If you’re planning a honeymoon and the glamour of “set-jetting” appeals to you, here are some Oscar-worthy suggestions, from Jane Anderson, Editor of 101 Honeymoons.
England’s South-West Coast
Anticipation is building for the film release of The Salt Path, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, bringing Raynor Winn’s best-selling memoir to life. The film tells the true story of how Winn and her husband Moth are displaced from their home and decide to walk the 630-mile South West Coast Path. The film’s locations span Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset, mirroring Winn’s journey, with the additions of Monmouthshire, Gloucestershire and West Sussex. Key filming locations include Minehead in Somerset, the official starting point of the South West Coast Path, Ilfracombe, Clovelly and Hartland Quay in Devon, and Port Quinn and Padstow in Cornwall.
Image: The Salt Path Starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs at Whitsand Bay, Cornwall
Set-jetting: Take a look at Rural Retreats’ exceptional choice of romantic accommodation for two on the South West coast from lighthouse keeper’s cottages with extraordinary sea views to cosy thatched houses along Dorset’s Jurassic coast.
Scotland
Whether you fawn over the Scottish Highlands as portrayed in the time travelling series Outlander, or hanker after the wild Orkney islands, the backdrop of the hard-hitting film The Outrun staring Saoirse Ronan, Scotland has never looked so good on screen. And if you’re a fan of Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels, you’ll know they’ve been brought to life once again in a new BBC drama, with Outlander’s Richard Rankin in the titular role. You’ll be heading up to Edinburgh’s classic Old and New Town locations in no time.
Set-jetting: McKinlay Kidd has a Classic Scottish Honeymoon that combines the best of Edinburgh with the scenic beauty of the Highlands and Islands as you explore the enigmatic Isles of Lismore and Skye. Alternatively, opt for a two-week Complete Orkney and Shetland Experience for a memorable start to married life.
Budapest
The Brutalist has wowed the critics, not least for its beautiful cinematography and stunning locations. Much of the film was shot in Budapest, the atmospheric and historic Hungarian capital where the mighty River Danube divides the twin cities of Buda and Pest. It’s a hotspot for jet-setters with many other huge movies shot there, from Dune to The Avengers.
Set-jetting: Follow in the footsteps of The Brutalist cast and crew with a honeymoon in Budapest. Regent Holidays will guide you to the best attractions including the Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the Castle Hill Funicular and the neo-gothic Szechenyi Thermal Bath. Couples can chill out in the legendary Ruin Bars, created out of abandoned houses earmarked for demolition, and now some of the most atmospheric and quirky places to drink and party.
Malta
The island of Malta is a popular filming location because of its well-preserved ancient monuments. It was the setting for Gladiator 2, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Paul Mescal, and it has been a long-term location for the filming of Game of Thrones.
Set-jetting: Tropical Sky can organise a luxury honeymoon in Malta and neighbouring Gozo, staying in lovely hotels such as the Grand Hotel Excelsior and The Westin Dragonara Resort.
Italy
Some of the most romantic films of all time were set in Italy, not least Merchant Ivory’s A Room With A View starring a young Helena Bonham Carter. The film begins with her complaining about her room at the Pensione Bertolini in the heart of Florence, the city where much of the filming took place.
Set-jetting: A Room with a View focuses on Florence but also explores the old-fashioned notion of a grand tour, which Italy lends itself to with incredible cities such as Venice, Rome, along with the Amalfi Coast and Puglia. The specialist tour operator Citalia is an expert in all things Italy, whether you want to arrive in style on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, or spend lazy days pottering around Lake Como.
European tour
One of the most romantic film series of all time is Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy - Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight, set respectively in Vienna, Paris and Greece across two decades, starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. As the couple spend much of the films wandering the streets, engaged in lively conversation, the beautiful locations are the stars too.
Set-jetting: Kirker Holidays specialises in holidays to Europe’s iconic cultural cities with tailor-made itineraries and a concierge service. Whether your interests are wine, opera or just wandering the ancient streets, the experts at Kirker have you covered.
Corfu
Gerald Durrell was born in India in 1925 but soon turned his attention to Corfu after his family relocated there in 1935 to join his oldest brother, Lawrence, who had arrived a few months earlier. Gerald’s love for the nature and animals on the sunny Greek island is captured in his famous books, particularly My Family and Other Animals. The TV drama series The Durrells has also inspired many a holiday here.
