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seasonal focus n valentine’s cities

40 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk Winter 2011/2012

St Valentine’s Day first became associatedwith romantic love in the Middle Ageswhen the tradition of courtly love flour-ished and writer Geoffrey Chaucer, authorof The Canterbury Tales, championedaffairs of the heart.

Today February 14 may be somewhat commercialisedwith teddy bears clutching hearts and inflated prices fora dozen red roses, but it still offers the chance to showyour loved one just how much they mean to you. Andwhat better way to do that than whisk them away for aromantic city break?

cities close to home Paris may be an obvious choice when it comes toromance, but it still melts hearts, and you can begin theseduction even before you leave the UK. Treatyourselves to a Victorian-style cocktail in The Booking

Office bar at the stunning St Pancras Renaissance Hotelbefore boarding Eurostar to the heart of the French capi-tal. As long as you book well in advance, you can dine atthe Eiffel Tower and take a Seine River Cruise. Alterna-tively take a more avant-garde approach and stroll theLeft Bank, stopping in romantic bars; hunt around themany vintage markets and enjoy a classic movie at anold-style cinema like Le Champo in the Latin Quarter.

A little bit more left field is the Dutch city of Amster-dam, where lovers can explore the Van Gogh Museum orStedelikj Modern Art Museum, or browse the boutiquesand curiosity shops around Nine Streets (a grid withinthe canal network). By night, book a dinner cruise by therisqué Supperclub with live DJs and dancing till late.

The Italian city of Venice has a history of famouslovers and romantics from Lord Byron, who used toswim down the Grand Canal, to Casanova, who wasimprisoned in the Doge’s Palace. For maximum impact,

arrive by natty water taxi across the lagoon from theairport and up the impossibly-narrow canals to yourwaterside hotel. There’s uber-romantic dining at Cips,the floating alfresco restaurant at Hotel Cipriani, artgalleries galore, glass-making on Murano island andcolourful houses and lace-making on Burano, not forget-ting the famous gondola rides under the Rialto Bridge.

If you’ve seen the Woody Allen movie, Vicky CristinaBarcelona, or ever been to the magnificent Catalan city ofBarcelona, you’ll know this is an exciting city for lovers.Explore the Gothic Quarter, the Museu Picasso andGaudi’s architecture, go designer shopping and dinelate at 7 Portes, one of the oldest in the city.

love in a cold climateThere’s something undeniably seductive about anicy destination. The chance to wrap up warm andexplore frozen cities, drink hot toddies and snug-

seasonal focus n valentine’s cities

Cities of

With the most romantic day in the calendarapproaching, where in the world can you whiskyour loved one off to for a cosy city break that willmake your hearts beat faster? In the first of ournew seasonal feature series, Jane Anderson givesa guided tour of some of the world’s sexiestdestinations

passion

n Candlelit dinner overlooking theCzech Republic’s Chateau Mcely

n Church ofOur Saviouron SpilledBlood, StPetersburg

n Romance in Prague

Czech Tourism

Czech Tourism

Peter Ellegard

gle up together under reindeer skins at an ice hotel,carved out and constructed from blocks of ice.

This winter has been one of the best to view theNorthern Lights and Iceland is one of the key places tohead for this romantic spectacle. Couples can spend anight or two exploring the capital, Reykjavik, seeing theImagine Peace Tower cast its geothermally-poweredbeam of light into the night sky and taking a dip in theBlue Lagoon before heading to Akureyri, the Capital ofthe North and Lake Myvatn, a geological wonderrenowned for its natural beauty.

Finland is also far enough north to catch the Aurora

Borealis spectacle and you might just catch a glimpsefrom its cool capital, Helsinki, where you can spend yourdays exploring the Kiasmna Museum of ContemporaryArt and bargain hunting around the vintage shops and artboutiques of the Design District. Don’t miss a romanticdinner at Olo, a low-key but achingly-stylish restaurantserving Finnish favourites such as reindeer.

