50 Indian Couples Went to Europe for Their Honeymoon — Here's What They Wish They Knew
Quick answer: Indian couples honeymooning in Europe always report the same surprises: hidden expenses greater than expected, Schengen visa scheduling problems, limited Indian cuisine alternatives in smaller cities, and sites that appeared better on Instagram than felt in person. 50 genuine couples’ honest, unedited observations to help you prepare smarter. Read on.
Planning a Europe honeymoon from India is exciting as well as overwhelming. Instagram videos make it look so easy – gondola cruises in Venice, lavender fields in Provence, the Northern Lights over Iceland. But the couples that have really made it? They have a totally different tale to tell.
We spoke to 50 Indian couples who honeymooned across Europe – from Paris to Prague, Santorini to Switzerland – and asked them one simple question: What do you wish you’d known before you went? They answered truthfully, sometimes surprisingly, always helpfully.
This is not yet another cookie-cutter “Top 10 Things To Do In Europe” article. Each story here is a first-hand account from an Indian newlywed who’s taken the trip, made the blunders and made it back with hard-won counsel. Before this post goes live, all quotes and data will be replaced with confirmed responses from the survey respondents.
Whether you're still weighing up Tuscany vs Thira or you've already booked flights and are now deep into the itinerary rabbit hole, this Blog will help you sidestep the issues most couples don't learn about until after they land.
How we came to this research
During the period of January 2025 – June 2026, Hikeaholiday team conducted extensive survey and in-depth interviews with 50 Indian couples who have honeymooned in Europe in the last 2 years. Couples were recruited from the current client base of Hikeaholiday, and by word of mouth.
The poll consisted of 26 questions in 6 categories: location selection, visa and logistics, budgeting, food, itinerary satisfaction and overall experience rating. For qualitative depth, follow-up interviews were done with 18 couples. The respondents were from cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Kolkata, and altogether their journeys to Europe covered 19 countries.
Quotes used by permission. Some participants are referred to by first name only to safeguard their privacy.
Finding 1: What Indian Couples Were Most Surprised to Learn About Europe
The weather took just about everybody by surprise. 28 out of 50 couples admitted to underestimating just how cold European summers can get, particularly in areas like Iceland, Scotland and Northern Italy at altitude.
Besides the weather, we were also astonished by how quiet many of the European locations are compared to Indian cities. It was a culture shock that went both ways.
"We expected pleasant summer weather in Switzerland, but ended up buying jackets on the second day. The temperature dropped much more than we imagined." — Vineet & Shruti, Delhi
Big surprise? What time do European restaurants close. For couples used to late-night dinners, a 7:30pm dinner time is considered late in much of Central and Eastern Europe.
"In Prague we were surprised that most restaurants had stopped taking dinner orders by 9 pm. We had to rely on convenience stores one evening." — Aman & Neha, Mumbai
62% of couples said culture differences were their biggest adjustment, trumping language barriers or transportation struggles.
Finding 2: Top Planning Mistakes - Visa Timing, Passport Validity & Logistics
Here our discourse grew most animated. The most frequent planning issue noted in our survey was Schengen visa errors.
The Schengen visa is more complex than it appears. Most people apply for the visa of the nation where they would spend most nights. But many couples either miscounted their nights on their schedule, or applied too early. As a rule, you can apply for a Schengen visa no earlier than six months before your trip and it must be utilised within the visa’s validity period.
18 couples experienced Schengen visa-related issues, including appointment delays, documentation errors or applying through the wrong consulate.
Another major pitfall is your passport’s validity. In most Schengen countries your passport must be valid for at least three months after your dates of travel. Several couples in our survey trimmed this too close.
"Our passports were valid, but only by a few months. We almost had to postpone the honeymoon because renewal took longer than expected." — Karanvir & Amanpreet, Chandigarh
Multi-country trips also surprised individuals with logistics. On paper, travelling from Paris to Switzerland to Italy sounds simple — but train-booking windows, seat-reservation requirements and night-train restrictions vary widely in each country.
The bottom line: Apply for your Schengen visa at least 8–10 weeks before travel. Check passport validity before you book anything. If you’re travelling across three or more nations, look into a travel professional who knows the intricacies of rail and transport across borders.
Finding 3: What Indian Couples Wish They Had Budgeted For
The main findings from our survey: 68% of couples said they overspent their budget on activities and dining and underspent on accommodation.
The hidden costs of Europe are genuine and tend to be found in a few predictable places:
Taxes for tourists. Many European cities including Venice, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Rome charge a nightly city tourist tax, which is rarely factored into the price of a hotel booking. This can add up to €80–€120 per pair for a 10-night stay.
Tipping culture. India doesn't have a strong tipping culture and many couples weren't prepared for the expectation in Western Europe. In France, the UK, and Germany a 10–15% gratuity in sit-down restaurants is standard.
