This will be a fun topic...

Have you been to Iceland? That's the country that sprang to mind when I read what you like to do.

How long would the trip be?

How long is a big trip for you?

Croatia for me. It's a little early for warm water but the weather should be great and the towns along the Adriatic are, I think, ideal for an anniversary. The place will be lively but the major crowds won't arrive until later. I'd probably start in Dubrovnik and end in Venice, with maybe four or five two to three night stops between.

Happy anniversary!

Well epic for me would be the amount of time spent traveling, so my idea for epic would be the maximum amount of time we could manage, and I would probably go to the S. of France, Spain, and Portugal (or some combo thereof), and plan different outdoor activities in each, like backpacking in the Pyrenees, biking in S. France, etc etc.
We are going to Greece this summer for a month, and while we appreciate museums a lot, we did that so much last summer (in France and Italy) that this summer we are emphasizing the outdoorsy attributes (while still including several cultural ones). Point is, in my research, there is SO much Id like to do in Greece that we won't have time for. We are hiking a lot, rock-climbing, and obviously cliff jumping and swimming. There is a lot of great cycling, but our youngest is 10, so that 83k bike ride around Naxos will have to wait ;)
Croatia is on our short list too.
Sounds like you should get a pile of guide books and see where your attention gravitates --
Wrt Iceland, I have well-traveled friends who are traveling there this summer, and they have been gobsmacked at how expensive it is, so there's that--

First of all, congratulations on your 25th anniversary! At the risk of repetition, it would be easier to give you an opinion if we knew how long your trip will last. What follows is strictly based on my own preferences....If 7-10 days, I'd recommend Slovenia (because I want to return so for me, that would be my first choice no matter how long I had to travel!). With 2 weeks (or more) you could add Croatia since you'll already be in the neighborhood, so to speak-or Greece. Longer, I would say opens up more possibilities. A caveat: I haven't been to Portugal but have been to all the other countries you mention. I don't think you could go wrong with any of your choices. Whatever you decide, it will be "epic"!

I will update the question- but it will be at least 2 weeks- probably could do 3-4. And Yes we've been to Iceland twice.

June 1 or June 30th?

Is a requirement to be there (somewhere) on your anniversary proper, or could you wrap up your trip on/around the big day?

The issue I see is heat. Many of the places you mention - southern Europe - will be heating up in June. If you go a little early (like start in May, finish by mid-June) that would open up more options and could be lovely. That said, I would think twice before heading to hot places around the end of June. Hot and crowded it could easily be.

hey aly
the basque region in southern france. (bayonne, biarritz, saint jean de luz saint jean pied de port). best friend from the area. black cherry festival in june, ocean to swim and surf in, mountains and trails to hike and climb, rhune train, small cute villages and wineries, food.
also in june there is a wine festival in bordeaux along the river. you can also cross over in spain and see san sebastian and villages along the coast.
rent a car and off you go exploring. you can PM (private message) if you decide here. have other stuff.
aloha

Ah, I love princess pupule's suggestion. If you decide on that, I'd like to go with you!!! ;)

Epic? Uzbekistan.

Since you didn't mention anything about budget restrictions, my suggestion would be some combination of the Scandinavian countries. End of June would be a nice time to go - weather is getting warmer but worst crowds haven't arrived yet. The southern areas of Norway and Sweden and all of Denmark should be nice enough weatherwise to do lots of outdoor activities. I've only been to Sweden and that was in the first week of July - so just a week or two later than you - and it was glorious. We were doing a tour of the lighthouses and did lots of hikes out to some very scenic coastal areas and also took some boat/ferry rides to some of the islands. I always wanted to go back and see Norway, Denmark, and Finland but never made it.

You are asking all the wrong people :)
If you want this to be a special wedding anniversary trip for you and your husband, surely he is the one you should be talking to. Where has he always wanted to go? Where does he think would be a place for a special memory?
It doesn't matter a bit what the rest of us think compared to what he is interested in.

I would suggest an African safari.

Does it have to be Europe? If not, consider the Galapagos Islands for a memorable adventure. If you have time (and money) left, add Ecuador & Peru.

Good points just made above: we all love Europe, but there's a lot more to the world. If you've been to Europe so many times it's getting harder and harder to find someplace you haven't been to many times, but the rest of the world is a blank map...you have lots of wonderful choices.

I agree with Nancy. For June, Scandinavia is a perfect place to visit. I'm partial to Sweden, but that's just me. And you could be there during midsummer celebrations. I also recommend going up toward the Arctic Circle in Sweden, fascinating, and it will be light almost all night! Don't visit Southern Europe in the summer because of the heat and crowds. YMMV

I agree with others that I would look outside Europe. An African Safari of a cruise to the Galapagos would be epic for sure.

I agree that there is so much more to the world than Europe. Having been to the Galapagos Islands and Africa, I can highly recommend both! Highly!!!!

I think Iceland is epic. It's so different than any place I've been. If you fly Icelandair, you could pick a country from your list that Icelandair flies to like France or Spain, and then do the free Iceland layover which is up to 7 days. By free, that is no additional airfare. You still pay the other expenses. ;) I'm not sure where you live, but I know Icelandair is flying out of Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle, and NYC, and I'm guessing many more cities.

