The Mediterranean is world-famous in summer with its long, sun-drenched days and turquoise waters. But in winter, it slips into something much quieter. Hotel terraces are peaceful, coastal paths are blissfully empty, and you can stroll through historic towns without jostling for space. Not everyone is chasing beach weather and spritzes, and the Mediterranean in winter has a different kind of magic – who doesn’t love atmospheric towns and villages with a sprinkle of fairy lights.

Also, for those of us based in the Northern Hemisphere (like me in the UK), the region’s much gentler winter temperatures feel like a small luxury in themselves. So, if you’re planning a honeymoon or mini moon between November and March, this guide will show you why the Mediterranean is a wonderfully underrated choice, including where to go, what to skip, and what to expect.

Why Honeymoon in the Mediterranean in Winter?

If you’re the kind of couple who prefers a sense of calm rather than crowds and aren’t chasing long, lazy beach days, this season can be surprisingly perfect. Here’s why:

Mild weather

Winter in the Med isn’t beach weather, but it’s pleasantly mild, often sitting between 12–20°C, depending on how far south you go. You can expect plenty of gentle sunshine and crisp-blue sky days, perfect for exploring or enjoying long coastal walks without overheating.

Less crowds and space to breathe

In winter, towns in the Mediterranean feel lived-in and local again. You can stroll through historic streets without the crowds, enjoy the most popular viewpoints without having to queue or hustle for the best photo opportunity, and find a table at restaurants that would be booked solid in August.

Beautiful value for luxury hotels

Some of the region’s most sought-after hotels drop from “summer-splurge” territory to surprisingly reasonable winter rates. Suites that would be eye-wateringly expensive in high season often become attainable, so you can enjoy a stay that feels indulgent without being extravagant.

With fewer visitors during the winter months, destinations throughout the Mediterranean feel more authentic and personal. You’ll find restaurants catering to locals, peaceful hotel terraces, and can explore towns and attractions that finally have room to breathe.

Having said all of this, winter is a beautiful time of year to visit the Mediterranean as long as you have the right expectations. The weather will be mild but certainly not sunbathing weather. While sunny days are very common, you should be prepared for mixed weather with some rain. Many resorts (especially the coastal towns and villages) also close for the winter season. This makes them lovely and quiet for a day of exploring but finding somewhere to eat can be tricky and it’s definitely not a good idea to base your stay there.

What the Mediterranean is actually like in winter

Weather varies more than you might expect. The Mediterranean isn’t uniformly warm in winter but it does offer a spectrum of mild, comfortable climates depending on where you go.

• Northern Med (French Riviera, Mallorca, Amalfi Coast) → 12–17°C, crisp sunny days with the occasional shower.
• Southern Med (Sicily, Malta, Cyprus) → 15–20°C, brighter, more reliable sunshine and ideal conditions for sightseeing.
• Atlantic Islands (Madeira, Tenerife) → 18–23°C, the warmest and most reliable winter weather within easy reach of Europe.

While Madeira and Tenerife aren’t technically in the Mediterranean, they’re included here because the climate, culture and travel style feel very similar, and they’re often considered part of the same “Mediterranean winter sun” conversation for UK and European travellers.

Openings differ by destination

During the winter months some islands and coastal resort towns take a seasonal break. Others, especially cities and larger towns, stay lively year-round. The key is choosing places with a local population, cultural sites and all-season restaurants rather than pure summer-resort towns and villages.

The best Mediterranean winter honeymoon destinations

So if all of this sounds perfect for your honeymoon plans, here are the destinations that genuinely deliver for a romantic winter escape.

Madeira – for the warmest, most reliable winter sun

Although not technically the Mediterranean, Madeira is one of the most consistent winter-sun destinations in the wider region, with temperatures around 18–23°C and a landscape that stays lush and inviting year-round. The island offers so much for honeymooners in winter with warm days, stylish cliffside hotels, dramatic viewpoints and beautifully maintained levada trails that are even better when the weather is mild.

Restaurants, gardens, coastal walks and boutique properties all remain open, giving the island a gentle buzz without the intensity of summer. You can expect botanical gardens in bloom, a strong food culture centred around fresh fish, wine and tropical fruit, sunset miradouros (viewpoints), and spa afternoons overlooking the Atlantic – pure bliss.