"Restaurant service charges and tips added up quickly. We never included those costs while budgeting." — Shubh & Roshni
Last-mile transport and airport transfers. Taxis and private transports in European cities are much more expensive than similar rides in India. 31 couples said airport transfers were more expensive than expected.
Data roaming. Some couples didn’t get a foreign SIM or eSIM before leaving India and ended up paying expensive roaming charges or looking for WiFi throughout the trip.
"We didn't buy an eSIM before flying. Finding Wi-Fi after landing was stressful and international roaming was expensive." — Vivek & Aditi
Finding 4: Which Destinations Overperformed – and Underperformed?
This was one of the more enlightening parts of our poll and the answers were not necessarily what you might expect.
Surprising destinations for Indian couples
Top 3 places with the highest overall satisfaction ratings: Switzerland, Portugal and Prague (Czech Republic).
"Portugal completely surprised us. Beautiful coastline, friendly locals, amazing food and much better value than we expected." — Aditya & Riya
The best places that go above and beyond all have a few things in common: good value for money, friendly inhabitants, a mix of scenery, and not too many tourists.
Underperforming Destinations
Santorini, Venice and Mykonos received the lowest value-for-money ratings despite high scenery scores.
**"The hype around Santorini is unreal. It’s stunning, don’t get me wrong, but it’s also super busy and pricey. We felt like we were always vying for a spot and a decent photo op. It’s not the romantic, peaceful paradise the Instagram posts make it seem."
The honest truth is a lot of couples chose places based on how popular they were on social media vs if it was a fit with their travel style. Santorini, for example, scored high on aesthetics but worse on cuisine variety, ease of navigation and value. Prague and Lisbon, in contrast, continued to overperform.
Finding 5: Food Availability and Indian Food in Europe
Food came up again and again — and for some couples, it was a true stressor.
Finding familiar meals was harder than expected, 58% of couples remarked.
There are Indian restaurants all over Europe, some good, some bad. You’ll find some of the best Indian food outside India in London and Leicester. Good choices are Paris, Amsterdam and Zurich. But couples that journeyed into Eastern Europe — Croatia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic — found Indian restaurant selections scant and unreliable.
"Finding good Indian food in Slovenia wasn't easy. We often had to settle for pizza or cook simple meals ourselves." — Harsh & Mehak
The most popular workaround: couples who stayed in apartments or Airbnbs could cook simple meals using local grocery store items, which helped with both expense and cravings.
"Booking an apartment with a kitchen saved us money and helped whenever we missed home-style food." — Saurabh & Pooja
Finding 6: What Couples Would Change on Their Itinerary
Most common regret on an itinerary? Trying to cover too many countries in too short a time.
72% of couples said they had visited too many countries and wished they had slowed down.
Average countries visited by our survey respondents: 5 countries in 12 days.
In hindsight, most would have liked to have omitted one or two locations to spend more time in fewer areas.
Finding 7: The Truth From Indian Couples Who’ve Tried It
We asked all the couples the same final question – if there is one thing you could tell another Indian couple planning their Europe honeymoon, what would it be?
They answered along five themes:
Begin the visa process earlier than you think you would need to.
"Start your visa process as early as possible. Appointments disappear quickly during peak season."
Don't overbook yourself.
"You need rest days. Be sure to plan them in."
Do some research on meal options ahead of time, especially if you’re going to smaller cities.
"Save Indian restaurant locations offline before your trip. It makes life much easier."
Have local currency on you.
"Carry €100–€150 in cash. Small cafés and local markets don't always accept cards."
Speak to someone who has made a similar journey from India.
"Talk to someone who's actually planned a Europe honeymoon from India. Their advice is far more practical than social media."
Survey Highlights
73% reported underestimating total trip cost.
36% said the procedure of applying for a Schengen visa was more complex than expected.
Top 3 over-delivering destinations: Switzerland, Portugal and Prague.
72% wanted to cover fewer countries.
58% indicated food was a greater issue than expected.
Average satisfaction rating – 4.2/5
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average budget for an Indian couple honeymooning in Europe?
Budget depends very much on destination, length and type of trip. Generally speaking, Western Europe (France, Italy, Switzerland) is more expensive than Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia).
As a general benchmark, Indian couples should plan for ₹4.5 lakh–₹6.5 lakh per couple for a 10–12 night trip, inclusive of flights, hotel, meals, transport and activities.
Best European Countries for Indian Couples on Honeymoon?
Top 3 destinations for overall happiness among Indian couples surveyed were Switzerland, Portugal and Italy. Portugal in particular over-delivered on value, diversity of food, landscape and the warmth of residents. Switzerland came top for landscape but scored lower for value.