Set-jetting: For an authentic five-star honeymoon experience in Corfu, book yourselves into one of the three properties owned by the Mar-Bella Collection. The current owner Vassilis Dracopoulos is the grandson of the founder who opened his first hotel on the island in the 1960s. The latest to open in July 2025 will be Avali, a boutique, adult-friendly beach retreat where honeymooners can enjoy luxury barefoot living.
Greek islands
Mamma Mia was set on the fictional island of Kalokairi but filmed on the islands of Skopelos and Skiathos, and is of course, all about the pleasure and sometimes pain, of love and marriage, with inspiring wedding scenes in Greek tavernas and beautiful coastal chapels.
Set-jetting: Vintage Travel offers a wide choice of romantic villas for two across the Greek Islands if you fancy the privacy and freedom of self-catering.
Thailand
Season Three of HBO’s The White Lotus has placed Thailand well and truly in the spotlight. Much of the filming was done at the ultra-luxe Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, though other scenes were filmed at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort, Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas. Hoteliers on the two islands are already seeing a surge in bookings by fans who want to sample the high life. Less well known is the fact that some scenes were filmed at the legendary Mandarin Oriental Bangkok and in one of the capital’s swankiest jazz venues, The Bamboo Bar.
Set-jetting: While White Lotus fans rush to join the crowds on Koh Samui and Phuket, more savvy travellers will look elsewhere for less visited, and even more beautiful islands. Experience Travel Group has a team of travel experts who will find the perfect honeymoon beach for you.
Caribbean sailing
If Pirates of the Caribbean is your favourite film franchise, you will probably be in love with the various locations including St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The first movie was filmed in Wallilabou Bay with other locations including Dominica, the Dominican Republic and parts of the Bahamas.
Set-jetting: The most romantic way to cruise the waters of the Caribbean is aboard a traditional tall sailing ship, which can access ports that are too small for large cruise liners. Star Clippers is the market leader and will take you to exquisite destinations such as Dominica, St George’s in Grenada and Gustavia on the chi-chi French island of St Barts.
New York and London
There are certain romantic comedies that will never go out of fashion where the location is as important as the romantic leads. When Harry Met Sally starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan showcases the romance of New York in a way that will make you want to book your Manhattan honeymoon right now. Whilst the Bridget Jones series, not least, number four, Mad About the Boy, along with all the classic Richard Curtis romantic comedies from Three Weddings and a Funeral to Notting Hill, have a similar effect for London.
Set-jetting: i-escape is a great place to find your perfect city bolthole. At The Greenwich Hotel in the Tribeca district of Manhattan couples receive complimentary mini bar and free car service within the Downtown area when booking via i-escape. In London, Batty Langley’s is an atmospheric pair of period townhouses reimagined as a boutique hotel in Spitalfields. Honeymooners staying in a deluxe or luxury suite receive a bottle of Crement on arrival, in true Bridget Jones style.
Kenya
Out of Africa is the quintessential romantic film set in the Maasai Mara region of Kenya. The breathtaking landscapes and the love story between Karen Blixen and Denys Finch-Hatton played by Meryl Streep and Robert Redford have helped to make it a dream honeymoon destination.
Set-jetting: Mahlatini’s Kenya Safari and Beach Honeymoon includes a stay at Angama Mara, a luxury lodge on the edge of the Great Rift Valley with sweeping views over the Maasai Mara. A private picnic for two is created at one of the locations featured in the film using the actual picnic hamper and props from the movie, allowing honeymooners to relive some the most romantic moments from the movie – maybe without the hair washing!
South Pacific
If you’ve been charmed by Disney’s Moana movies, you’ll know all about the natural beauty of the South Pacific islands and the wise ways of its island culture. It’s a long journey from the UK, but the rewards are immense, and the weather is perfect in our summer wedding season. Break the flight with a night or two on the sunny shores of LA’s Santa Monica beach.
Set-jetting: Turquoise Holidays are South Pacific experts with expertise in Fiji and Tahiti. Their recommended hotels include the stunning Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora.