A Lifetime Together

Six creative ideas for celebrating your wedding anniversary with your sweetheart while abroad.

by Stephanie Matas

Anniversaries are the perfect time to show our loved one just how much we care. Here are six surefire ways to celebrate a life well-shared while traveling.

Up, up and away

Take your partner on a hot air balloon ride. This exhilarating but intimate experience allows couples to reach new heights and marvel at breathtaking sights few get to see. At Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, take in the endless plains teeming with wildlife from above, or visit Cappadocia, Turkey, for a magical ride over chimney rock formations.

Sip through wine country

There may be nothing more romantic than wandering through vast rolling hills of grapevines while indulging in local vintages, guided by a well-versed sommelier. Sicily is known for its vineyards, worldclass wines and restaurants, but for a more unique experience, head to the charming streets of Chile. Surrounded by wine valleys, Santiago offers a variety of local tours and tastings that are sure to please your palate.

Sail away

Toast your anniversary, then sing, dance and indulge in delicious local delicacies aboard a colorful Mexican gondola at Xoximilco in Cancun. Retreat to your own tropical oasis at Montage Los Cabos, which captures the essence of love with sunsets of pink and lavender. The hotel has a lookout perched above Santa Maria Bay called El Cielo (the sky) where lovers can enjoy an intimate five-course dinner.

Better together

Relax and unwind with a couples massage, stimulating and reinvigorating your minds and bodies in a beautiful and serene environment. A good massage releases oxytocin, dopamine, endorphins and serotonin into the bloodstream, which can help increase feelings of love and intimacy. Plus, it just feels amazing in the moment. At the Ritz-Carlton in in Kapalua, Hawaii, chill out in a bamboo hut with the ocean breeze at your back as trained therapists massage and pamper you. Or check in to The Lanesborough Club & Spa in London for a luxurious Himalayan salt stone massage for two. Bliss!

Private getaway

Take off to an exclusive villa for a true taste of paradise, where you can embrace the surroundings with your partner in complete solitude. The bountiful whitewashed villas overlooking the Aegean Sea and its coastline in Mykonos, Greece, are ideal for an anniversary getaway. Animal enthusiasts could consider booking a stay at andBeyond Phinda Homestead in South Africa. Watch buffalo and elephants graze the plains.

A lasting promise

Renewing your vows on your anniversary is the height of romance. Princess Cruises offers a renewal of vows package that includes a special ceremony, flowers and a portrait with your ideal backdrop, whether it’s the Panama Canal or the beaches of Tahiti. Your travel advisor can help find the right itinerary to make your trip perfect, and may even provide a few additional perks, too.