Marry adventure and romance on a couples getaway that is sure to leave you with an appreciation of home and the thrill of temporary escape. You don't have to go around the world to cherish a little alone time, but it helps. Even if you don't leave your cozy king-size bed decked with premium Egyptian cotton, ridiculously soft sheets, just being a half dozen time zones away from the undone renovations and house work is vacation alone.

For most of us, the destination is the destination. Whether you choose Bora-Bora or Fort Lauderdale, your itinerary might be the same (sleep, sun, eat), but your mood will be infinitely different.

So why not plan an out-of-the-way getaway that you'll never forget, full of anecdotes worth their weight in dinner party conversation gold.

MOROCCO

Where: La Sultana, Marrakech (lasultanamarrakech.com)

The scene: Located within one of the country's many history medinas (walled cities), La Sultana is a boutique five-star hotel with 28 dazzling bedrooms and five riads (interior courtyards ranging from one that is whitewashed and minimalist to another that evokes the lush garden of Scheherezade). There are gardens indoors, elaborate archways at every turn and the roof affords a generous view of the surroundings. The High Atlas Mountains provide a backdrop to the cityscape that takes your breath away. The thriving city has a handful of immaculate properties refurbished in traditional Moroccan style, but this opulent venue is small enough to be intimate and sophisticated enough to be cozy. It feels like home ... if home was a Moroccan palace.

The rooms: Rooms are themed, but there is nothing kitsch about the decor. The themes are executed in the most thoughtful possible way. The notion of a camel suite could raise eyebrows until you enter through a towering doorway and immediately feel as if you've entered the lair of palace royalty. It's so visually decadent that the sight of gleaming statues (a brass camel makes an appearance as a table), antique chest of drawers, heavy gilded tapestry and intricate woodwork stops you in your tracks. The bed looks so regal that it's hard not to feel a little more noble of birth just sleeping there.

To do: You could stay on the grounds of La Sultana for days if not weeks and never feel the need to leave. From the rooftop dining and lounging pools to the ground floor swimming pool and spa (think decadent harem-style splendor) the hotel is an oasis of comforts. But the hotel is only a brief walk away from a bustling city center (take a map and study the landmarks before setting off; there is no guarantee that anyone you run into on the street will be able to guide you back to the hotel).

To eat: It is customary to have a tower of snacks and treats in your room in Morocco. This included cookies, pastries and fruit. This is also the customary greeting when you check in at a high-end hotel. There's much to recommend on the menus of region, but you won't want to miss the tajines (slow cooked dishes of meat or fish, fruit and delectable seasoning), served with couscous.

Cautions: The medina is a maze. Historically, they were crafted for protection, so it's easy to get lost if you don't have a strong sense of direction. But during the day and early evening the city center thrives. It would be a shame to miss it, but stay alert.

Getting there: You can go the slow route or the fast one. If you have the time to meander, I'd recommend flying into Essaouira (top choice) or Casablanca (just to say that you've been there, but I do not recommend staying here. It is the most romantic city that never was. (Most people know that the famous film wasn't shot there, but even with lowered expectations, the city disappoints). But whatever your entry point, you should take the train or arrange a private driver to Marrakech.

SIRACUSA

Where: Grand Hotel Villa Politi in Siracusa (villapoliti.com)

The scene: This charming hotel offers an old-world elegance and looks like a technicolor vision of a grand hotel from the days of Fred Astaire, when gentleman wore top hats and carried canes. It feels dated, but refined. Some hotels in Siracusa offer more modern aesthetics, but this place is full of details and surprising grandiosity that will catch you off guard. And like some antiques, it's not always in the best condition, but it's still something to marvel. The rooms are updated and the amenities are good. And the hotel has a sea-side lounging area for sun bathing on the water near a cliff-side bar and restaurant. It feels very Blue Lagoon.

The rooms: The hotel rooms have terraces along the front that overlook archaeological ruins. The property was constructed right on top of the caves of the Cappuccini, a site where Greek sailors were once imprisoned, but you'd be surprised at how surreal and picturesque the scene looks with a backdrop of the blue sky, and the jewel blue of the Mediterranean doesn't hurt.

To do: A stroll to the beach is mandatory. You'll discover a small graffiti-ravaged monument near a trail for local joggers. Follow it around the edge of the island and get a local view of the town's serenity and beauty. If you need places to check off your to-do list there's a nearby archaeological museum, Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi (Phone:+39 0931 489511); and the bizarre-looking sanctuary of Madonna delle Lacrime, which translates to Our Lady of Tears, (madonnadellelacrime.it), is worth a peek. The sanctuary was designed in the 1990s by two Frenchmen to resemble a gigantic architectural teardrop. Pilgrims and tourists flock here because it houses a statue of the Madonna that supposedly wept for five days in 1953.

Be sure to make the short hop over to Ortigia, a tiny seaport offshoot. The shopping center is filled with boutiques ranging from familiar international retailers to local fine artist outlets. A visit to the Cathedral of Siracusa (arcidiocesi.siracusa.it) is a must. It is the most important church in the city and the most picturesque for miles around. The church was built around the columns of an ancient Greek temple to Athena. Many layers of history are found behind the modern Baroque facade, including the century in which the structure was used as a mosque. The walk to the church should be savored. No rushing, this city feels oh-so-Sophia Loren on holiday. The stone streets are centuries old, and big round sunglasses and a dramatically draped Italian scarf would not be out of place.

