The Best Couples Vacation To Take When You've Been Dating For A Year

Before a couple is able to decide if their relationship can stand the test of time, there are certain things they need to conquer first. Going to Ikea together without having a blowout, then getting home and assembling furniture without plotting each other's demise is one test. Another is being able to get through that first family holiday event without deciding that your partner's family is bonkers enough to make you run for the hills. The third is going on a vacation together.

While going on a vacation with your main squeeze may definitely seem exciting and a big step (because it is), going away with someone isn't all sparkles and rainbows. It's actually something that can put unexpected pressure on relationships: flight delays, lost luggage, resorts that don't live up to expectations, and a little something called Montezuma's Revenge, depending on where you travel. But it can also be a good thing for a relationship because those on vacation tend to be different people than when they're in their usual familiar surroundings. It's an experience, for sure, no matter how you slice it.

If you and your partner have reached your one-year anniversary together and you're looking to get out of town, at this stage in your relationship it's time to get a little daring in your vacation choice. It's time for a weeklong international adventure. So, make sure your passports are up to date and get ready to have a blast. 

By now, you've probably already done the weekend away thing in a place that's familiar to either one or both of you. Because you didn't step too much outside your comfort zone, you didn't have to deal with unexpected stress and the overall mood was one of relaxation — especially because it was for a weekend and work-related issues didn't arise. When you and your partner made it official, meaning you decided to be in a full-fledged committed relationship, you probably took a trip to a city neither one of you had been to before — which is a great step in your vacationing journey together. But now here you are at one year in, so it's time to take it up a notch.

A week away in a foreign country can bring a lot of hurdles (fun ones!) to your travel plans. You've got jet lag to deal with depending on how far you traveled, trying to figure out the conversion rate of another country's money, and a whole week together — just you and your partner having fun, getting lost, trying food you haven't tried before, and, of course, getting lost again. This is the type of experience that not only brings out vacation mode in people but also gives you both the opportunity to see how you react in certain never-before experienced situations.

As much fun as it would be to blindly point to a spot on the map, the likelihood of most people doing that only one year into a relationship is pretty low — but you'll get there someday. If you're in the U.S. and don't want to travel across the pond, Montreal is an option. Although the first language in Quebec is French, because Montreal is a city, everyone speaks English too. So this could be your sort of trial run for that eventual excursion to the City of Lights. 

If you like the idea of going far away but are nervous about a language barrier, then London is a good option. Sure, their slang may be a bit confusing, especially when you find out bangers and mash isn't a sex position. Ireland and Scotland, too, don't have much of a language barrier, and neither does Australia, but for just a week away, going "down under" is quite a haul. 

When you take that first international trip together, you definitely want to jump out of your comfort zone, but not so much that you find yourself feeling uneasy and not having a good time. More than anything, this trip is about seeing where your weaknesses and strengths are in foreign situations, and how you each handle vacation-related stress and inconveniences. It's not just a test, but a testament to what you two can handle and enjoy together as a couple.