So we’ve traveled all over and because of the time of year I’d rather not go to South America. Usually hit those areas in the winter. African safaris have never interested us. And my husband has gone to every place he’s wanted. That’s why I’m trying to come up with something new. I think I’m liking the south of France and Croatia ideas. All the suggestions have been GREAT!!! Making me think outside the box!

I suggest Scandinavia. Fly to Copenhagen, stay 5 days, take ferry to Oslo (https://www.dfdsseaways.com/), stay 4 days, take ferry (http://hurtigruten.us) to Kirkenes, take train to Stockholm, stay 5 days, take ferry to Helsinki, stay 4 days, fly home.

Aly,
Congrats on the anniversary!

We did a 4 week road trip (2 in Portugal, 1 across northern Spain and then 1 in S. France) returned a few weeks ago. I wrote a trip review on the Portugal part and working on the Spain.
It was fantastic.
My husband bikes, but I only last about a half hour. You might want to look into Backroads company. I saw many great trips they host. You could do part car and road trip then meet with this company for the second part of the trip. I think the Basque Country and Northern Spain are beautiful! A fantastic National Parc.
Now we've also been to Croatia and that is also lovely. Well, so is Greece! And the Provence area of France is fantastic. We were there last year end of June. The sunflowers and lavender, WOW!

You really can not go wrong with any of those areas.
I don't know how comfortable you are traveling in areas where few speak English. We found that in northern Spain quite often, but our google translator and our limited spanish skills helped.

I'd say Scandinavia, for several reasons. First of all, while the weather in other parts of Europe may not be ideal in late June, it's the BEST time to visit Scandinavia. The locals are enjoying the short summer, so everyone is in a festive mood. Second, the "good weather" time in Scandinavia is short, so take advantage of the fact that this is when you are traveling. (In other words, while I love Budapest, there are more months of the year I'd want to go there compared to Stockholm). Third, it's potentially expensive, but for a 25th anniversary, you not only won't mind a splurge but will probably want to do so.

There are lots of things do see and do outdoors, hiking and biking opportunities abound, and the food scene is now very hot (again, if you've got the money for the fancy places). While there are certainly museums to see, these places are not "museum cities" in the way of, say, Madrid. And many of the museums in Scandinavia aren't about fine arts; there are museums about various aspects of sea travel (the Vasa, the Kon Tiki) or skiing, for instance.

Look at Rick's Scandinavia book as well as videos; look at other books and videos too, of course, to see if the region appeals. Note that Rick's book has lots of great money-saving tips for this potentially expensive area.

I suggest Croatia-Slovenia-Hungary.

2 Weeks
Zagreb-Dubrovnik-Ljubljana
3 Weeks
Add Budapest
4 Weeks
Add Tyrol-Austria

Aly,
You want epic, so try this:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/destinations/europe/ocean/greece-cruise/

The SeaCloud is a lovely, historic real sailing ship. We sailed by booking directly with the SeaCloud, and I actually posted a trip report on it several years ago. But, I think it is so worth it to book thru National Geographic (for all the reasons I mentioned in my trip report: a ship staff member told me the National Geographic trips are more active (also more inclusive), and they are comprised of more American guests (we were among the very few predominately English-speaking on our sailing of mostly German-speaking guests (the ship is now German owned).

But, the ship itself is fabulous, and National Geographic/Lindblad does an incredible job.

We sailed from Venice to Venice, along Croatia in early October........to go thru the Greek Isles in June would be fabulous!!

Silversea is also another cruise line we would highly recommend (and we have sailed with them three times), our first time was thru the Greek Isles up to Turkey. I think visiting the Greek Isles is efficiently done by ship, and you can then add extra days to see some sights in Greece by land.

Every time I see photos of the blue domes of Santorini, I smile deep in my heart :) It was a epic trip for us.

Happy Anniversary to you!!

Aly,
Another idea would be to go to Antarctica, but you don't do that in June. The season for tourist travel there is late November - February. Middle January is ideal, though (penguin chicks beginning to hatch and some already hatched).

While I am one to believe in not postponing joy, I also believe in not celebrating a milestone too early, but you could do Greece in June and then plan Antarctica for the following January..............that together would be "double epic." Why not?

My suggestion is similar to tgreens'. With 3 weeks you could see a good chunk of southern France and northern Spain, perhaps including a couple of days hiking in the Pyrenees. A sort of diagonal route from Lyon to the Galicia coast perhaps? With 4 weeks you could add a bit of Portugal. Ideally you would mix hiring a car with using public transport; and with a year to plan (I assume next June means 2019), you have plenty of planning time. The weather should be ideal, sunny but not oppressively hot. And there are plenty of walking opportunities, plus a real variety of town "styles", countryside and sights that are not just museums such as castles, farms, vineyards, fishing ports, beaches and so on. And, of course, wonderful but different regional food to try as you move around.

