And round the Sun we go again! As 2025 comes to a close, we look back on the year and at some of the most popular stories we’ve published. Here are your top 10 favourite articles.
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Each year, Christina and I trawl through the analytics of Mr & Mrs Romance and look at which of our stories have the most views and click-throughs, the most shares and comments.
It’s so interesting to see what you, our wonderful readers, have enjoyed the most over the last 12 months.
We’re stoked to see so much of our travel content go down well this year — especially our Essential Guides, which do tend to take longer to create than most other stories.
It’s also great to see some of our wine features pop up in the top ten. We really value the relationships we have with the wineries we work with, so it means a lot that the stories we create hit the mark.
As always, thank you so much for your support and attention over the past year. You’re the reason we do all of this, so if there’s something you’d like us to write about more (or less), let us know.
You can leave a comment here or on socials (we’re @mrandmrsromance on pretty much everything), or you can DM us there too.
In the meantime, settle in for your top ten, and here’s to 2026!
Cheers — Jim & Christina xx.
Top 10 of 2025
Italian Food Tour of Parma
Every town in Italy seems to be in the running for the most food-focused part of the country, but Parma really is in a league of its own.
Not only does this region produce the famous Prosciutto di Parma, it is also the home of Parmesan cheese — possibly the most ubiquitous (and copied) cheese in the world.
We go behind the scenes on a food safari to see how these two iconic Italian staples are made and what sets them apart from other charcuterie products out there.
Essential Guide to Luang Prabang, Laos
Our trip to Laos this year was a real travel highlight. This was the first time we’ve been to Laos and we really fell in love with the culture, the food, the people and the landscape.
Although we really enjoyed everywhere we went in Laos, Luang Prabang was a real stand-out, which seems to have resonated with you too.
You can find the rest of the stories we wrote about our time in Laos here.
What is Blanc de Blancs?
We all know that Champagne — whether it’s actually the best type of sparkling or just has the best marketing — is the pinnacle of bubbly. But did you know that most Champagne is in fact a blend of three different grapes?
If you’ve ever seen ‘Blanc de Blancs’ on a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine from anywhere else for that matter, you might have wondered what it is and how it’s different from regular bubbles.
We look at three different Blanc de Blancs and delve into what makes this wine different — if not better.
7 Points on The Death Railway You Must See
Easily the most poignant travel experience we’ve had to date, journeying the Death Railway in western Thailand and attending the Anzac Day dawn service at Hellfire Pass was very special.
Part of the Japanese Empire’s war efforts in WWII, the Death Railway, built in 1942 and ‘43 by Allied troops and subjugated Asian labour, once travelled from Bangkok to then Burma’s western coast.
This story follows the remaining stretch of that track and picks out some of the most important surviving points to see. I’m so glad this made the top 10 as the history behind the railway is so important.
Make sure you check out the accompanying video too!
Our Essential Guide to Perth, WA
Christina and I love making these Essential Guides — they’re some of our earliest stories on MMR.
This Essential Guide, however, is a bit different: it’s from my trip to Perth with five of my mates to watch the first test of the Ashes.
But it’s still got so many great tips for things to do, places to eat and drink and covers three major areas of Perth: the city, Fremantle and the Swan Valley wine region.
Where to Stay in Orange, NSW — the Oriana Motel
Orange is one of mine and Christina’s favourite parts of NSW. The food and wine here is always on point, and the locals are, without fail or exception, so incredibly friendly.
This hotel review is a prime example of that. The owner of the Oriana, Espen Harbitz, is magnificent and his vision of creating a chic yet comfortable retro-glam residence has come to full fruition here.
What’s more, the food and wine in the hotel’s Peacock Room bistro is not to be missed.
Our Essential Guide to Budapest, Hungary
We’ve wanted to visit Budapest for the longest time. Finally, late last year, we managed to get to the Hungarian capital and this is what we found when we got there.
Without giving away the story too much, I can tell you that Budapest far surpassed our expectations, which were already quite high.
Could this be our new favourite European city? I won’t rule it out!
Keeping The Flame — we dive into Scarborough Wines
When you think of Hunter Valley wine — especially Chardonnay — you should simultaneously be thinking ‘Scarborough’.
This winemaking family is now in its second generation and has just brought out its new ultra-premium range the Keepers of the Flame.
We have interviewed Sally Scarborough daughter of Ian ‘Scarbie’ Scarborough and his wife Merralea, to talk about her role in the family business, what it’s like to be part of such an iconic brand, and how legacy and innovation work side by side as things move forward.
Get into the Spirit of Sydney’s Inner West Distillery Trail
Sydney’s Inner West is such an interesting part of the city. Once quite run down, it’s now a thriving centre for entertainment and hospitality.
The Inner West Ale Trail has been around for a while now, leading beer fans around many of the craft breweries that have set up shop here. But at last, the distilleries are getting their time in the sun.
The Inner West Distillery Trail treks through the suburbs of the area showcasing some of the best gin, rum and whisky makers in the country.
Where to Stay in the NSW South Coast — Cupitt’s Estate, Ulladulla
We’ve been fans of Cupitt’s wines for a long time, so it was a real pleasure to be invited to visit the winery and to stay in their new accommodation offerings.
Looking out over the fields of this pretty South Coast winery and brewery, the villas the Cupitt family have built are beautifully appointed and wonderfully close to the cellar door.
We also get the opportunity to have a wine tasting amongst the barrels of the subterranean cellar!
BONUS: Our Latest Issue of Hint Magazine!
I couldn’t resist the chance of sneaking this in at the end — our latest edition of Hint Magazine and gift guide is out now! You can get your digital copy of free here, and there’s a swath of stories that we’ve published from the mag here too.
My personal favourite this year is this story we wrote on making Christmas memorable. I hope you find it as helpful in its reading as we did cathartic in its making.
Thanks again, and a merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and yours!