Sicily – outstanding food and mild sunshine

Sicily in winter offers a beautiful mix of 15–18°C days, culture-rich towns, and some of the best cold-season food in the Mediterranean. Without the summer heat, archaeological sites like Segesta or the Valley of the Temples are a joy to explore without the long queues. Coastal cities such as Palermo, Catania and Siracusa stay lively year-round, giving you open markets, museums (although some may have reduced hours), trattorias and winter menus full of citrus, seafood and slow-cooked dishes. You can even find snow and skiing opportunities on Mount Etna.

The island definitely feels more local in winter. Still full of atmosphere and still vibrant, but more authentic without the surge of summer visitors.

Malta – compact & surprisingly warm

Winter suits Malta beautifully. The island stays lively year-round meaning museums, waterfront restaurants, wine bars and boutique hotels remain open when many Mediterranean islands quieten down completely.

Malta is very compact (it’s smaller than London, Paris and New York’s Central Park!), but this just makes it much easier to explore. You can drive from one side of the island to the other in under an hour and can walk across the capital, Valetta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 20 minutes.

In winter you can expect temperatures around 15–20°C, perfect for all this walking and exploring. Malta may be small, but it’s packed full of history with ancient temples, medieval fortifications and World War II bunkers, which you can break up with its strong café culture and long lunches with sea views.

French Riviera – elegant, perfect for slow exploring & magical at Christmas

The French Riviera in winter has a quiet elegance. The warmest region in France during the winter months, day temperatures reach around 12–16°C – definitely not beach weather but sunny days are still common making it perfect for exploring the towns, villages and cultural attractions that stay open year-round. Just make sure you bring extra layers for the evenings as they can get quite chilly.

Nice, Menton, Cannes and Antibes all offer excellent food, art galleries, coastal paths and some of the Riviera’s finest hotels at off-season prices. December is also a beautiful time to visit when the cities are lit up with twinkling lights and magical Christmas markets such as ‘Le Village de Noel’ in Nice are in full festive flow.  

Mallorca – cosy mountain villages & peaceful luxury

Winter transforms Mallorca into one of the Mediterranean’s best-kept secrets. Mountain villages such as Deià, Valldemossa and Sóller feel worlds away from Mallorca’s mass market reputation, with a great choice of boutique hotels, stone streets and a cosy atmospheric vibe.  

While some tourist-focused restaurants and bars in the resort towns will have reduced hours or be closed, the island remains active enough to enjoy comfortably but is quiet enough in the winter months to feel much more authentic.

Temperatures hover around 13–18°C, making it ideal for hiking, cycling or generally exploring. Plus, there’s Palma – one of my favourite cities and I’d highly recommend a visit at any time of year but especially in the winter months when there’s more space to wander and breath without the crowds.

Santorini — Quiet, cinematic & blissfully crowd-free

It’s not very often I write ‘Santorini’ and ‘blissfully crowd-free’ in the same sentence, but Santorini in winter feels entirely different – quieter, moodier and much more authentic than the bustle and cruise-ship crowds of the summer months.

Temperatures sit around 12–16°C, and while you won’t be sunbathing, you will have towns like Oia and Fira almost to yourselves. It’s true that many hotels, shops and restaurants close over the winter months, but some remain open to cater to the local population – the key is to plan ahead.

Stay in Fira, a more active hub for locals and more options for food, shopping and stays compared to other parts of the island. Hire a car to discover the island at your own pace with museums and wineries mostly open year-round.

It can be trickier to get to Santorini directly in the winter months. You’ll most likely have to fly in to Athens and connect from there, depending on where you are travelling from, but the trade-off is you get to experience Santorini without the crowds and your pick of spots to watch perhaps the best sunsets in the world.

Amalfi Coast – for a slow romantic honeymoon

The Amalfi Coast takes on a very different vibe in winter becoming much quieter and far more local. While daytime temperatures sit around 12–15°C, the appeal here isn’t sunshine but atmosphere, with near empty coastal paths, peaceful piazzas and the rare chance to see places like Amalfi town or Ravello without their summer crowds.

Only certain towns stay active during the winter months. Amalfi, Sorrento and Salerno tend to still offer open restaurants, waterfront cafés, pretty viewpoints and enough local life to feel warm and welcoming. Boutique hotels offer excellent value in winter, and the cooler weather makes hikes like Valle delle Ferriere or the Path of the Gods far more enjoyable than in summer.

