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  Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière Spa Pool.

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  Buckingham Palace.

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  Ferris Wheel in the Tuileries.

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  Fountain at The Louvre.

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  Fouquet's Restaurant.

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  Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière Suite Bath.

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  Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière Spa Pool.

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  Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière reception area.

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  Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière

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  Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière.

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  The Eiffel Tower at dusk.

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  Degas Dancer at the Musée d'Orsay.

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  Musée d'Orsay.

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  Musée d'Orsay.

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  The Orsay Museum.

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  Arc de Triomphe.

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  The Thinker and the Eiffel Tower.

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  Seine River.

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  Seine River.

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  Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

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  The Kiss by Rodin.

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  A Paris café.

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  Notre Dame at night.

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  Orsay Museum.

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  Orsay Museum.

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  Notre Dame at night.

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  The Metro and The Louvre.

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  Luxembourg Garden.

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  The Louvre Pyramid.

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  The Louvre.

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  The Stafford Wine Cellar.

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  The Stafford Wine Cellar.

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  The Stafford Wine Cellar.

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  Suite at The Stafford.

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  The Stafford Penthouse.

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  The Stafford Mews Master Suite Bathroom.

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  The Stafford Mews Master Suite Bathroom.

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  The Stafford Hotel.

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  The Stafford American Bar.

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  The Stafford Carriage House.

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  The Mews of London.

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  The Albert Pub and Restaurant.

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  London Eye.

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  Buckingham Palace.

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  Big Ben.

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  Rome Cavalieri aerial at night.

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  Rome Cavalieri Pool Bar.

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  Rome Cavalieri Penthouse Suite Sitting Room.

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  Rome Cavalieri Penthouse Suite Bedroom.

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  Rome Cavalieri park grounds.

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  Rome Cavalieri lobby.

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  Rome Cavalieri Lobby Lounge Terrace at night.

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  Rome Cavalieri indoor pool.

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  Rome Cavalieri Imperial Lounge.

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  Rome Cavalieri Grand Spa Club Turkish Bath.

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  Rome Cavalieri Grand Spa Club Ayurvedic.

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  Rome Cavalieri gladiator training.

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  Rome Cavalieri concierge desk.

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Paris, London, Rome. The words instantly evoke images of the Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace, the Coliseum. Mere mention of these major European cities likewise stirs romantic daydreams: cruising on the River Seine, walking alongside the River Thames, tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain and sealing the deal with a kiss.

Romance, luxury, history and lifetime memories await if your choice is a European honeymoon. Here are three spots to consider.

Paris: An Exclusive Address

Even before arriving at Paris’ stunning Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière, we were contacted by the concierge staff. Would we prefer roses or orchids in the suite? What kind of pillow and soft drinks? Which type of music pre-programmed in the state-of-the art TV/sound system and for the TV over the soaking tub?

Doormen at this “palace” hotel, where the Champs-Elysées meets George V Avenue, sport fashionable long coats and top hats. Inside, dramatic elements include geometric Carrara marble floors, a mirrored-front reception desk shaped like a wave, and magnificent gilt sofas and settees with high, curved backs.

When architect Edouard François was commissioned to transform five separate buildings into one grand hotel, he paid tribute to the city’s 19th-century planner Baron Georges-Eugéne Haussmann, whose work peppers Paris.

The hotel’s garden, terrace and courtyard with their “forest of aluminum boughs” blend brilliantly with Haussmann-esque facades on the modern structures.

Not only is our sleek suite with butler service captivating, but the Champs-Elysées – the ultimate street for true shopaholics – is just beneath our balcony as is an amazing view of the iconic Arc de Triomphe. If there ever was a place to understand what is romantic about Paris, this is it.

Honeymooners can ramp up their experience in the hotel’s U Spa, with the largest pool in Paris. Dark, rich woods and low lighting create the perfect ambiance. Portholes alongside the pool are reminiscent of a luxury ocean liner. Gauzy curtains separate a sitting area for a respite from the bustle of this metropolis.

When you’re ready to hit the streets, here are a few musts: The Eiffel Tower; Louvre Museum; Monmartre and Sacré-Coeur; the bridges; Champs-Elysées and Arc d’Triomphe; Place des Vosges; Notre-Dame Cathedral; a Paris outskirt, such as the palace at Versailles or Giverny, home to Monet; Paris Opera House; and Orsay Museum.

Hurry back, though, as fine cuisine awaits at Le Diane restaurant upstairs or the historic Fouquet’s right on the Champs-Elysées since 1899, and a hangout for screen stars and celebs. Tomorrow night? How about a moonlit cruise on the River Seine? There’s no better place to say Je t’aime (“I love you”).

