An LA Couple's France & Greece Honeymoon Itinerary

Destination: Paris, France

As Caitlin and Chris had been invited to a destination wedding in France while planning their honeymoon, they paired a primarily Greece-filled itinerary with a brief stay in Paris, France, before attending the nuptials on the French Basque Coast.

Touching down in the “City of Love,” the newlyweds headed to Hôtel Regina Paris, a welcome five-star retreat following their travels from LAX. “I stayed here on a family trip, and we still talk about how special Hotel Regina was, so I was thrilled to show Chris how historic, well placed, and beautiful it is,” Caitlin says. Situated opposite the Louvre overlooking the Jardins des Tuileries, the property provides convenient access to sites including the Eiffel Tower, Grand Palais, Trocadéro, Les Invalides, Musée d’Orsay, and more.

Photos of Hôtel Regina Paris by David Grimbert

Since they were only in Paris for one night, their limited time was spent relishing in the beauty of the city, searching for world-class martinis – which they found overlooking Place Vendôme at the Ritz Paris’ Bar Hemingway, and reveling in a romantic dinner at Le Petit Lutetia.

Photos courtesy of Caitlin & Chris Evangelatos

Highlights of Paris

Dining at Le Petit Lutetia. “Their beef tartare was delicious, and I still think about their morel-mushroom rigatoni to this day!”

Sipping martinis at Ritz Paris. “We love a good martini and sought one out at Bar Hemingway. Also, it should be noted that no shorts are allowed after 5PM.”

Destination: Biarritz, France

“We conveniently started off our honeymoon attending a friend’s wedding whom I had studied abroad in Paris with,” shares Caitlin of their time in Biarritz, a new destination for both of them. Calling Hotel Plaza Biarritz Plage - Handwritten Collection home for three nights, the honeymooners were pleasantly surprised with the seaside locale, noting it’s only about a 30-minute drive to San Sebastián, Spain, so they’d certainly visit again when they can allot for more time to explore the area.

Photos courtesy of Hotel Plaza Biarritz Plage - Handwritten Collection

From the naturally growing hydrangeas, “super-picturesque” beaches, and local cafés, they had plenty to explore as a couple and with friends. Le Petit Train de Biarritz, a small electric tourist train providing a relaxing coastal ride through the must-see sites, was a welcome activity along a route that highlighted the charm and cultural heritage of the city.

As for beaches, they recommend the “small, cute cove” of Plage du Port-Vieux, as well as the larger La Grande Plage – a “fun beach for long beach walks, plenty of surfing, and easy access to food and drinks,” Chris notes. For nightlife, Bar Jean and Le Caveau provided lively experiences for their group.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Plaza Biarritz Plage - Handwritten Collection

Highlights of Biarritz

Visiting Plage du Port Vieux. “It was fun to blend in and pretend like we were locals at the small, busy quintessential European beach filled with people of all ages.”

Tasting local dishes. “We didn’t have our eyes set on any place, but we went to some local cafés and enjoyed good ibérico ham dishes and local pastas.”

Dancing at Le Caveau. “A group of us checked out a small underground nightclub in town – very European vibes, low ceilings, dark, and good music… We reluctantly stayed too long, but it was worth it. We had so much fun!”

Destination: Athens, Greece

Before island hopping, the couple began their trip to Greece on the mainland. Since Chris had visited many times due to his Greek heritage, he knew exactly where to take his wife – and what was still on his wish list.

They spent two nights at NYX Esperia Palace Hotel Athens, selected for its proximity to the Acropolis and the Plaka neighborhood, filled with delicious local restaurants serving up traditional Greek dishes and loukomades for dessert. “I’ve been going to Stamatopoulos Tavern since I was kid – they have live music, good food, and if you’re lucky, some locals will get up and dance,” Chris adds.

Photos courtesy of NYX Esperia Palace

They also checked off the “must dos” – a self-guided tour of the Acropolis and tickets to the new museum, “an unbelievable experience,” he affirms – as well as shopping for old-world items at Monastiraki Flea Market and sipping local Malagouzia wine.

