My fiance and I are trying to book a honeymoon, but are unsure of where we want to go. We want a honeymoon that has elements of adventure, romance, spas, golf, sight-seeing, and great food. We will be traveling from the DC area and would not like to spend too much of our 8 day honeymoon traveling on a plane. Any suggestions?

A few questions for you-

What time of year?

What do you mean by "elements of adventure"?

Do you have a budget?

Why Europe- France, Greece, Italy and Spain? Is there something specific that attracts you to these countries?

Do the 8 days include travel time from/to DC?

I suggest Barbados.

Anywhere on your list would be great (If you have narrowed it to France, Greece, Italy, and Spain). However, with only 8 days, I would rule out Greece.
Of course Italy and France are quite romantic to me, but Spain also has amazing cuisine. Golf is the only thing I don't know about for your trip, but I would base it on the best flights available to maximize your time.
Very important, what month?

We will be traveling in mid-june. We have frequent flyer miles which would take care of our travel costs and would be working with a 5-6k budget.

For anyplace in Europe you are going to spend 2 of your very limied days on a plane and probably another one jet-lagged.

Don't know what you mean by "adventure" - mountain climbing? ballooning? going to a foreign country without a guide? ???

In June the (IMHO) most fascinating part of Spain - Andalusia - is unbearably hot (as in 100) so I would probbly head for France. Food is good if you look (although I think Belgian fodd is by far better). Don't play golf - but assume you would find places if you split yor honeymoon between Paris and the Riviera.

hot air ballooning, horseback riding, hiking, ziplining all sound amazing. That is our type of "adventure" seeking.

IF that's your type, why not google "adventure vacations" southern france or "ziplining Southern France" or "ballooning France" ... or jeep Safari or horseback or whatever ... and THEN when you've found something -- anything -- tangible, you can ask for opinions about it here. Right now it feels as if you want us to do the basic research.

We went hot air ballooning over Tuscany; which included a champagne breakfast. We loved it. Italy has romance and great food, don't know about golf.

I recommend Venice! It was so utterly romantic. It would be a fantastic honeymoon.

Sevilla would be as romantic as you can get it. You could stay at Apartamentos Murillo in the old town, close to the third largest cathedral in the world and The Royal Alcazar palace dating back to tenth century Moslem Al-Andalus.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/apar...urillo.en.html

Relax in the close by Arab bath-house Aires de Sevilla: http://www.airedesevilla.com/

Enjoy one of the finest tapas scenes in Spain:
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/eslava/
Further great food recommendations: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/

Four golf courses south of the city:
http://www.vivaandalucia.com/golf_co...es_sevilla.php

Some of Spain's finest beaches, with sailing, whale watching, scuba diving, windsurfing and jet skiing in Cádiz, some 90 mins away: http://www.whatcadiz.com/cadiz-beach.html

About Sevilla: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/sevilla.htm

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Or I can warmly recommend San Sebastián. The best food in Spain if not in all of Europe. Fabulous city beaches, surfing, hiking and landscapes. My favourite city, and it meet all the romance criterias by miles. The article "A different kind of Spain" gives you an idea of the city and the region: http://marshlands.blogstream.com/

"There is dining that features more Michelin starred restaurants per mile than Paris, New York, or Vienna. There is a culture that brought Woody Allen to the city’s Film Festival last year, brings Herbie Hancock and Bob Dylan to this summer’s Jazz Fest, and embraces Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum just down the coast in Bilbao. There is the zest for life that drew Ernest Hemingway to nearby Pamplona and was immortalized in The Sun Also Rises.

San Sebastian’s setting on the coast is a panorama reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro - a horseshoe bay of blue water whose entrance is guarded by Mount Igueldo, a wide sandy beach circling the bay, green mountains extending all the way to the water, and a statue of Christ on Mount Urgull overlooking it all. At the back of the bay lies the city, clad largely in white, perched on the beach and the slopes heading up into the mountains".

San Sebastian!

I loved my 3-hour horseback ride in Ronda, Spain at sunrise.

Andalucia offers a lot of opportunities for the adventure seeker.

http://www.andalucia.com/sports/home.htm

It's not on your list but you could check out Marrakech. We are going soon and I have been doing a lot of research. We are going hot air ballooning over Berber villages, breakfast in a Berber camp and camel ride, all on the same excursion.
There is ATV riding, horseback riding, golf, spas, hiking and mountain trips.
It wouldn't be my first choice for a honeymoon. With your list of activities I think more of Kauai (that's a long flight for you), Costa Rica, Belize, or the Caribbean.

You can golf and go to the spa at home, consider Paris!

If I were choosing between the countries you listed it would be Italy. I would suggest flying to Milano or Rome, renting a car and staying in the hill towns of Tuscany. You'll find, in my opinion, the best food on planet earth and the scenery is stunning. The food in northern Italy (especially around the lakes) has a German influence so you have to be careful. If you do go to Italy and decide to go to Venice, make sure you stay in Venice. By day it's a tourist jungle but by night it transforms into a magical romantic destination. Good luck and congratulations!

Your subject line gave me pause for reflection. Then I realized that this is, after all, a travel forum.....

Ireland - great golf but at lower cost than Scotland. Good climate in June. Easy to get to from DC. You could hike the Ring of Kerry, experience a different culture, stay in some castles, and have an incredible honeymoon for 5-6K.