Tips for a sustainable honeymoon

This is an update of our article from 21.06.2022

Awareness of sustainable living continues to grow. And that has implications for weddings, honeymoons and honey getaways. Here are practical tips on how to minimize your carbon footprint on your romantic getaway. You will also learn about romantic and sustainable accommodations that will make your honeymoon unforgettable.

Fun fact: While people have been getting married for centuries and you can find different wedding traditions and customs around the world, the honeymoon is not so old. The post-wedding trip originated in England in the 19th century. Wealthy middle-class couples traveled after their wedding to visit various relatives. This is no longer the case. On the contrary, most newlyweds want to spend some time alone (away from their relatives) after the hustle and bustle of the wedding. How you do this is entirely up to you – there are no dos and don’ts! 🙂 .

How to plan a sustainable honeymoon

sustainable honeymoon in the mountains germany - couple — ©DR | Hotel Das Rübezahl

Depending on how you travel and how far you go, getting to your honeymoon can consume your entire annual carbon budget.

According to Atmosfair, everyone has a personal “climate budget” of 1,500 kilograms of CO2 per year – if the Paris climate goal of 1.5 degrees of global warming is to be achieved. A long-haul flight is already passing the budget.

However, some destinations are so far away that we can’t get there by train, and vacation time is limited. But there are still a few ways to make sure you travel sustainably on your honeymoon.

Select more sustainable means of travel: Be intentional about choosing your mode of transportation, take your time and make the journey to your destination. Maybe you can even make a few stops along the way and experience more.
If air travel is the only option, you can offset the CO2 emissions either directly with the airline or a provider like Atmosfair.
Support local businesses: sustainability is not only aimed at the environment, but also social togetherness. To avoid services in vacation regions from being taken over by corporate and external chains, you should ensure that you buy and consume from local businesses. By supporting the locals, you keep the money in the region and the culture alive.
Respect for each other: even if your vacation is all about enjoying and relaxing, always be aware of your environment. For example, in some areas’ water is very scarce, which affects the local population. Therefore, be careful with the resources.
Book sustainable accommodations: Pick accommodations that are sustainably oriented. For example, they use sustainable products, conserve resources and create fair working conditions. Below you will find some recommendations.

The best places for an unforgettable (and eco-friendly) honeymoon

Our Green Pearls® partners have great offers for your honeymoon: For example, you can enjoy a romantic break in one of the chalets at ADLER Lodge RITTEN in South Tyrol. In the evening you can sit by the fireplace or use the private sauna. The chalets are located around a natural swimming lake on the edge of the forest and are built of local wood. The special service includes all-inclusive catering with ingredients grown directly on the lodge’s property according to the farm-to-table principle.

Adler Logde Ritten chalets in the dark - eco-friendly travel - honeymoon location — © ADLER Lodge RITTEN

Honeymoon offers at ADLER Lodge RITTEN

The sustainable hotel has created two special honeymoon packages for honeymooners staying in a Chalet or Junior Suite:

Honeymoon Deluxe

1 bottle of AETOS Brut Rosé (from the Sanoner family winery) and fresh fruit in your room upon arrival
Romantically decorated room
1 “Almglück for two” treatment for couples (90 minutes)
2 x 50-minute ADLER Harmony Spa treatments
Lodge All-Inclusive Package: includes meals (breakfast, lunch and gourmet dinner) and exquisite beverages (juices, aperitifs, wines and cocktails)

per room € 355.00 (offer valid in 2024 in addition to the room rate)

Honeymoon

1 bottle of AETOS Brut Rosé – Sanoner Winery and fresh fruit in your room upon arrival
Romantic bedroom decoration
1 “Feel Good Massage for Couples” (50 minutes)
Lodge all-inclusive arrangement: all drinks and meals included during your stay

260.00 per room (offer valid for 2024 in addition to the accommodation rate)

Wedding Holidays in the Tyrolean Mountains

Another hideaway with a private sauna and fireplace can be found in Tyrol at Summit Lodges Pfunds. The lodges are built in the American log cabin style and are luxuriously furnished. There is a private kitchen and a large balcony with views of the mountains. The area is ideal for hiking and exploring nature. If you are looking for undisturbed togetherness (perhaps with your dog), you are in good hands in the Tyrolean mountains around Pfunds.