London: Honeymoon like a Royal

With the news of the Royal Engagement, the world will be watching the April nuptials in London.

Meanwhile, you can honeymoon like a royal. The Stafford London by Kempinski is the perfect blend of elegant accommodations and prime location.

Our London tour guide confided: “Oh, The Stafford! It’s my absolute favorite hotel in London.”

Frank Laino, consistently named one of the best concierges worldwide, is the go-to person for romantic activities including getting reservations at the top restaurants, arranging the perfect park picnic or assisting in securing a rare piece of jewelry.

After breakfast in the dining room, we didn’t dare return “home” for fear we wouldn’t leave our suite with plush king bed and oversized marble bath sporting Stafford-branded Floris products. One manager said of them: “We thought if it was good enough for the Queen, it was good enough for our guests.”

The sitting room with fireplace sets a cozy mood, and the Bose speakers with iPod dock are perfect for playing “your song.” Our suite featured a computer and wireless high-speed Internet access. There’s even customized stationery – imagine your Mr. & Mrs. Inscription – and we especially love the personalized business cards with the wording “My Residence Whilst in London.” Brilliant, as the Brits say.

Hotel Stafford’s St. James’s Place address is among London’s best. It’s near museums, parks, shopping, restaurants, Piccadilly Circus and the famous West End theatres, and only a 10-minute walk to Buckingham Palace.

To find a central London hotel that doesn’t overlook any major street and that has a courtyard in back is truly rare, so add privacy to the list of pluses.

That courtyard overlooks an alley cut-through from the Stafford Main House (67 rooms). One side of the alleyway features the modern Mews annex where we stayed; the other features the popular 350-year-old Carriage House (12 rooms) reminiscent of English country-houses.

Honeymooners might splurge on the Penthouse Suite with private terrace, fireplace, under-floor heating and the latest technology.

Couples can retreat to the hotel’s 380-year-old wine cellars for a private dinner and tour with the hotel’s Master Sommelier of 30 years.

Walking around London, there’s so much to see: Trafalgar Square ; Globe Theatre; Tower Bridge; Tower of London; London Eye; St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, where Kate Middleton and Prince William will say “I Do”; the House of Parliament and Big Ben; the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, and many wonderful museums.

Post-tour, pop by the Stafford’s American Bar with its wild collection of hats and flags hanging from the ceiling and proliferation of framed memorabilia. Try the Pimm’s. Very English, m’lady.

Rome: Release Your Inner Gladiator

Rome has history, culture, religion, art, nightlife, cuisine, shopping. Anyone who visits will find something to love. And for those in love, it’s euphoric.

Seeing the Trevi Fountain literally brought tears to our eyes.

Strolling the streets with families on a Sunday was unforgettable, including walking in the roadway – closed to Sunday traffic – toward the Coliseum near sunset.

Craning our necks to view Michelangelo’s masterpiece Sistine Chapel ceiling was a moment of illumination.

Being overwhelmed by the massive splendor of the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world, defied our imaginations.

Standing inside the 1,800-year-old Pantheon, where artist Raphael is buried, we watched rain fall through the open hole (the oculus) in the 141-foot-tall, mega-dome roof.

Those were just a few highlights of two tours by the company Urban Adventures. Request guide Mauro Scarpati.

Equally memorable is the penthouse suite at the Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf-Astoria Collection property that sits on a 15-acre park oasis high above the city. Inside is the largest art collection of any hotel in the world – there’s a complimentary iPod tour.

The property boasts a 27,000-square-foot Grand Spa and Michelin three-star La Pergola restaurant that affords not only its famous menu but also dramatic views of the Eternal City, with St. Peter’s Basilica dominating the landscape.

We experienced that incredible view from a presidential suite that redefines luxury, with a stairway to the rooftop where a private lounging patio and hot tub await.

The Cavalieri also offers gladiator training and a private tour of two of the most exclusive palaces in the city. Another offering is a private visit to the Vatican Gardens and the Sistine Chapel to experience Michelangelo's spectacular ceiling and Last Judgment away from the crowds with time and space to savor the frescoes. A private guide explains this high-water mark of late Renaissance Art.

In the center of town – literally atop the Spanish Steps – is another option, the five-star Hassler Roma with another panoramic, though more up-close view of the city. The century-old, boutique hotel has 82 rooms and 13 suites. There’s also a small spa and fabulous Michelin-starred Imàgo restaurant.

La dolce vita (“the sweet life”)? Now, we get it.

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