Photos courtesy of Caitlin & Chris Evangelatos

Destination: Mykonos, Greece

Since they wanted to explore the Greek Islands for the remainder of their honeymoon, Caitlin and Chris began their island-hopping journey with two nights at Cubic Hotel, Mykonos. While the boutique hotel is slightly isolated from the “hot spots,” the couple loved their beautiful room complete with a private pool overlooking Ornos Beach.

Photos courtesy of Cubic Hotel Mykonos

Though Chris had visited Mykonos a couple times before, they were a tad underwhelmed overall by the overly expensive “tourist” island, yet still enjoyed dining at Spilia, “with a modern, fun, and young vibrant crowd,” Chris confirms. While it was a bit more of a scene than they would have liked, the setting, grilled octopus, linguini and clams, and bruschetta made their restaurant experience “a 10/10.”

Photos courtesy of Caitlin & Chris Evangelatos

Destination: Naxos, Greece

As neither had been to Naxos, they were excited to spend three nights at the brand-new Laguna Coast Resort.

Known for its marble, mountainous landscape, and farm-to-table fare, Naxos was one of Caitlin and Chris’ favorite destinations. They booked a boat cruise and cooking class, took a self-guided hike to see the unfinished Kouros statues from the 6th century B.C., and savored memorable meals at Rotonda, providing an unbelievable view of the islands and a fun drive through little quaint villages, as well as Giannoulis Tavern – “The hospitality was unbelievable!” smiles Chris.

Photo courtesy of Laguna Coast Resort Naxos

While Chora is the main part of town, its older Kastro area is not to be missed, “with your quintessential whitewashed narrow alleys, tiny boutiques and souvenir shops, and traditional cafes that come alive at night,” Chris shares. “It felt as if Naxos was the hot spot for mainlanders to come during the summer.”

Photos courtesy of Caitlin & Chris Evangelatos

Destination: Crete, Greece

To round out their honeymoon, Caitlin and Chris stayed three nights at Atlantica Kalliston Resort – “finally a big hotel that we could enjoy the amenities and ambience of,” Chris affirms. “We were pretty beat by the end, so our activities were limited to beaches, hikes, and walking around the port.”

Photos courtesy of Atlantica Kalliston Resort

Their favorite days were spent hiking into the Kourtaliotiko Gorge, and soaking up the sun at Elafonissi, a pink-sand beach on the Mediterranean Sea, “so the water was warmer than the beach in front of our hotel on the Aegean Sea,” Chris notes.

Photo courtesy of Caitlin & Chris Evangelatos

Already plotting another trip to Greece, they’re setting their sights on visiting the North Aegean or Ionian Islands, specifically Kefalonia (or Cephalonia) where Chris’ family originates from.

Highlights of Greece

Exploring the Plaka. “It’s a fun neighborhood right below the Acropolis that has narrow cobblestone streets filled with open-air, family-run tavernas and tiny mom-and-pop stores that sell all sorts of goods, and lots of jewelry stores.”

Dining at Giannoulis Tavern in Naxos. “Just like you see in the movies, it’s a family-run restaurant with YiaYia (grandma) making desserts in the back, Mama (mom) and Baba (dad) cooking meats, and the sons and cousins serving.”

Renting a car. “It gave us so much freedom to enjoy sightseeing and the simplicity of blasting our own music with the windows down while taking it all in.”

France & Greece Honeymoon Tips from Caitlin & Chris:

“Avoid expensive rentals cars and get the smallest that can fit your luggage. Parking in busy towns can be hard, and Greeks don’t mind playing bumper cars while squeezing into spaces.”

“The amazing thing about Greece is that almost any tavern you walk into has just as good of food as the next.”

“Leave high heels at home, and bring athletic shoes for lots of walking and hiking, plus some version of Birkenstocks for the beaches and hanging by the pool.”

“The islands only operate in-full during specific times of the year, usually late May to late September. If you go when no one is around, most businesses and restaurants will be closed.”

This story was originally published as a Travel Diaries feature in the Summer 2026 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. To order a copy of the Summer 2026 issue, visit our library of Inside Weddings back issues available for purchase.