The Most Romantic Getaways for St. Valentine’s Day

[Velimira Velikova]

To-morrow is Saint Valentine’s day,

All in the morning betime,

And I a maid at your window,

To be your Valentine.

Then up he rose, and donn’d his clothes,

And dupp’d the chamber-door;

Let in the maid, that out a maid

Never departed more.

—William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5

#1. The Seductive One: Rome

The country of pizza, pasta, good wine, beautiful women and romantic architecture dating back from the past! The cultural heritage and exquisite Italian cuisine are certainly a deeply touching and fascinating combination!Don’t hesitate, Rome has a lot to offer to you and your Valentine!

#2.  The Romantic One: Paris

Blessed with splendid scenery and little street cafes, Paris is possibly the most romantic city in the world. There is something about the city streets, the buildings, the intoxicating food, and the gorgeous people, that makes you want to live longer, better, and more passionately. Its magic makes you feel that you really could fall in love on the metro, or standing in front of the Tour Eiffel, or walking along the Champs Elysee.

#3. The Enchanting One: Venice

Venice has got everything that you could want out of a city. The ‘Queen of The Adriatic’ is a floating city, and therefore surrounded by canals, and filled with sweet, narrow streets. Some of the most romantic attractions include Piazza San Marco, Canale Grande, and Ponte di Rialto, but in Venice, you can fall in love anywhere.

#4. The Sultry One: Cape Town

Beautiful beaches, outstanding food, centuries old manors and vineyards – the breathtaking scenery of Cape Town is the perfect place for a date.

#5. The Indulgent One: Vienna

Vienna and the city’s tradition and heritage, architectural, artistic and musical, has no comparison. The Austrian capital is one of the most beautiful, sophisticated and vibrant cities of the world. Its blend of historical and cultural heritage mixed with majestic boulevards, medieval streets and ornate courtyards, radiates old world charm and magic.

#6. The Fairy-Tale One: Prague

Since the late eighties and the opening up of Eastern Europe, Prague quickly became one of the trendy places to visit and rapidly evolved to offer all kind of tourist amenities. It is a lively destination with plenty of beautiful things to see starting with its grand castle and the famously romantic Charles bridge.

#7. The Irresistible One: Lisbon

Lisbon is the one of the greatest continental capitals and a perfect getaway to slip away for a romantic break. Mid-February in the Portuguese capital brings sparkling days, ideal for exploring the seven hills over which Lisbon is draped, and for discovering the fragile façades that give the city such soul. Also, the tile-clad cafés and restaurants are emptier and more intimate than in the height of summer.

#8. The Magnetic One: Brussels

Paris is the obvious head-turner, but Brussels has oodles of ooh-la-la. It doesn’t make an exhibition of itself, yet you’d be pressed to find a more exquisite heart to a city than the Grand Place, ringed by guildhouses and the Gothic town hall. Linked to the Lower Town by cobbled lanes, it’s almost too chocolate-boxy to be true. Ah, chocolate… If music be the food of love, handmade Belgian chocs run it close.

#9. The Alluring One: Porto

At the mouth of the Rio Douro, the hilly city of Porto presents a jumble of styles, eras and attitudes: narrow medieval alleyways, extravagant baroque churches, prim little squares, and wide boulevards lined with stately beaux-arts edifices. Porto’s historic centre is the Ribeira district, a Unesco World Heritage zone of winding lanes, zigzagging staircases and tiled churches peering around every corner.

#10. The Enchanting One: Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik  is a town of a long-standing tourist tradition, ready to meet the most sophisticated requests of its visitors. This is a town of museums and festivals, the town of taverns and restaurants, the place of a mild Mediterranean climate and wonderful landscapes confirming the famous saying of the Irish writer Bernard Shaw: “Those who look for a paradise on earth should come to this town.

 #11. The Passionate One: Seville

Poet Lord Byron described Seville as ‘a pleasant city, famous for oranges and women’. It’s perhaps the most perennially elegant in Spain: fountains gurgle in quiet patios ablaze with geraniums and minarets, lending sensuality. Enjoying a meal, taking a walking, or flying a hot air balloon over any of these cities is enough to make even the least romantic people feel inspired.

#12. The Idyllic One: Bruges

Canals, medieval buildings and the small size of one of the most visited places of Belgium a cute romantic place to go. Ideal for a weekend, for those who enjoy ancient architecture, fine gastronomy and the best chocolate in the world.

#13. The Charming One: Budapest

Destination that developed on the banks of the Danube river, Budapest is experiencing a fantastic revival since the early nineties, which made it become one of the most-wanted alternate destinations for a romantic gateway.

#14. The Dreamy One: Siena

Siena’s Piazza del Campo is an aesthetic ante, creating today’s notion of romantic architecture. Renaissance turrets, 15th-century trade courts that echoe with lifetimes of mercantile buzz and streets begging you to wander a due, stopping for frothy macchiatos. By night, the Piazza is very come-hither – faces shine in the lamp glow of alfresco tables.

#15. The Poetic One: Biarritz

Romance is the raison d’être of Biarritz. This Basque town, framed by the Pyrenees and the Atlantic, was a humble port until Napoleon III came and fell for a girl twirling her parasol on the sands. The teenager became Empress Eugenie, and Biarritz was, overnight, the most fashionable resort in Europe: with grand hotels, Belle Epoque terraces and a taste for sensuous fun, it’s still a romantic heaven.