Mountain towns/scenery... basic areas?
 

My son and fiance are at beginning stages of honeymoon planning for 2023. This would be their first time to Europe, and their loves are mountain towns, views, hikes (but not climbs), and good food. I don't think history or museums are high priority.
My first instinct would be to direct them to Austria or French Alps. Only avoiding Switzerland because I hear it is very expensive.

Any favourite areas? I realize this is a very broad question.

Dolomites. Dolomites. Dolomites.

I've spent long stays in Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Garmisch. The first is my favorite city, but it doesn't have quick access the mountain hikes immediately outside of your hotel like the other 2 do. But a lot is very close by.
At Innsbruck and Garmisch you can literally be on a cable car up the mountain walking from your room, or a short tram ride away.

I haven't been to the dolomites as an adult... according Jean it has all 3 things they're looking for. location, location, location.

What month? Can make a big difference

My two first choices would probably be the Dolomites or Scotland

The Dolomites would be a good choice. Bolzano is a good city - only a few hours from Venice or Milan and surrounded by hikes. I don't think Austria, especially Salzburg, and the French alps are much cheaper than Switzerland. I would check costs since the Bernese Oberland is my favorite.

Switzerland can be expensive but, if there are inexpensive lodgings and restaurants. A lunchtime picnic rather than eating out every meal can be.a tasty way to save money. I love the Lauterbrunnen Valley. I haven't been to the Dolomites but that area is on my "must do" list.

If the Dolomites, they should stay at least part of the time in a smaller town up in the mountains. Bolzano is nice but fairly big, and it's in a valley.

Time of year makes a difference everywhere in the mountains.

I like that janisj mentioned Scotland... Definitely worth considering.

Slovenia is worth thinking about as well.

Do they need big mountains or small ones. Good interesting foods ?

ScotlandPyrénées Spain or FranceAlsace/VosgesFrench AlpsItalian Alps/ DolomitesSlovenian Alps

Ortisei in the Dolomites or Slovenia.

Switzerland, Switzerland, Switzerland

There certainly are mountains in Scotland, but "mountain towns?" Not so much.

The first thought I had (well, tied with the damned Dolomites) was Annecy in French Haute-Savoie. It's not IN the mountains, but you certainly can see them from the town and lake, but the town itself is beautiful, ideal for a honeymoon. Proper "mountain towns" like Chamonix, are within range for day trips or short overnight ones.

I'd also suggest you/they watch the most recent episode of Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy on CNN. In it (Season 2, Episode 2) he visits the Piedmont region close to the French and Swiss borders. Drop dead gorgeous and the food... well, it's Italy. Or is it France?

Berchtesgaden and Mittenwald, Germany. Very near Garmisch, which was suggested above. Bavaria has plentiful mountains and is relatively inexpensive compared to Switzerland (which would still be my first choice, but I'm biased).

Thanks for the suggestions. My first thought would be to fly from Canada into Geneva, spend time in Geneva and Annecy with day trips to Chamonix, then perhaps Grenoble. A week or 10 days could easily be spent here, especially for honeymooners that are in relax mode. Then perhaps train to Mediterranean town for a few days of beach before heading home from either Marseille, Nice or Genoa.

Suggestions for Dolomites would work with Venice as a start or end point. I will have a look... Looking also to tie into larger airports, since they would fly from Western Canada, and don't want too many layovers.

And Bavaria! It looks gorgeous as well! Munich to Salzburg with visits to small towns such as Mittenwald looks like somethin they would enjoy.

This would be for mid Sept 2023. Warmer but not hot, potential for cooler mountain weather. Like I said, they are at very preliminary thoughts about where to go. Thanks for the ideas.

I was disappointed with Grenoble. On the other hand, loved Annecy, and Nice (been back a couple of times). For the Dolomites I would suggest Castlerotto, I took a bus up from Bolzano. The Dolomites would mesh well with the Italian Lake District, plus, of course, Venice.

They would find more cable cars and lifts open in the Dolomites if their trip concluded by mid-September. There will still be many that are open into October and even a few into November. But for maximum options, early-to-mid-September would be better than mid-to-late-September.

Links to open/close dates for 2022 in Val Gardena and Alta Badia:

https://www.valgardena.it/en/summer-...lomites/lifts/

https://www.altabadia.org/en/summer-...r-opening.html