It’s important to set expectations though, the Amalfi Coast in winter is not a hot beach destination and you need to choose your base carefully. Positano and most of the smaller cliffside villages close almost entirely, which is lovely for having a quiet wander, not so good for staying there. But if you’re looking for quiet romance and a slower, more intimate version of the coast, winter on the Amalfi Coast can be incredibly special.

Tuscany – festive cities & cosy winter charm

Tuscany is a beautiful winter destination, especially if you’re looking for stunning city breaks. Let’s make no mistake though, it’s a cold weather trip with temperatures around 5–12°C, but a really rewarding one.

A winter honeymoon here works beautifully as a city-hop across Tuscany’s most iconic destinations. Florence, Siena, Pisa and Lucca are all vibrant year-round, with open museums, warm cafés, beautiful piazzas and boutique hotels that feel especially inviting in colder weather. It makes a magical trip in December especially when the cities are lit with golden lights, Christmas markets and quieter museums you can finally enjoy without the queues.

Beyond the cities, the hill towns of the Val d’Orcia (places like Pienza, Montepulciano and Montalcino) take on a quiet, cosy charm in winter. They’re perfect for ending your honeymoon with a slower, more intimate stay in a beautiful boutique hotel with cosy, candlelit dinners.

Choosing the right kind of winter honeymoon

Winter in the Mediterranean isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some places offer gentle sunshine, others offer culture-rich cities, and some you need to pile on the layers and lean into cosy winter atmospheres.

When choosing a destination for your honeymoon, it often helps to think about the feeling you want it to have. Below is a simple guide to help you decide what kind of winter trip suits you best and which destinations will deliver.

What not to do in the Mediterranean in winter

Winter in the Mediterranean is beautiful, but it’s not summer in disguise. A few honest expectations will make your trip far smoother.

Don’t plan a beach or swimming holiday

With the exception of Madeira and the Canary Islands (again not the Mediterranean geographically but we’ll include for culture and European island atmosphere), the sea is cold and beach clubs close for the season.

Don’t rely on ferry schedules

Ferry routes across the Mediterranean change significantly in winter, with reduced frequency and some services pausing altogether. Assume you’ll largely be exploring by land or double-check routes and timings before you travel.

Don’t expect extravagant nightlife in smaller towns

Places with big summer personalities (Positano, Mykonos and Ibiza) go almost completely still in winter. Lovely for a wander, not ideal if you’re looking for some vibrant nightlife.

Don’t assume everything stays open

Boutique hotels, cliffside restaurants and small shops often close seasonally in tourist-focused towns. Larger towns and cities with a year-round population and more local bars and restaurants are a safer bet.

Don’t underestimate weather variability

You’ll almost definitely get sunshine during your stay, but also rain, wind and early sunsets. Be sure to pack layers and you’ll enjoy it more.

Don’t expect water-based activities

Snorkelling, sunset cruises, private boat tours and day trips to small islands rarely operate in winter so if they’re on your to do list you’re best off visiting in spring/ summer.

Where not to go in the Mediterranean in winter

There are very few places I would rule out completely for a winter honeymoon in the Mediterranean, as it really all depends on what you want from your stay. If you’re not chasing the sunshine and want a more quiet, authentic experience while exploring and hiking in peace then you will always find a handful of hotels, shops and restaurants that stay open year-round (even if it is only a select few). However, some destinations are so unlike their summer personalities that they may not offer the atmosphere, choice or energy you’re hoping for in a honeymoon. These include…

Positano, Praiano & Capri (Italy)
Almost everything shuts including hotels, restaurants, beach clubs and ferries. Beautiful for a walk, but not ideal as a base.

Cinque Terre (Italy)
Gorgeous, but extremely quiet, with many restaurants and accommodations closed. Hiking trails can also be affected by weather.

Mykonos, Paros, Naxos (Greece)
These islands thrive on summer energy. In winter, they become very still with limited dining and transport.

Smaller Balearic resort areas (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza)
Charming inland stays or in old towns (like Palma or Deià) are stunning in winter but avoid the coastal resort towns as they feel deserted. You also won’t find much nightlife in Ibiza in winter.