Russia’s St Petersburg is blanketed in snow in Febru-ary, making it the perfect city to take a horse-drawncarriage past splendid palaces, majestic cathedrals andfrozen canals. Couples must also catch a performance ofthe Nutcracker at the Mariinsky Theatre and go skatingtogether on one of the many outdoor ice rinks.

Montreal is the largest city in the Canadian provinceof Quebec and has a vibrant food and arts scene whichlends itself to romantic weekends. Snow lovers shouldhead to Montreal Snow Village, the first of its kind inNorth America, located in the grounds of St DrapeauPark on St Helene’s Island. It’s made entirely of ice andsnow and includes an ice hotel, polar snow igloos, acrystalline wedding chapel (just in case you decide to tiethe knot), an ice restaurant, Le Kube Ice Bar and aheated outdoor Spa under the Stars.

far-flung romanceNew York is one of the most glamorous cities in theworld, guaranteed to sweep your loved one off their feet.Despite its cutting-edge culture, the Big Apple does old-style romance to a tee with horse and carriage ridesaround Central Park, iconic sights such as the EmpireState Building and ice-skating at the Rockefeller Centrerink. If you want something more hip, head to the

boutiques, bars and clubs of the Meatpacking Districtfor a super cool Valentine’s night out.

For a transatlantic trip in warmer climes, Miami'sanother high-octane choice for couples, for the art decocharm and chic clubs and bars of South Beach.

Cape Town is another certainty for Valentine’ssunshine, top cuisine and wines. If you’re feeling adven-turous you can take the cable car up Table Mountain, siteof many a wedding proposal, or hire a car and head offinto the Cape Winelands for a romantic toast.

And if you’re prepared to travel half way round theworld for your love, the Hawaiian city of Honolulu isone of the most romantic on the planet. Located on themain island of Oahu, this is the vibrant epicentre ofHawaii, from the underground bars of the Chinatownarts district to the Hawaii Theatre. It’s also a fabulousjumping off point for a romantic trip round the islands.

exotic citiesThe Turkish capital of Istanbul is widely known as themeeting point of East and West, but increasingly it’swhere the ancient meets the brand new. The city isseeing an explosion of cutting-edge hotels, bars,boutiques and galleries, all vying for space with itsspectacular Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, traditionalhammams and Grand Bazaar. Or you can escape thecrowds and enjoy the perfect picnic when you take aferry up the Bosphorus to Anadolu Kavagi. The villageis surrounded by wooded hills and there are great viewsfrom the Byzantine ruins of Yoros castle.

The Moroccan city of Marrakech is another exoticcity of romance and intrigue. Its central square, the

Djemaa el Fnaa, is a thousand-year-old carnival withstorytellers and soothsayers, acrobats and mint tea-sell-ers. Its labyrinthine souks offer a blast of exoticism, butthe great thing about this city is its many calm andtotally-enchanting hideaways, from the Jardin Majorelle,formerly owned by Yves St Laurent to the many stun-ning riads (small hotels). Couples can also take a caleche(horse and carriage) out to the palmeraie (palm groves)surrounding the city or head out to the Atlas Mountainsfor a night under the stars.

For something further afield, Cuba’s capital Havana

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seasonal focus n valentine’s cities

n A caleche in Marrakech

n St Sophia in Istanbul

Morrocan Tourist Boa

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42 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk Winter 2011/12

“There’ssomethingundeniablyseductiveabout an icydestination”

n Lovers can explore Amsterdam’s canals n Helsinki Cathedral in winter

n The Imagine Peace Tower in Icelandcasts a beam into the night sky

Visit Finland

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seasonal focus n valentine’s cities

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offers hopeless romantics the chance to travel back intime, with classic American Buiks and Chevvies on theroad, perfectly-preserved colonial architecture and CheGuevara billboards. There are happening nightclubs andthat famous Havana rum to keep things lively.

Or how about a trip to the Argentinean capital,Buenos Aires, renowned for its hot tango classes and thebest steak restaurants in the world?

living the high life There are certain cities which shout out decadence.Edinburgh may still be in the grip of a Scottish winter inFebruary but there are plenty of ways to live the highlife – literally. For anyone who’s read David Nicholl’snovel, One Day, climbing Arthur’s Seat could be thestart of a big romance with its majestic views of Edin-burgh Castle, and the Old and New Towns.

