honeymoon destination with moderate sport climbing? Sardinia?

My wife and myself were looking for a honeymoon destination (with sea and stuff) that also has good sport climbing. The only problem is that we suck at climbing :) I can get up about 10+ in places with easier grades (Owens River Gorge, El Potrero), or a 10+ in Smith Rock with some difficulty.

I was looking at Sardinia but, judging by scarce online sources, the routes on popular crags there start at mid-10s (French 6b).

Would Sardinia actually be good for this level? Are there better alternatives? How are the grades in such places, must be vacation grades? ;)

Spanish Riviera! Costa blanca etc. Look into it, I can't give you any specific grades/ locations but there are places with everything.

Sardegna would be great, the Cala Gonone area has plenty for you guys to climb.
There's an older Rockfax guide for there and Maurizio Oviglia's new book as well

Cayman Brac has a few routes

Not to poop on Cayman Brac cuz it looks awesome but there's very little nearby other than the climbing, and the climbing starts at the .10 range for the most part, especially the seaside crags.

VIETNAM.

Check out Asia Outdoors on Cat Ba Island. It's an amazing place. I'll let the pictures and their website speak for themselves. It IS that beautiful and if you email them they will get back to you with good info to help you decide things.

Full disclosure: I worked for them 2009-2011ish. That doesn't change that it's a fairyland of limestone, bolted moderates up to hard, and endless DWS. They also just released a new guidebook.

Sardinia is nice but not that good really, you have to drive everywhere to get to the next cliff as they are all over the place. Cala Gonone itslef is finished in a day or to anyway and not real good either in my opinion.
San Vito Lo Capo in Sicily is the place to go if the seasons are right.

B-Mkll wrote:Not to poop on Cayman Brac cuz it looks awesome but there's very little nearby other than the climbing

True in one sense, but sometimes getting away from it all is exactly what you want.

Costa Blanca (spain) , Finale Ligure (italy), Nice & Les Calanques (france), Kalymnos (greece), Sintra & Cascais (Portugal). All have easy climbing and plentiful sunny beaches. Corsica also came to mind.

Check out Slovenia around Trieste/Koper. It's dirt cheap once you're there, tons of sport climbing, and you're right on the Adriatic.

Mallorca is fantastic for sport climbing/DWS/beach vacation. It is also very accessible and easy to navigate. If you like cycling, it is unparalleled, with easy and cheap high end bike rentals.

Hawaii has climbing and a million other things to do. The tickets are probably going to be cheaper than international too.

I would second Mallorca. My wife and I spent several days there this spring on our honey moon and loved it. Food was excellent and reasonable. We did Air BnB for most of it and it worked out really nicely.

Mallorca is also great, though has less moderates than Sardegna. Depending on what month you're going it can be brutally hot though too.

Deia or Soller would be amazing places for honeymoons.

I would still take Sardegna any day over Mallorca though, the food alone justifies it.

My wife and I really enjoy the Arco area in Italy. Great sport climbing at all levels and overlooking the beautiful Lago de Garda - super picturesque area. There is also great biking (road and MTB) as well if you are looking to do something active on a non-climbing day. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, then head a little further north for longer routes or via ferrata if you wan't something a little less committing. It is Italy so of course offers fantastic cuisine.

Croatia

recent years Croatia has become widely acclaimed as one of the finest rock climbing destinations in Europe. ... CROATIA is a selective guidebook covering seventy different zones and featuring more than 3,600 single ...

EDIT; 11/18/16
Just WOW,
I think it is silly that I need to stand up for myself
But that is my make up !

All I did was cut and place a thing I have "BookMarked"
( sound familiar Administrator?J.B.)

To call my recommendation boring or mis-guided for easy climbing
But let some of the other " Boring" ( not my opinion) places
stand un corrected in that same way demands that I do what
I've always done!

The Couple is going on their Honeymoon, easy fun climbing!
The competition, from country to country
to draw converts to return again & again is a real thing all over Europe
It can be & Is a really beneficial thing !
Locals in many places heep "Perks" private invites,
And, special "Services
on Newly weds in particular

I have not been, I would not have added it before others had said
All of Italy!& Portugal / Spain!

With the Greatest Respect. . . .
Jim Titt, !?
Yikes!! I follow your posts, I am not a bolter, I wish I was!
Please, I'm not ever going to make friends, I have a particular personality!
I'm not a traveler, the recommendations seemed to have slowed
I hesitated to even respond - hello John Byrnes!!
I have run a foul of a group of very experienced climbers?!
Nothing new there in 4 decades of climbing!

Do you know the saying

NO MAS!
( John B, personally attacked me for brining attention to his thing , or that is how I took it)
I am well read, not well traveled,

My favorite German and Autrian areas of great reputation
Where I have old friends who still climb .12s in their 60s
Have not been mentioned.

I'm not trying to get attacked again!

