The most romantic road trip for a honeymoon is Italy's Amalfi Coast, where the SS163 threads pastel villages cut into cliffs above an impossibly blue sea. But the perfect honeymoon drive depends on your season and your style, from a full week along South Africa's Garden Route to a glacier run through New Zealand's Southern Alps. Below are the 10 best honeymoon road trips in the world, ranked, each one grounded in real distances, driving times, and the season it shines.
These are not the longest or the hardest drives. For a honeymoon you want scenery that stops you both mid sentence, roads that are a joy rather than a chore, and towns worth lingering in for a slow lunch. Most of these are coastal, so if you love the idea of the sea on one side the whole way, browse our full collection of Scenic Coastal Drives too.
Honeymoon road trips at a glance
| Rank | Route | Country | Distance | Duration | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amalfi Coast | Italy | 50 km | 3 days | May, or Sep to Oct |
| 2 | Garden Route | South Africa | about 850 km | 7 days | Oct to Apr |
| 3 | Pacific Coast Highway | United States | 1,055 km | 4 to 7 days | Summer to fall |
| 4 | Cabot Trail | Canada | 298 km | 3 to 4 days | Jun to Oct |
| 5 | Great Ocean Road | Australia | 660 km | 3 days | Nov to Apr |
| 6 | Southern Alps Highway | New Zealand | about 735 km | 4 days | Nov to Mar |
| 7 | Three Corniches (Riviera) | France | about 95 km loop | 2 days | Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct |
| 8 | Douro Valley Wine Route | Portugal | 320 km | 4 days | Sep to Oct |
| 9 | Chianti Road | Italy | about 110 km | 2 days | Apr to Nov |
| 10 | Ring of Kerry | Ireland | 179 km | 1 day | Late spring to early autumn |
1. Amalfi Coast, Italy
Nothing says honeymoon quite like the Amalfi Coast. In just 50 km the SS163 delivers more romance per kilometre than any road on Earth: hairpin bends carved into the cliff, lemon groves scenting the air, and pastel towns like Positano and Ravello tumbling toward the water. Give it 3 days so you can park the car and travel by ferry between Sorrento, Amalfi, and Ravello. Come in May or from September to October, when the light is golden and the summer crush has eased. It is a moderate drive with real traffic, so let one of you relax while the other concentrates, then swap.
2. Garden Route, South Africa
If you want a whole honeymoon condensed into one drive, the Garden Route is it. Over about 850 km and a full 7 days you string together Cape Town, the cliff hugging Chapman's Peak, whale watching at Hermanus, the lagoon town of Knysna, and the forests around Storms River. It is an easy drive on good roads, which leaves your energy for the honeymoon extras: a boat trip, a beach day, a first sundowner as a married couple. October to April brings the warm, dry weather that suits both the coast and the wildlife.
3. Pacific Coast Highway, California
The Pacific Coast Highway is the classic American romance, 1,055 km of surf, redwoods, and honey coloured light from the Golden Gate Bridge down to Santa Monica. The Big Sur stretch, with Bixby Creek Bridge and McWay Falls, is the showstopper, but the whole route rewards a slow pace over 4 to 7 days. Book ahead for a night in Carmel or a cliff top inn near Big Sur, where lodging is limited and magical. It drives easily and works best in summer and fall, once the coastal fog begins to lift.
4. Cabot Trail, Canada
For a honeymoon in autumn, few drives beat Nova Scotia's Cabot Trail. This 298 km loop through the Cape Breton Highlands is at its most romantic from June to October, and in early October the hardwood hills turn crimson and gold. Over 3 to 4 days you can watch for whales off Pleasant Bay, walk the Skyline headland at sunset, and settle into cosy inns in Baddeck and Ingonish. It is a moderate drive with sweeping ocean views, quiet enough that you will often have a lookout to yourselves.
5. Great Ocean Road, Australia
Australia's Great Ocean Road packs a lot of wonder into 660 km and just 3 days: surf beaches at Torquay and Lorne, the fern gullies of the Otways, and the sea stacks of the Twelve Apostles glowing at sunset. It is an easy, well paved drive built for a honeymoon pace, with koalas in the trees and a koala or two by the road. Aim for the Australian summer, November to April, and time your Twelve Apostles stop for late afternoon when the crowds thin and the rock turns amber.
