Top 5 Couples Holiday Destinations

Kids are great, but sometimes if you are a couple without children, the thought of spending your precious free time listening to the sound of children splashing and fighting in the hotel pool can just be too much.

A recent poll also found that noisy children on airplanes was the top most annoying factor in holiday travel grumbles. Ouch.

Not even taking early morning or overnight flights can now guarantee you a child-free environment, as parents are becoming more adventurous and more mindful of economy when travelling en famille – meaning little ones sitting bleary eyed on an aircraft with the rest of us, as dawn breaks over the English Channel.

If you are seeking peace and quiet away from family life with the one you love, here are some of the top destinations to help you reconnect with each other.

Caribbean – Barbados

Barbados is the island to head for if you are looking for drop dead glamor,  the south west of the island has some of the best beaches in the world and the island attracts some of the wealthiest holidaymakers in the world. Package holidays to Barbados can make it accessible to couples on more modest incomes – think coral reefs, white sand and crystal clear turquoise seas, plus fresh seafood restaurants, spas and world class hotels to pamper each other in. If you still living in sin, get married on the beach while you are there.

Italian Lakes – Como, Garda, Maggiore

The Italian Lakes are some of the most romantic holiday destinations to visit – but avoid the last week of July or first weeks of August and Easter or Christmas, when Italians and their families head there. Como is the most striking and dramatic – and Bellagio is the perfect picture postcard town. On Lake Garda, Limone is a small but stylish and bustling town. Walk by the lakeside at night, eat Italiano and spend your days sunning yourself and crossing the lake by ferry, taking in the wonderful scenery. From Garda resorts you can get to Venice in a day – and from Como to Milan or St Moritz. Be aware that George Clooney lives in Bellagio – that is, if you want to see your other half on the flight home again.

Italy – Sardinia

Sardinia is another Italian destination just made for couples, with stunning scenery, a yachting vibe and fantastic food. You can still find deserted beaches in Sardinia – avoid the Italian holidays at the end of July/beginning of August, however.  Sardinia is pricey but if you are looking for that combination of unspoilt and Italian dolce vita, Sardinia has it in bucketfuls. Think romantic walks along quaint harbour quaysides, fantastic fresh seafood and balmy breezes to ruffle your hair and sense of romance.

France – St Malo

Just because you are economising doesn’t mean you have to forsake a holiday together – load up the car, head off to Portsmouth and take a driving holiday to St Malo in Brittany, France. St Malo is an historic port and is great for driving, walking and cycling holidays – or just chilling and relaxing without the usual commercial holiday atmosphere some resorts have.St Malo is a walled city with a citadel and is known as the city of the Corsairs – and there are plenty of other seaside towns to visit in the area if you are looking for peace and quiet, sea air and good food with your loved one. Brittany Ferries will take a car and two people to St Malo from Portsmouth from £124 one way.

Portugal – Madeira & Porto Santo

Madeira is a wonderful mix of the old and the new – and the island of Porto Santo is also a sanctuary of idyllic peace, with almost nothing on it except sandy beaches and a spa hotel easily reached by ferry from Madeira’s capital, Funchal. Madeira will suit couples who like walking, watersports or simply chilling by the pool. There are some modern hotels, but the old Savoy Palace and Reid’s are within walking distance of the centre of Funchal and have an olde worlde charm, still. Madeira also has a music conservatory and a chocolate box theatre where recitals are held during the annual music festival in the summer. Gentle strolls and fine food, water sports and relaxation are the order of the day on Madeira.