Ah, romantic places to visit. Any couple has their own quirkiness when it comes to celebrating love. We are rather “weird”. Neither of us ever used the word “romantic” to describe the other, yet, sometimes we do things we amaze ourselves how romantic they’ve been.

Candlelit dinner in Italy by the Adriatic Sea? Check! Picnic on a deserted beach on a Greek island? Check! Heart drew in the sand? Check! Dancing the tango in the middle of an ancient site? Check!

But we’ve also been to places which made us cringe and not have an ounce of a romantic idea in our brains.

Which brings me to the most romantic cities I’ve visited…so far:

Athens, Greece

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Our trip to Athens, in March 2012, was so much more than I ever expected. No, we didn’t go to any romantic restaurant nor did we have a room with a king bed, but we had an awesome time. Walking hand in hand between the Ancient ruins, having a meal in a taverna and just soaking up the atmosphere was absolutely amazing. And romantic. By the way: I got yet another ring from Athens.

Tip: Many low-cost carriers fly from Western and Southern Europe into Athens. Take advantage of their prices. And while in Athens, stay in the Monastiraki area or in Mets. Avoid Omonia at all costs

London, UK

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It’s big, it’s expensive, it’s not…romantic? Actually, it surely is! Walking hand in hand by the river Thames, seeing the sights from above (London Eye) and spending time in the pub was more romantic than I could ever think of. And yes, got a lovely ring in London (and although I did get a “proper” engagement ring later, I still consider that one as THE engagement ring).

Tip: Many low-cost carriers have hubs in London’s airports so it’s not that hard to grab a cheap seat. Accommodation is expensive but do your research in advance. Plus, there are always hostels to count on.

Budapest, Hungary

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The tale of two cities…that’s Budapest. Buda and Pest separated by the Danube. A walk in the park, a walk along the Danube, a hike in the forest, getting rained on in the camping…amazing experiences. Budapest is a romantic city by definition and I always recommend it to absolutely everyone.

Tip: I certainly choose the train to get to Budapest, although both Rynair and WizzAir service the capital pretty well. Accommodation can be cheap if you know what to look for. We stayed at Dominik Pension and paid 20 euros/night (bathroom shared) but we also found Fani Guesthouse for about the same price and with private bathroom.

Eger, Hungary

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We’ve been to Eger for our 3rd anniversary. Easily reached by train (bus or car) from Budapest, Eger is a medieval town famous for its wine, and history related to the Turkish occupation. Tiny and charming, it offers nice things to do: visit the castle, taste the wine and the food, take a tour of the old wine cellars, see the old city.

Bratislava, Slovakia

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When I started planning our second wedding anniversary, we had to decide between Prague and Bratislava. Both made it to the “final cut” after having a list of about 7 places we could consider as destinations. And boy, am I glad we chose Bratislava.

It is a small city with a very compact Old City. We chose Hyde Park Hostel to be our base and it was located very close to the Old City. We walked absolutely everywhere. And the day trip to Devin Castle was the cherry on top when it came to a romantic idea.

Tip: take the train from Budapest or the boat from Vienna to get to Bratislava.

Sighisoara, Romania

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The well preserved medieval fortress is worth your time. I remember seeing a photo shoot from Sighisoara, with a lovely gal dressed in a wedding gown and always sighed at that image. Sighisoara can be visited in a day but has so many things to offer. Just walk hand in hand and allow yourself to explore the not so touristy parts of the city.

We were lucky to explore the citadel a bit for our first year wedding anniversary (May 2013). It was nice because it wasn’t crowded when we arrived but we didn’t manage to climb in the Clock Tower.

Tip: There are trains from any big city in Romania which link to Sighisoara. As for accommodation, hostels are excellent choices. Pay attention that the Medieval Festival takes place in July and the prices soar!

Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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It’s the heart of Transylvania and a city with so many personalities. Stay at a cafe and enjoy some people watching . Visit the sights and learn the city’s history. Walk to the top of hill (the one with Belvedere on it) and kiss as the sun goes down.

Tip: This is another city easily reached by train but it’s also serviced by WizzAir. Haven’t stayed in a hostel or hotel here, so don’t have any ideas (so look them up).

Vieste, Italy

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Expensive little town, but the Adriatic Sea makes it quite a lovely escape. Or was it the sunrise we watched together? But mix sea with mountains and this gal finds a bunch of ideas for romantic things.

Tip: You can take the train into Foggia and then a bus to Vieste or fly into Bari and then travel by bus. Either way, you are stuck…in a bus. Book ahead of time and do your research. A double room in a b&b by the end of the summer season (September) costs 60 euros/night.

>>see some photos of Vieste in March

(c) photos: Cristina P.

Note: post written in May 2012, updated in September 2013 , June 2014, August 2015, February 2019
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