocolate.

Restaurant views don’t get much better than Aquarium's. This open restaurant blurs indoor and outdoor dining and looks directly out to the beautiful Caribbean Sea on Magazine Beach. Enjoy some of the best locally sourced seafood – like curried conch and lobster thermidor – that Grenada has to offer, all while taking in the exquisite coastline and sea breeze.

Where to stay: True Blue Bay Resort is a vibrant waterfront resort on the south coast of Grenada. This family-owned climate-smart resort has an onsite restaurant, yoga studio and spa, as well as offering water sports and diving experiences. All rooms feature colourful Caribbean-inspired decor and sustainable furnishings. The Cocoa Pod and Waterfront suites provide beautiful views of the bay and tropical gardens, with balconies perfect for enjoying a morning coffee on. When booking you also have the option to go all-inclusive for complete piece of mind.

Rates start from £108 per person per night, check availability at booking.com or truebluebay.com.

Bruton, Somerset – for a cosy rural getaway

For a romantic holiday destination closer to home, book a weekend away to the pretty foodie town of Bruton in Somerset. Over the last few years, the village has had an influx of top restaurants and creatives, making it a special place to visit with plenty to attract foodies.

At the Chapel, a Grade II listed restaurant-gallery-hotel hybrid, takes pride of place in the centre of Bruton high street, serving a Mediterranean menu that heroes West Country produce and a wine store filled with organic, biodynamic vintages. Durslade Farm Shop showcases artisan makers and growers of Somerset in the chic Hauser & Wirth Gallery. The Newt country estate hosts seasonal gastronomic events such as foraging masterclasses and artisan cider tasting in its orchard.

Where to stay: Merlin Labron-Johnson’s elegant farm-to-table restaurant Osip offers chic rooms just outside Bruton for a decadent bucolic getaway. Pad round the back through the wildflower meadow and duck beneath exposed beams into the reception room where a stone fire is lit in winter. Upstairs are four cosy rooms, the two mezzanine options complete with bathtub, but all equally charming. A selection of treats awaits in each – homemade canelés, Osip cider and loose-leaf teas to sip in Wiltshire-thrown porcelain mugs for a quiet romantic moment.

Tables in the elegant dining room are positioned around the open kitchen, from which a succession of intricate dishes showcasing Somerset produce are presented. The cheese course – a square of cider brandy-soaked malt loaf topped with Bath soft cheese – is next-level. Superb hospitality continues through to breakfast, with toasted honey granola, jams and compotes, and squidgy little pear and cinnamon buns. There’s also a central table groaning with wild hay smoked trout, Wiltshire ham and cider mustard, treacly bread, Westcombe cheese and fresh fruit grown on the farm, plus coffees made to order.

Check rates and availability at osiprestaurant.com

The Somerset town of Bruton on the river Brue

Asturias – for a mountain escape

Discover a new region of Spain with a visit to Asturias, set between the sea and the mountains. Local dishes involve produce that’s inspired by the landscape, from seafood to wild poultry, local wine and cheese. Make sure you try fabada – a stew made from white beans, chorizo, blood sausage and pork belly. The markets in Asturias even sell vacuum packs of ingredients to take home to cook.

The variety of fish and seafood found in the waters of northern Spain is immense, meaning there's plenty to try on restaurant menus: lobster, crayfish, crabs, octopus, squid, hake, sardines and more. For drinking, more than 80% of Spain’s cider is produced in Asturias and the dramatic way of serving makes it a memorable experience: the practice is called escanciar, and involves pouring cider from the bottle to the glass from a height.

Where to stay: There’s a 'slow hotel' philosophy at El Gran Sueño, a boutique rural retreat in the mountains. It uses renewable energy and serves only homemade, organic food, with at least one dinner a week meat-free. Tuck into freshly baked bread with grated tomato and local artisan cheeses for breakfast, with a glass of freshly squeezed Valencia orange juice or pressed Asturian cider-apple juice, before heading out to explore the surrounding mountains and woodlands. Having worked up an appetite, return to base for a hearty, home-cooked three-course dinner.

Doubles from £124, check availability at booking.com or elgransueno.es

Bohuslän coast, Sweden – for off-grid romance

Why not try a Scandi escape for two? West Sweden's Bohuslän coast, an hour's drive from the city of Gothenburg, is a series of islands and peninsulas (Orust, Skaftö, Tjörn) jutting into the North Sea. Drive through forests and pass by quintessential coastal villages strung between rugged rocks, stopping off for Swedish fika in forest huts, local craft beers on sun-soaked wooden jetties and quiveringly fresh fish inside painted clapboard cafés. See our Swedish itineraries guide for more Swedish road trip inspiration.

