Romantic Getaways

Tuesday, 11 February 2025 08:00

By Lisa de Silva

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a romantic getaway, Lisa de Silva says it’s the perfect opportunity to rekindle your love and escape the dark and gloomy skies

The month of love and friendship, February is the ideal time to plan a romantic getaway. It’s also the low season for travel, which means you’ll enjoy better value for money, cut price accommodation and far fewer crowds.

A getaway is generally defined as a short trip, often taken over a weekend, while a romantic getaway is the perfect opportunity to deepen your connection to a significant other. Whether you are in the first flushes of a relationship, looking to propose to your partner or overtired and frazzled parents in need of some child-free time, a romantic getaway is a great option.

What makes a getaway romantic?

While the traditional image of a romantic getaway involves candlelit dinners, bunches of red roses and a Parisian skyline, there is so much more scope to being romantic. Showing thoughtfulness, consideration, affection and creativity in the planning of a romantic getaway, will ensure that anywhere can deliver a special experience that will live long in the memory.

How to plan a romantic getaway

Grand and dramatic gestures will never go amiss but if you know and understand your partner and what suits you both as a couple, a night camping under the stars can offer just as much romance as a celebratory dinner in New York. So, when planning a romantic getaway, the most important element is deciding what type of destination, accommodation and activities (if any) would suit and satisfy you both, within your given budget.

To help you focus on designing your ideal getaway for two, we’ve put together some romantic inspiration.

Hideaways

If you both lead busy lives with little downtime, do consider taking a few nights to hideaway from the world. A remote lakeside cabin with a roaring fire, energising walks and some indulgent food and drink, could be just what you need to reconnect and revitalise your romance. Alternatively, book a suite in an upscale hotel and lock yourselves away for a few days.

Cultural Charms

For some, the chance to enjoy a visit to the theatre, a meal at a special restaurant or to browse art galleries and museums together, would be the ultimate romantic treat. Maybe there is a particular destination with special significance you could return to.

Aside from the romance of Paris, other romantic cities to consider include Verona, Venice, Seville and Marrakech. Closer to home, London,
Bath, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Edinburgh have a wealth of cultural attractions, riverside walks and all the ingredients for a romantic break.

Escape into nature

Lovers of the great outdoors who enjoy wildlife spotting, could investigate a stay within one of the UK’s glorious national parks. Arguably, the most famous of these is the Lake District, an area of cosy cottages and epic landscapes. Equally beautiful are Snowdonia and the Cairngorms National Parks. All are ideal for long walks, haunting beauty and wildlife spotting. If you prefer coastal scenery, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park offers limestone cliffs, dramatic rockscapes, hidden beaches and superlative bird watching

Relaxation & Restoration

For those who need a break but prefer a little more structure to their relaxation time, a short break at a spa hotel could be just the tonic to revitalise the romance in your relationship. Being pampered and nourished can help you both to unwind and rediscover what you love most about each other.

Adventure & Action

Alternatively, if you both love mountain biking, kayaking, climbing or would love to learn to sail, you could base a romantic short break around shared adventure activities. Less strenuous pursuits include star gazing, forest bathing, painting and pottery making. In fact, any activity that you would both enjoy has all the potential for romance, fun and laughter together.

From low to high budget romance

If you’re on a tight budget, using your creativity to conjure up a romantic getaway for your partner can be one of the most intimate gestures on offer. Borrow or rent some affordable accommodation and settle in to watch a special movie together or cook a favourite meal. To add to the romance, you could create a special playlist, scrapbook, photo album or write a love letter documenting your relationship and what it means to you.

However, if you have the means, why not make a grand gesture? A proposal in New York, a surprise African safari, a trip to see the Northern Lights or taking the Orient-Express to Venice, would be a once-in-a-lifetime romantic getaway to remember.

Romantic Getaways

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