There are plenty of top-notch places to wine and dine.Top of the list for many is the extraordinary Witchery bythe Castle which also has fabulously gothic rooms or itssister hotel and restaurant, Prestonfield, with its privatedining room, the Salon Privee, which has a 100%success rate for marriage proposals.

If you’re determined to follow the jetset, ahoneymoon jaunt to Monte Carlo could be just theticket. In this tiny principality of Monaco, you can arriveby helicopter, hang out in the casinos, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants and generally have a blast.

Prague is a European city that captures the imagina-tion of couples who revel in the splendour of history.Spend a day in the historic part of Prague and take aromantic cruise on the river Vltava, then enjoy a candle-lit dinner overlooking Prague’s glorious skyline,guaranteed to put you in the mood for love.

Or you can find your very own fairytale castle, suchas the 17th-century Chateau Mcely an hour to the north-east of the capital, with a rejuvenating spa, chic salons,gourmet restaurant and Alchymist Club bar. Spa roman-tics can indulge themselves in a special Valentine’s Daywellness package with chocolate and honey massages,prepared for guests of the Krivan Hotel in the WesternBohemia spa town of Marianske Lazne. A number ofrelaxation and wellness stays for couples are also offeredin hotels in the town of Luhacovice, in East Moravia.

Of course, for a true taste of the high life, Las Vegas is

impossible to beat for overt decadence. Stretched limos,day-time pool parties with top DJs and private cabanas,incredible cuisine, outrageous suites and some of the bestshows in the world, from Absinthe to Cirque de Soleil’sLa Reve, just spell out high-rolling romance.

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seasonal focus n valentine’s cities

valentine’s getaways facts

valentine’s packagesParis: Fall in love all over again at Le Bristol Hotel, one of the firsthotels in Paris to be named a palace. An overnight stay with Americanbreakfast, a treatment for two at the Spa by La Prairie, a glass ofChampagne and a Boucheron gift costs from €930 for two in a superiorroom. www.lebristolparis.com

Venice: Seasons (www.seasons.co.uk,01244 202002) offers two nights in agarden view room with balcony andbreakfast at Hotel Cipriani, with flightsand transfers, from £1,072 per person.

Montreal Snow Village: Bon Voyage(www.bon-voyage.co.uk, 0800 316 3012) offers four-night Valentine’sbreaks to Montreal, including a night at theSnow Village in a polar igloo and three nights at the historic FairmontQueen Elizabeth Hotel, from £895 per person with flights.

New York:Celebrate Valentine’s Day inNew York at the Philippe Stark-designed

Hudson Hotel. The hotel has a neo-modern design and is home to theHudson Bar, one of New York’s hottestnightspots. Depart on February 11 withLetsgo2 (www.letsgo2.com,

020 3582 4492) for five nights, room-only,from £689 per person with flights.

Kasbah Tamadot: Head to the ultra-romantic Kasbah Tamadot in theAtlas Mountains just outside Marrakech, part of Richard Branson’s VirginLimited Edition group (www.virginlimitededition.com, 0800 716 919). A Valentine’s package costs 2,330 euros per couple forfour nights, with daily breakfast and dinner, bottle of Champagne,traditional Hammam spa treatment each and private transfers fromMarrakech.

Las Vegas: Stay three nights, room-only, at the Palms Casino Resortwith Virgin Holidays (www.virginholidays.co.uk, 0844 557 3865) from£865 per person with car hire and flights.

top websites for romancewww.mrandmrssmith.comwww.i-escape.comwww.101honeymoons.co.uk

n The Las Vegas strip

n The GrandCanal, Venice

n The NewYork skyline

n Background picture above: thenorthern lights Visit Finland

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Travel writer Jane Anderson counts romantic journeys as one of her specialist subjectshaving been travel editor at You & Your Wedding magazine and currently editor ofwww.101honeymoons.co.uk. She also contributes to Unique Honeymoons magazine.