Where to stay: Ladfabriken B&B, a quirky former fish crate factory, sits on the very Western peninsula of Orust. Owners Johan and Marcel serve family-style dinners such as cod fillets in buttery leek sauce and 'east meets west' coconut and lemongrass fish soup using catch of the day from the neighbouring Skagerrak Sea via Larsson’s fish shop in nearby Mollösund. Breakfast is a similarly homely affair, seeing the table laden with Priest cheese, Swedish emmental, Leksand crackers and an array of homemade preserves – rosehip marmalade, cowberry, lingonberry and more. Local strawberries get plenty of light throughout the long summer days, so they’re extra sweet, and served with fresh mint.

During the day, take a kayak out on the crystal-clear water, go wild swimming in the archipelago, kick back with a book on a deckchair in the rocky garden, or clamber over rocks following blue dots to the picture-postcard Swedish hamlet of Edultshall. Here, among red and white clapboard houses, families gather around barbecues on little jetties outside their boathouses.

Check rates and availability at ladfabriken.eu

A fishing boat and red wooden house in Mollosund harbour, Sweden

The Eastern Algarve, Portugal – for coastal calm

The Algarve coast might make you think of golf or family holidays, but it shouldn't be ignored as a romantic holiday option, especially for food lovers. Fringed by limestone coastline and sandy coves, the region is bursting with exceptional produce. Seafood is a highlight, but black pork, sheep’s cheese, olives, oregano, tomatoes and oranges are also cultivated locally, and are easily found at local farmers’ markets, beach shacks and restaurants. Homemade piri piri chicken or shrimp, an Algarve speciality, is everywhere. Visit Olhão's vibrant fish market, hop on a ferry to the sandy beaches of Armona Island and cycle along the Fuseta eco trail in the wetlands, home to oyster farms, eclectic birds and two families of flamingos. See our best Portuguese food trips to discover more of Portugal.

Where to stay: In the heart of a residential hamlet on the border of the Algarve’s Ria Formosa lagoon, Carlos Fernandes has lovingly converted his grandparents’ house into a striking boutique hotel, Casa Modesta. Many original features remain – Santa Catarina flooring, curved brick ceilings and stone fireplaces – interspersed with tasteful Algarvian knick-knacks for pops of colour. An honesty bar is stocked with Algarvian wines and Portuguese spirits. Continental breakfast is served home-style, laid on lace tablecloths in the kitchen. Make your selection from the likes of carrot and saffron bundt cake, fruits hand-plucked from the property, and Portuguese cold cuts; order your preference of eggs and take to the poolside terrace to enjoy beneath the dappled shade of the trees.

Doubles from €220 per night, check availability at booking.com or welcomebeyond.com

Essaouira, Morocco – for a Mediterranean oasis

Head off for a romantic Moroccan adventure in Essaouira, set on the west coast. Meander through narrow streets, past hole-in-the-wall boutiques and carts flogging fresh bread, and barter for souvenirs in the souks before ducking in to one of Essaouira’s restaurants for tagines and hearty salads. Head along the beach to Ocean Vagabond, a cool daytime hangout where you can sip on a freshly squeezed orange juice or a zingy cocktail and watch colourful kites dart through the skies while camels soak up the sun on the dunes. Discover more of Morocco with our guide to the best Morocco food trips.

Where to stay: Set in the hills above the city, Jardin des Douars is an oasis of palms, plants and monkey puzzle trees. The French-owned hotel is a calm retreat of 25 rooms, spaced out between a main ksar building and various terracotta villas in Jardin des Douars’ tropical garden.

Make sure you do a safari of the restaurant spaces during your stay, as each provides a unique experience. Book a couple of plush armchairs in La Table des Douars’ intimate little room, off the main courtyard, for a romantic candlelit dinner reflected in the 30-or-so gilt-framed mirrors down one wall. For a more relaxed affair, sprawl out in the sunken, cushioned area of the hotel’s main restaurant Le Ksar, a palatial room decked out in burnt orange and red hues, boasting spectacular views of the gardens and the argan tree-filled valley below.

Doubles from £152, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com