Romantic Dinner, The Dreamers Club, sustainable honeymoon at Dreamers Club — © The Dreamers Club

Honeymoon in the ‘Love’-Apartment on the croatian island

The Aparthotel The Dreamers Club is located on the island of Korçula in Lumbarda, Croatia. On the second floor you will find the apartment “Love”. From there, you have a fantastic view of the sea. This accommodation is often chosen by wedding couples.

The team creates a particularly evocative atmosphere. “ We serve breakfast in their room or on their private terrace and make sure that everything is very romantic. They almost leave our eco-apartment hotel more in love than when they arrived.” You will definitely have fond memories of your honeymoon here.

Romantic Honeymoon in Italy

For a particularly romantic and intimate honeymoon in Liguria, visit the picturesque village of Borgomaro. The Relais del Maro is an Albergo Diffuso and is spread over several former residential and commercial buildings in the village. This type of hotel has helped save small villages in Italy from decay, and the initiative has paid off in Borgomaro. You can experience authentic Italian village life surrounded by olive groves, lemon trees and waterfalls. The Mediterranean coast is also not far away.

If you let the hotel know in advance, the team will prepare a cinematic love nest for you. Candles, bouquets, a romantic dinner, flower petals – the works. The team will even give you a bottle of wine for the special occasion – and at the Relais del Maro they are always carefully selected.

Honeymoon in the royal Allgäu panorama

sustainable travel in south germany neuschwanstein castle view - Hotel Das Rübezahl — From the hotel you view the mountains and Neuschwanstein Castle – it hardly get’s more romantic! ©Hotel Das Rübezahl

A real honeymoon pro is the Hotel Das Rübezahl with the nickname “Romantic Hideaway & Spa”. Located in Füssen, the hotel overlooks the fairytale castles of Neu Schwanstein and Hohenschwangau. The sustainable hotel has many surprises in store for your honeymoon – for example, you can have your room romantically decorated with a heart of rose petals on the bed while you dine in the restaurant. Make love locks with your names on them, take a carriage ride, or hike through the Allgäu mountains while the hotel’s good fairies prepare a private picnic for you. Or pamper yourselves at the spa and simply enjoy your time together.

Sustainable Honeymoon in Paris

What would a honeymoon guide be without the city of love? Walks along the Seine, selfies in front of the Eiffel Tower, and a portrait of you painted by the street artists on the Place du Tertre as a souvenir. If this is your idea of a honeymoon, there are many ways to make your trip eco-friendly. For starters, you can get to Paris by train from almost anywhere, and it’s also the best and easiest way to get around the city without a car. In addition, the Green Spirit Hotels offer eco-friendly accommodations. The three hotels are located in the 7th arrondissement, within walking distance of all the sights, and are individually decorated. And they are affordable for honeymooners on a budget!

Honeymoon in Thailand

Our Forest: Keemala Tree Towers at Sunrise — ©Keemala

If Thailand is a long distance trip for you, it is obviously less sustainable than a vacation in the region. However, we still believe in traveling to distant destinations for international exchange and to spread the wealth. (Read more about this in our article: Are we still allowed to fly?)

Keemala in Phuket, Thailand is not only a wonderful place for your honeymoon, you can even get married or celebrate your anniversary here. The various cottages and villas of this green wonderland in the middle of the tropical jungle offer you plenty of privacy and the perfect opportunity to enjoy your togetherness in a special ambience.

Make yourself comfortable or explore the surroundings

With a sumptuous menu in the villas, a private pool and spa facilities, there’s really no reason to leave the house. And if you like, you can take a walk in the enchanting forest or visit one of the nearby beaches. Keemala’s honeymoon package includes romantic nightly room service, as well as a bottle of sparkling wine and a couple’s spa treatment.

So many great options! We’re curious: what are you planning? Or, where did you spend your honeymoon and what tips do you have?

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1 thought on “Tips for a sustainable honeymoon”

Claudia says:

16. April 2026 at 15:41

Hi Jenifer,
Ein wirklich schöner und hilfreicher Beitrag, gerade die Kombination aus Romantik und Nachhaltigkeit macht das Thema Flitterwochen heute besonders spannend. Besonders gut gefällt mir, dass hier nicht nur Fernreisen, sondern auch stilvolle und bewusst gewählte Ziele in Europa gezeigt werden.
Liebe Grüße Claudia

Tips for a sustainable honeymoon

How to plan a sustainable honeymoon