Weddings

Planning a Winter Honeymoon? Here are Once-in-a-Lifetime Destinations.

These magical places spring to life when temperatures fall.

Photograph by Havila Voyages.

The Swiss Alps

Photograph courtesy of Jungfrau Railways.

Head to “the top of Europe,” as Jungfraujoch is dubbed—the snowy mountain pass, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, has an elevation of more than 11,000 feet. Trains with Old World glam, plus a romantic gondola, deliver you to the top, where you’re rewarded with views of France, glaciers, an ice tunnel, a groovy Lindt chocolate shop, and a restaurant that serves good French wine and German beer. A cluster of chic accommodations nestle down below in a quaint Swiss village where cars are prohibited. Consider the Hotel Eiger Mürren, where a warm-water pool and sauna surrounded by snowy crests beckon.

 

Iceland

Photograph courtesy of ION Adventure Hotel.

Nonstop flights to the land of fire and ice, Tolkien’s fantasy world, and the Blue Lagoon make embracing all the Nordic vibes almost carefree. Bundle up to discover ice bars, ice restaurants, a magnificent lava tunnel that weaves beneath glaciers to expose layers of geological wonders, and thousands of waterfalls, many of which are frozen into cascades of icicles in the winter. Stay far from the crowds at the sexy, Scandi-modern ION Adventure Hotel, near Thingvellir National Park on the Golden Circle drive, about an hour from Reykjavík.

 

Mount Fuji

Photograph by I Love Photo and Apple/Getty Images.

The best time to experience Mount Fuji is when the tallest peak in Japan dons its famous snowcap. Located about two hours from Tokyo, the mountain’s northern base is home to the beautiful Fuji Five Lakes region. At its heart is the charming town of Hakone, where a historic Shinto shrine sits at the shoreline. Hakone goes all out in winter with a massive illumination installation, including light tunnels and dancing fountains. Relax in a unique hotel, such as Hotel Kaneyamaen & Bessho SASA, where the two of you can book an in-room onsen (hot-springs bath), try out a traditional tea ceremony, and gaze at the snowy mountain skyline from bed.

 

Norway

Photograph by Havila Voyages.

View the Northern Lights as few others have by exploring unspoiled territory along Norway’s coast. The partnership of Up Norway and Havila Voyages, two sustainable luxury-travel companies, offers a hop-on/hop-off experience: On the water, you’ll dine on locally sourced food aboard a ship powered by the world’s largest battery packs­—when the vessel traverses vulnerable locales, there’s negligible impact on the environment. On land, you can stay in a rorbu, a traditional wood-paneled fisherman’s cottage, plus top off your honeymoon with dogsledding, ice fishing, and snowmobiling.

This article appears in the January 2024 issue of Washingtonian.

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