For hiking, biking, great food ( and wine) and lovely scenery, I would highly recommend Slovenia. We were there last September and we very impressed with how welcoming the people are, as well as by the overall quality of the tourist facilities. The Julian Alps offer great hiking, and you can cycle the flatter terrain around Lakes Bled and Bohinj or the Soça River Valley. Throw in some SUP or kayaking on the Lakes, or river rafting on the Soça. Piran on the Cosat is a charming town and swimming in the clear Adriatic water was a treat. The food was wonderful, with an emphasis on locally-grown vegetables (everyone seems to have a vegetable garden), seafood, and some tasty regional dishes.

We were on a hiking tour with REI Adventures so did not rent a car, but my sister and her husband spent 10 days touring Slovenia before meeting up with us in Ljubljana for the hiking tour. They said driving was very easy (especially compared to Italy),

My suggestion is not epic, but you did mention you are considering the South of France and to me that means the Riviera.
Nice is a great airport to fly into and there is easy and cheap transportation in the area. Last October, we spent a week in Villefranche sur Mer and loved it. We found a wonderful place to stay on rivieraexperience.com. All their apts are beautifully decorated and well kept and Shelley is delightful to work with. We stayed in the studio which had a large balcony overlooking the water with the beach a few feet away. Villefranche is small so it is easy to walk to the Old Town. We walked many miles a day as just outside our apt was the beach which led to steps that took us to Beaulieu and St Jean Cap Ferrat. We love the Rothschild Villa in St Jean so we bought an annual pass just for our week and stopped in every day. We took the bus or train to Monaco and Monte Carlo, Eze and Menton. We didn't have time to walk to Nice, but there is a coastal path. Also, we walked paths around the Cap. It is gorgeous. Nice has a lot to offer and Antibes is easy to get to by train. Italy is also very close. You could easily add Provence to your itinerary. Hope you have a wonderful time no matter where you end up!

I know you said you've been "everywhere" besides the places on your list but, because many people forget it exists, I will ask: how about Australia?

June is winter here, but like the USA, it's a big place so in June you could go skiing one week, sunbathe on white sand in 27C the following week.

Winter in Oz is great for all the things you like to do. You could hike jaw-dropping coastline, mountains, rainforest or desert - your choice.

I won't make any detailed suggestions unless you confirm you haven't been here. If you have and want to go somewhere else, may I suggest you think not only about places and destinations but experiences? I have enjoyed holidays to the usual sort of places but done differently. Examples might be to hire a motorhome and explore Norway, rent a narrowboat on the English canals and Broads or drive along the Cote D'Azur in a rented, convertible sportscar. Look at 'quirky' homes available on AirBnB - maybe stay in a converted windmill, a treehouse in the jungle or a barge in Amsterdam. You get my drift!

We were married at 18, too. We're celebrating 43 years together this year. Our 'honeymoon' was a wet weekend in a dismal British seaside town. We will celebrate this year's anniversary in Bellagio :-)

For me Greece definetely! Amazing landscapes, food and people. We decided to charter a yacht /(with https://www.topsailingcharter.com/en/yacht-charter-in-greece/304-3.html ) and it was a super idea, we were able to see all the islands we wanted!

I know this is a Europe forum, but here goes. Brazil. You could spend the entire two to four weeks in Brazil even though June's not the best time of year for south of the equator. Or add Argentina or anywhere else in South America. If you've been to so much of Europe it's time to branch out. Have a great trip!

Since you have been all over Europe I can't see how any of what you listed would be epic. I would have suggested NZ but not in June unless you are skiers. We just returned from the South of France and although pretty - to me hill towns are hill towns no matter in what country they are located. Have you been to or considered Turkey? A country at a crossroads in more ways then one but I'm not sure Turkey would fit the active bill. We are active travelers (and agree with the "museums not so much" part).

So maybe Croatia - sailing, kayaking, hiking & biking - the food to me is only ok.
Slovenia can be great for active travelers for sure.

Greece for sailing and hiking.
How about Sardinia or Corsica?

We have done 7 RS tours and traveled Europe on our own. We also lived in Okinawa for 4 years and traveled all over the far East.

One of the RS tours we took was Eastern Europe. One of our favorites!! Prague, Krakow to the countryside, then Budapest, Slovenia and Croatia. Great trip! take a look at it.

Whatever you decide I hope you have a Great Time
And Happy Anniversary,
Mimi

We've been to all the places you mentioned and they are all good.

Can you handle the heat, because it can be hot in the MED in June. Greece, Spain, Portugal and South of France are also very busy that time of the year, but not so busy that you can't enjoy it.

We are from South Georgia and used to the heat, but we have friends from north of us that complained about the heat on some of these places.

Here are my trip/vruise reviews for these places. Loaded with details and planning:
Black Sea and E. Med
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=228545
W. Med  NCL Epic
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=103808
AMA Rhone River
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=103733
Spain, Canary Islands and Morocco
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=80907
E. Med and Adriatic, NCL Gem
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=70129
Russia, Kiev and Baltics
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1478384
Portugal, the Douro River and a bit of Spain
http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=535267

28 days in Britain and Celebrity Eclipse home
https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=599139

From that list I suggest Hungary and Finland.