Most opponents of Valentine’s Day complain about the fact that doing something special shouldn’t be reserved for one particular day out of 364. No more excuses! This year you can take Monday off and enjoy a long weekend to cuddle with your better half. Unsure where to go? Keep reading. We’ve gathered a list with the six most romantic cities from each continent in the world and the best hotels as voted by the customers of online reservations system hotel.info.
Agra – India
If you were an emperor, would you order the construction of a whole palace to serve as your loved one’s final resting place? Shah Jahan, emperor of India from 1628 until 1658, commissioned the making of the Taj Mahal to honor his favorite wife’s last wish before dying. Legend has it that after giving birth to the couple’s 14th child, Mumtaz Mahal’s deathbed wish was for her husband to build the most majestic mausoleum for her body to rest in the afterlife. Easily recognized as one of the most important strucutres for centuries, the “Crown Palace”, English for Taj Mahal, surely does enough to fulfill Mumtaz Mahal’s request and is almost the epitome of true love. The Taj is located some 250 Km south of New Delhi in the city of Agra. Be an early bird (The palace opens to the public at 6 am) and enjoy the most beautiful tomb ever made when it is still relatively empty. Besides the Taj Mahal, there are many temples worth visiting and the Agra Fort, practically unspoiled since its construction in the 16th century, still remains one of the main attractions in the city, partly because our romantic hero Shah Jahan ended up being prisoner inside its walls.
Offering unparalleled views of the Taj Mahal and with over 6 acres of landscaped gardens, the Gateway Hotel Fatehabad Road Agra was rated by the customers of online reservation system hotel.info as one of the best hotels in Agra and offers accommodation starting at GBP 99.92/ €116,07
Marrakech – Morocco
Also known as “The Red City”, Marrakech clearly is the most colorful destination in this list. Famous for its snake charmers, fire jugglers, bazaars, food stalls and Roman ruins, the city of Marrakech is a feast for the senses. It is divided into two main districts: The Medina and Gueliz (Ville Nouvelle). The Medina is the old historical town and is full with narrow alleyways, Souks (traditional Moroccan markets) and beautiful traditional architecture. Gueliz ist the European district and features modern restaurants and high street shopping. Djemma-El-Fna is the main square of the city of Marrakech and it becomes the place to be after the sun sets. Storytellers, musicians, dancers and food stalls will certainly keep both tourists and locals entertained. But if that isn’t romantic enough for you, Marrakech is the place where Riad hotels were born. Riads are traditional Moroccan palace-like houses and have been lately transformed into modern boutique hotels, which provide both comfort and style. At many Riads, you can also book a private Hammam (Turkish Bath) with full massages and Spa treatments for couples so that you and your lover can unwind in this marvelous African city.
Hotel.info’s customers have voted the Al Ksar Riad as the best hotel in Marrakech. It is located in the city center and offers spa and beauty treatments. Hotel.info offers a 15% long stay discount and a double room can be booked for €54.40/GBP 46.31
Buenos Aires – Argentina
Combine the charm of Europe with the passion of Latin America and Buenos Aires is the result. The Paris of South America is easily the most romantic city of the continent. Even though its citizens don’t officially celebrate Valentine’s Day, love and romance in the “City of Fair Winds” are celebrated all 365 days of the year and “El Día de los Enamorados”, as Valentine’s Day is known in Spanish speaking countries, has slowly been weaving its way into Argentine culture. You and your significant other can spend the day at one of the many Tango schools scattered around the city and unleash the passion and pleasure of one of the most sensual dances known to humankind. Have dinner at one of the sexiest eateries in the world and the only aphrodisiac restaurant in Buenos Aires, Te Mataré Ramírez, where eating is taken to a whole new level with erotic shows for couples and the most delicious menus acting as a wonderful foreplay for the gustatory sense.
The Livin Residence is a four star hotel situated in downtown Buenos Aires. It belongs to the line of top rated hotels in Buenos Aires and daily rates start at $88.33/ GBP55.59
New York – USA
The big apple is famous for its busy streets, never-ending traffic jams and hasty locals. But it is its picture perfect skylines and imposing skyscrapers which, with a little help from classic Hollywood movies, lend the city its romantic flair. Start off your day by going for a walk through Central Park or take the tourist favorite hansom cab ride, horse-drawn carriages, which many describe as the best way to see Central Park. Many locals complain about animal cruelty, however, so you might want to take that into account. Evoke Hollywood classics, such as “Sleepless in Seattle” or the movie that inspired it “An Affair to Remember” and go to the top of the Empire State building to enjoy the breathtaking views. Go for a stroll down the newly expanded Gantry Plaza State Park and enjoy that Hollywood skyline view of midtown Manhattan. If you’re on a budget, you can take your loved one for dinner at one of the best Pizzerias in the city, Grimaldi’s, right under the Brooklyn Bridge. If you, on the other hand, want to wow your honey with a romantic dinner, you can take him/her to “One if by Land, Two if by Sea”; the Barrow Street restaurant has been charming its guests since 1972, and is considered by many New Yorkers to be one of the most romantic in the city. If Mother’s Day is the busiest restaurant day in America, Valentine’s is arguably the busiest restaurant night, so don’t forget to make reservations.
Hotel.info’s top rated hotel in New York City, the Intercontinental New York Times Square, offers the perfect location and double rooms start at $323.65/GBP 199.44
Melbourne – Australia
After a busy month in which Melburnians celebrated Australia Day and hosted the Australian Open, the city of Melbourne welcomes lovebirds from all over the world. Famous for being the cultural city of Australia, the capital of the “Garden State”, as Victoria is also known, is the ideal place to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Its vertiginous skyscrapers and cable cars give Melbourne both a traditional and modern feel only compared to that of San Francisco and its renowned restaurants near Federation Square will surely please the most demanding taste buds with its wide array of culinary treats. Whereas the city itself is more than enough to keep you busy on Valentine’s Day, the rugged coasts of southeastern Australia provide the perfect backdrop for a romantic getaway. The Great Ocean Road, with its 243 Km of coastline, is considered one of the most scenic roads in the world and gives you the opportunity to experience everything from lush rainforests to witnessing the majesty of the 12 apostles (imposing rock stacks rising from the ocean).
The Crown Promenade Hotel is hotel.info’s best rated hotel in Melbourne. It offers some of the best bay and city views and is located in the vibrant Southbank precinct. AU$ 350/GBP 217.80
Venice – Europe
Enchanting canals, beautiful piazzas, romantic gondolas, vehicle-free streets… Venice is the dream city for couples wanting to get away from the daily grind. Virtually unchanged in the last 600 years, it has been described as one of “most beautiful cities built by man” thanks to its romantic architecture and complex system of bridges and alley ways. It is also worth noting that “La Serenissima”, as the city is also known, was the birth place of Giacomo Casanova. Whether Casanova got his charm from the city or vice versa is not entirely clear but it has long been recognized as one of the most romantic cities in Europe. Celebrate Valentine’s week instead of just Valentine’s Day, as this year Venice offers its visitors the chance to celebrate two holidays in one. The world renowned Carnival of Venice opens on February 19th with the Grand Toast at “Piazzeta San Marco”, where you’ll find fountains pouring wine instead of water. Revelry and romance? Yes, please.
The four star Hotel Villa Pannonia is one of the top rated hotels in Venice and offers junior suites for as little as €92.50/GBP 79.61
Six continents, six cities, six reasons to make this Valentine’s Day, and possibly the next five, one to remember, no matter where you are in the world.