You don't have to . . . But:
One Can Higher a boat, a Yacht, for a Honetmoon Cruise!
I do not know anything more than a few things I've read that soundeed Dreamy!
(If you don't get Sea sickness)

If money is no object ?!?
The Peter Island Yacht club BVI.( where I have been)
Or
BORA BORA,?( where my sister went on her Honeymoon )

Thanks for the input,
I remember Czechoslovakia!,
a place where great climbers have been coming from since the 1950s

Given the above
I might recommend
AUSTRALIA !

Michael Schneider wrote:Croatia recent years Croatia has become widely acclaimed as one of the finest rock climbing destinations in Europe. ... CROATIA is a selective guidebook covering seventy different zones and featuring more than 3,600 single ...

I live about six hours drive from Croatia and very rarely go there, it´s just somehow boring. Plenty of better places in Europe to go climbing in my opinion.

I wouldn't call Croatia "boring", especially for a honeymoon. There are lots of very nice little towns to visit. But I like Slovenia better. The mountains really add a lot.

In both countries the cuisine is rather boring indeed!

Arco in Italy has lots to offer for a climber, but the easier routes on the main crags near the lake are quite polished now. Further into the Sarca valley and towards the Brenta region there are some gems though. Quite a few Via Ferrata too from easy to very hard, those have been a lot of fun with my wife and kids. On a day off you can visit Trento or Verona, both beautifull Italian renaissance towns. Arco itself has a nice little centre too with some very good pizza and ice cream places.
The Garda lake isn;t great when you're looking for bathing. All the little beaches are private. Better is the Ledro lake, half an hour driving from Arco to the west.

I don't know what time of the year you want to travel? Croatia, Slovenia and Arco are better in spring/autumn. Summer can be very hot and winter too cold or rainy.

This guy knows what he is talking about & is very busy but I hear he has been helpful!

Nick Votto wrote:Sardegna would be great, the Cala Gonone area has plenty for you guys to climb. There's an older Rockfax guide for there and Maurizio Oviglia's new book as well

I was Maried at the Mohonk Mountain House
And Climbed at SKY TOP CLIFF home to some of the wolds shortest great routes!
That match the criteria IN MY OPINION! ((Almost as good as Austria & Germany\B^b>
I can recommend that from personal experience
I do not think that personal experience was a criteria for posting suggestions!

Michael Schneider wrote:Croatia recent years Croatia has become widely acclaimed as one of the finest rock climbing destinations in Europe. ... CROATIA is a selective guidebook covering seventy different zones and featuring more than 3,600 single ... EDIT; 11/18/16 Just WOW, I think it is silly that I need to stand up for myself But that is my make up ! All I did was cut and place a thing I have "BookMarked" ( sound familiar Administrator?J.B.) To call my recommendation boring or mis-guided for easy climbing But let some of the other " Boring" ( not my opinion) places stand un corrected in that same way demands that I do what I've always done! The Couple is going on their Honeymoon, easy fun climbing! The competition, from country to country to draw converts to return again & again is a real thing all over Europe It can be & Is a really beneficial thing ! Locals in many places heep "Perks" private invites, And, special "Services on Newly weds in particular I have not been, I would not have added it before others had said All of Italy! With the Greatest Respect. . . . Jim Titt, !? Yikes!! I follow your posts, I am not a bolter, I wish I was! Please, I'm not ever going to make friends, I have a particular personality! I'm not a traveler, the recommendations seemed to have slowed I hesitated to even respond - hello John Byrnes!! I have run a foul of a group of very experienced climbers?! Do you know the saying NO MAS! ( John B, personally attacked me for brining attention to his thing , or that is how I took it) I am well read, not well traveled, My favorite German and Autrian areas of great reputation Where I have old friends who still climb .12s in their 60s Have not been mentioned. I'm not trying to get attacked again! You don't have to . . . But: One Can Higher a boat, a Yacht for a Honetmoon Cruise! I do not know anything more than a few things I've read that soundeed Dreamy! (If you don't get Sea sickness) If money is no object ?!? BORA BORA,? Thanks for the input, I remember Czechoslovakia!, a place where great climbers have been coming from since the 1950s Given the above I might recommend AUSTRALIA !

Thanx Steven ! Great post!

I enjoyed climbing in Slovenia. Plenty of moderates, but the style is completely different than here. Grid bolted and the routes are written at the base of the cliff. No need for a guidebook. Very gym like, especially Preddvor. The country is beautiful, reminded me of the high country of colorado, but with castles and old villages. Plus, the seaside is super close to Ljubljana. Croatia is close too. The people are friendly and most everyone speaks English and prices are pretty cheap compared to the rest of Europe.

I have not climbed there but check out Puerto Rico. Small enough to get around, quite a bit to do on off days - beach, surf, paddleboard, drink, dance, party. I have been to San Juan and Rincon. There are a handful of reportedly solid sport climbing options.