6. Southern Alps Highway, New Zealand
New Zealand's South Island is a honeymoon in itself, and the Southern Alps Highway links its greatest hits over about 735 km and 4 days. Start in Queenstown, the country's romance capital, then cross Haast Pass to the glaciers at Fox, follow the wild West Coast, and climb Arthur's Pass to Christchurch. It is a moderate drive through constantly changing scenery, from turquoise lakes to rainforest to snow capped peaks. The New Zealand summer, November to March, gives you the long days and open passes you want.
7. Three Corniches, French Riviera
Short, glamorous, and effortlessly romantic, the Three Corniches loop between Nice and Menton is honeymoon shorthand for the good life. In about 95 km over 2 days you climb from the seafront to the medieval eyrie of Èze, look down on Monaco from the high corniche, and dine in Menton with Italy in view. It is an easy drive, so pick a warm convertible day in spring or early autumn, April to June or September to October, when the Riviera is at its most golden and least crowded.
8. Douro Valley Wine Route, Portugal
For couples who honeymoon with a glass in hand, Portugal's Douro Valley is pure seduction. Over 320 km and 4 days you follow the river inland from Porto through terraced vineyards to Pinhão, sleeping in wine estates called quintas and tasting port where it is made. It is an easy, quiet drive, and September to October, during and just after the grape harvest, is the most atmospheric time of all. Take the river cruise or the historic train for a leg so you can both simply watch the valley slide by.
9. Chianti Road, Italy
Tuscany at honeymoon pace looks like the Chianti Road: about 110 km of cypress lined lanes rolling between Florence and Siena, past stone villages like Greve and Radda. Give it 2 days, base yourselves in an agriturismo among the vines, and let long lunches and cellar visits set the rhythm. It is an easy drive open from April to November, loveliest in early autumn when the harvest is on. This is the trip for couples who would rather linger over a bottle of Chianti Classico than rack up miles.
10. Ring of Kerry, Ireland
Ireland's Ring of Kerry proves a honeymoon drive does not need to be long to be memorable. In a single 179 km day, or two if you slow down, you loop past the lakes of Killarney, the pass at Ladies View, and the wild beach at Derrynane. It is an easy, green, misty drive best from late spring to early autumn, and the real romance is in the stops: a fire lit pub in Sneem, a horse trap through the national park, a coastline that turns silver when the sun breaks through.
If you only do one
Make it the Amalfi Coast. No other road delivers so much beauty and romance in so few kilometres, and three unhurried days there feel like a honeymoon distilled. If you have a full week and want beaches, wildlife, and forest in one trip, choose the Garden Route instead. Either way, sketch your route on our interactive map before you book.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most romantic road trip for a honeymoon?
The Amalfi Coast in Italy is the most romantic honeymoon road trip. Its 50 km of cliffside villages, sea views, and lemon scented towns pack more romance into three days than almost any drive on Earth, and you can travel much of it by ferry.
When is the best time of year for a honeymoon road trip?
It depends on the hemisphere. For Europe and North America, late spring and early autumn give warm weather and thinner crowds. For Australia and New Zealand, aim for their summer, roughly November to March. Shoulder season almost always means better light and lower prices.
How long should a honeymoon road trip be?
Anywhere from 2 to 7 days works well. Short, scenic drives like the Ring of Kerry or the French Riviera suit a few romantic days, while the Garden Route or Pacific Coast Highway fill a full honeymoon week without feeling rushed.
Which honeymoon road trip is easiest to drive?
The Garden Route, Great Ocean Road, French Riviera, Douro Valley, Chianti Road, and Ring of Kerry are all rated easy on good, paved roads. The Amalfi Coast and Cabot Trail are moderate, mostly because of narrow, winding sections, so take them slowly and share the driving.
Do we need a convertible or a special car for a honeymoon drive?
No. A comfortable, compact car handles every route here, and every one is electric vehicle friendly if you prefer to drive an EV. A convertible is a fun splurge on open coastal roads like the Riviera or the Great Ocean Road, but it is never a requirement.
Ready to plan the drive? Start with our guide to the Amalfi Coast and open the interactive map to shape your honeymoon route.