To eat: We don't have to tell you to stop for gelato. You won't be able to resist. Otherwise great food abounds whether you choose the tapas-style sampling at a bodega or a white table cloth meal. You can't go wrong with the pizza, and you must sample the fish of the day (whatever it is) at least once before you leave. You'll learn to savor antipasto as a complete meal.

Cautions: Objects are farther than they appear. You can easily wander the outer rim of Ortigia without fear of losing your bearing, and you'll always feel like there's something to see. Siracusa is different. The city is just big enough that the major roadways are utilitarian. Walking the streets has little charm. There are sites within distance, but the scenery will make getting there feel like drudgery. Either rent a car or take a taxi if you venture farther than a few blocks.

Getting there: You'll most likely have to connect through Rome. This is your best bet unless you're having a real adventure and driving the countryside, in which case you can ferry over. Siracusa is a nice hub for a honeymoon because you can be as isolated or social as you'd like.

LEBANON

Where: Edde Sands (eddesands.com) in Jbeil, also known as Byblos, Lebanon

The scene: If Beirut is the Paris of the Middle East, an old saying that now seems more like a cruel joke because of its war-torn history and recent struggles, then Byblos would be Cannes, according to a New York Times reporter's apt analogy. Byblos is barely two dozen miles up the coastline, but the development and stability of the city are shockingly dissimilar to Beirut. The city has changed hands many, many times over 30 centuries, but it was never ravaged. It is overwhelmed with historical structures, many of which were built on top of one another.

At Edde Sands, however, you don't have to think of history beyond the view. The resort is a pristine, elaborate contemporary jewel with beautiful pools that would make a South Beach resort in Miami envious. The spa specializes in Ayurvedic wellness and you can dance the night away without leaving the grounds. It's not uncommon to spot an Arab starlet or Lebanese glitterati among the palm trees and extravagant cabanas.

The rooms: Choose from beach-front bungalows or deluxe rooms called "Les Maisons Libanaises." All have glorious views of the Byblos Beirut Bay, Byblos archaeological site and Mount Lebanon's green hills. The resort went to great lengths to make the accommodations look like they belong in the storied city. The walls of the structure use the same stones of the old city of Byblos. The rooms also have a private roof terraces.

To do: This is a historic getaway with all the comforts of a five-star resort. If you start in Beirut - and I suggest you do (at least overnight) - take the time to enjoy the sunset from the Beirut Corniche, once only a practical place for war correspondents and people who did not value their life. It's a peaceful stroll and a great view of the Mediterranean in a town that still pulsates from its turbulent past.

Take the relatively cheap WalkBeirut tour from BeBeirut with founder and chief tour guide Ronnie Chatah. It's four hours extremely well-spent. Chatah jokes that he's the least Lebanese-looking Lebanese person you'll ever see, and he might be right. With long, wavy sandy-brown hair pulled back into a poufy ponytail and a square patch of chin hair, he looks much more like a California surfer who might sell necklaces on the beach than a full-blooded Beiruti. The tour stops for more than a dozen mini-lectures and history lessons along the way. Chatah provides an essential introduction to the city, including areas off-limits to tourists such as the evacuated Jewish quarter, which now includes a residence for Lebanon's billionaire prime minister. However, Byblos is the destination.

Founded around 5,000 B.C., the city is acclaimed as the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Byblos has a history of uninterrupted construction. So you'll find temples of the Bronze Age, forts from the Persians, Roman roads, Byzantine churches, a Crusade citadel, as well as Medieval and Ottoman structures. Byblos and the word "bible" are linked. The Phoenician city of Gebal was named Byblos by the Greeks, because it was through Gebal that papyrus was imported into Greece. So the English word "bible" is derived from "byblos" as "the (papyrus) book." The present day city is now known by the Arabic name Jubayl or Jbeil, a direct descendant of its Canaanite name.

To eat: Traditional Middle Eastern fare will keep you more than satisfied, so this will sound ridiculous, but a spot called the El Molino Restaurant on a road along the cliff overlooking the Byblos Fishing Club will stun you with its authenticity ... and its ethnicity. It's a Mexican restaurant fully stocked with crates and crates of decor items purchased in Mexico. The setting is jarring enough, but the food is so tasty that mariachi music will play in your head even though it won't be playing on the sound system. You'll enjoy fresh guacamole, light but sturdy chips and fish tacos crafted with the greatest of ease and an intensity of flavor.

Caution: To call the drivers in Beirut maniacal is an understatement. Proceed with caution. Most drivers treat stoplights as a lackluster suggestion. You'd think that the city would be locked in gridlock, but instead it is a writhing congested roadway of utter fearlessness. To see a family of four on a scooter surge through four-lanes of cross traffic is a bewildering and not uncommon sight. No such drama in Byblos.

• Read more articles by DEBRA D. BASS

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