Paris

Truly the City of Romance, Paris has it all when it comes to sweeping your lover off their feet. The food, wine, culture and language all combine to make you feel extra special and there are lots of opportunities for soaking up the wonderful atmosphere.

Everyone knows about the Eiffel Tower, but there are two other ways to get high with your honey. The Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame both provide stunning views of the city. There are few better places to put your arms around your lover than atop these two attractions. Some would even argue you get a better view, because the Eiffel Tower is so tall the city is too small from that height. And at Notre Dame, you get the bonus of being close to the gothic gargoyles.

There are, of course, endless opportunities to eat and drink well in Paris, at venues to suit every budget. You could try a coffee at the infamous Deux Magots cafe, frequented by Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso, or visit the Cafe Procope, allegedly the world’s oldest restaurant. Be sure to notice Nelson’s hat while you are there, which he is supposed to have left when he could not pay the bill!

Venice

Some would argue that this incredible city has to be the most romantic destination of all time. It has barely changed since Marco Polo’s time and you really feel that you might bump into Casanova round the next corner.

Of course a gondala ride is the most famous way of wooing your lover, but if you don’t want to take out a second mortgage to do it, why not take a traghetto (gondola ferry) across the Grand Canal for less than one Euro each? Or catch the vaporetto (water bus) up and down the Grand Canal and even across to the Lido and the other islands.

Venice herself is the main attraction here, although of course the Doge’s Palace and Piazza San Marco are iconic landmarks; and you can stop by for a drink in the world-famous Harry’s Bar. Just remember you might need to pack an extra suitcase full of money if you expect to eat or drink in St Mark’s Square!

New York

For a romantic break that simply oozes style, it has to be New York.

Swoon over Central Park – enter at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue (just across from the Plaza Hotel, where Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones got hitched), then head north past Wollman Rink (featured in the tearjerker Love Story) before catching a ride on the antique carousel. Merge onto the Literary Walk, a path lined with statues of Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott, and the like. Up ahead is the Naumburg Bandshell, which played a part in Breakfast at Tiffany’s; to the west (beyond Lilac Walk) is Strawberry Fields, the teardrop-shaped green space adopted by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. And you haven’t even left Central Park yet!

It is easy to find stylish boutiques, stunning food and cosmopolitan bars in the city that never sleeps. Try the Russian Tea Room, where the political elite have rubbed shoulders with writers, actors and artists since 1927, or eat in style at the critically acclaimed Blue Ribbon Sushi in Manhattan.

Rome

There are some incredibly romantic places you will not want to miss, especially if you visit the Eternal City during the summer. Visiting these places with your loved one can provide a lifetime experience, a Thousand and one Night story to be told to you friends and make them envious for decades!

From the Gianicolo, Rome unrolls in front of your eyes on this popular yet always cosy and full of atmosphere belvedere. Walk slightly further, and you can sit on the quiet steps of the amphitheatre Quercia del Tasso. Who cares if there’s no show while you’re there. The company will be enough!

When you start to get tired, experience Rome’s romantic beauty by letting yourself glide on the waters of the Tiber with your other half. Starting from Ponte Duca d’Aosta and ending on Isola Tiberina and back, you will see some of the city’s jewels, such as Saint Peter’s or the Gianicolo, from an unusual standpoint and of course have time to snuggle up to your lover!

Polperro

For something a little closer to home, but just as romantic, head to the beautiful historic fishing town of Polperro in Cornwall. Cosy in winter and dazzling in summer, the narrow winding streets lead down to a bijou working harbour which still brings fresh fish every morning.

You can snuggle in front of the real fire and tuck in to some of that fresh fish with real ale in the Three Pilchards, or enjoy fine dining in Couch’s Great House. Get your walking boots on and follow the stunning coastal paths over the bright turquoise sea, or visit some of the local attractions such as the award-winning Eden Project, where you can wander hand-in-hand through the mists of a tropical rainforest!