Curtly & Bronson's Epic City, Sun & Ski Honeymoon in Europe & The Maldives

Where did you go on your honeymoon, how long were you away for and when did you go?
We were away for 6 weeks leaving early February. We had 5 weeks in Europe and the UK and 1 week in the Maldives.

How did you decide on the locations?
Bronson and I have travelled to 7 different countries in the 8 years we have been together. We knew we wanted to go somewhere we both hadn’t been before. The Maldives was always the dream honeymoon location so we made sure we found a way to tick this off also. Bronson loves winter and the snow, as do I, but at heart I am a beach and heat lover so I wanted to make sure we did the Maldives also.

We knew Europe & the UK would be a very full itinerary and we would have no time to rest, so that’s why we spent the last week soaking up the sun. We had spent 2 years planning each destination so it was such a surreal experience being able to live the plans and everything that was once just on paper. We learnt about history, had romantic dinners and tried new food. Seeing all of the amazing places and landmarks together was definitely special and something we look forward to sharing with our kids.

Here are our reviews of the hotels and activities we did along the way!

London, UK:

We stayed at The Grand Plaza serviced apartments. I wouldn’t recommend this hotel for the price. The “Hop On Hop Off” bus is really good if you have time to sit on the whole day, listen and enjoy rather than getting on and off continuously. My favourite experience was seeing the crown jewels at the tower of London. We also had lunch at a place called Duck and Waffle which has an incredible view.

Paris, France:

We stayed at Hotel Eiffel Trocadero. It was a very small room but it was nice and perfect location with an amazing view. We loved riding around Paris on electric scooters together and our special Valentines dinner at Chez Francis with an Eiffel Tower view.
We visited Notre Dame cathedral – I wouldn’t recommend the guided tour in winter, there was no special entry for ticket holders.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands:

We stayed at Ibis Centre, which was the perfect location and the room was neat and tidy. They have heaps of snacks and a bar and restaurant downstairs!
We visited Anne Frank’s house, which was a great experience and did a cruise down the canal.

Berlin, Germany:

We stayed at The Leonardo Royal Hotel and LOVED our room here. The walking tour in Berlin is amazing! A highlight was the pork knuckle and the German singing at Hofbräuhaus beer hall, the atmosphere was amazing.

Prague, Czech Republic:

We booked a great all-day Prague tour which included lunch a boat cruise. We saw so many attractions in the short period of time we had. We also met a lovely old Irish couple who were over 70, we spent the tour also learning about their history and travels.

Vienna, Austria

We went on a walking tour in Vienna and the tour guide suggested we try a Kransky hot dog stand, which was the best we’ve ever had and totally worth the 30-minute wait (wurstelstand am hone markt).

Venice, Italy:

We stayed at Ca Dei Conti (super enormous room, very cute and felt very traditional). We booked the 3 island tour whilst we were in Venice and this was nice to see something different. We organised a private transfer and it was a beautiful wooden boat with cream leather interior on a lovely sunny warm day. Travelling through the canals and waters to our hotel was very special.

Rome, Italy:

We stayed at the Mecure Rome Colosseum Centre. The room was very small but it was neat and tidy with a colosseum view. We also went to The Vatican and did The David tour which dragged on a bit for us. My favourite memory of Rome was after a long day of sightseeing, we found a small bar right next to The Colosseum. We sat down and enjoyed beer and wine at a table which was by the window, the sun was shining on us and a local Italian busker sang at the front of the store. it was very romantic and relaxing.

Our favourite pasta was in Rome at Osteria da Fortunata, you need to book well in advance, luckily a friend recommended this. Bronson was obsessed with the dessert Cannoli in Italy and the gelato was amazing. I have to admit we had dessert every single night!

Dublin, Ireland:

Bronson and I would go back in a heartbeat – we fell in love and wish we had more time in here. Bronson and I love food and this is one reason we get excited to go away. Bronson and I both enjoyed the food in Ireland the most, it reminded us of home and the good home-cooked meals that Nanna might make.

Our favourite dish was the Irish stew at Quays restaurant. Galway & Cliffs of Moher day trip, driving the windy roads through the green countryside was stunning (whilst listening to Ed Sheeran). We also had the best and funniest bus driver out there. He entertained us throughout the whole day!

We would recommend Cassidy’s Hotel (lots of space, good location, old hotel but it was nice and homely). Visiting the Giants Causeway, we had a very good tour of the  Cliffs of Moher and our favourite of all, we had the best guide and such a good time! Also, head to the Guinness storehouse, it’s totally worth it!

Edinburgh, Scotland:

The free walking tour was really good! It took us to all the main attractions on The Royal Mile. Bronson and I bought a small plot of land in Glencoe before we left Australia so we could have the title lady and lord just for fun! So we organised a private day trip to the nature reserve and highlands with discreet Scotland private tours. We got to stand on our plots of land and my favourite part was seeing the highland cows! They are so cute.

Chamonix, France:

Snowboarding in the Alps was amazing – the scenery and mountains are so beautiful, however you have to travel 20 mins by bus to get to the slopes.

The Maldives:

We stayed at Oblu Select Sangeli which is SUPER AMAZING. We had prepared for disappointment because we thought “oh it’s just photoshopped” in pictures, but when arriving, we were mind blown. The honeymoon suite was huge, we had our own pool and sunset view! We had our own personal butler, along with pushbikes, spa vouchers, all-inclusive food and also all-inclusive alcoholic drinks!!!

The food was delicious, the variety was huge. After spending 5 weeks in the cold we were really ready to defrost and relax after such a busy schedule. We also got to see so much marine life, fish and baby sharks swimming around our villa at night.