A beach stroll in Saint Lucia.
© Fokke Baarssen / Stock.adobe.com

Places of the heart

Romantic destinations around the world

by peter greenberg

Romance is where you make it, but it never hurts to have a little help with the right ambiance. Here are a few of my favorites.

Fiji

Just the phrase “South Pacific” evokes romance. And Fiji, with 333 islands and coral islets, offers an abundance. In Fiji, it’s not about day-to-day deadlines, but about celebrating time together. Time to discover secluded palm-fringed beaches, intimate thatch-roofed resorts and glittering, clear Pacific waters. Time to share a kiss under one of the many waterfalls. Time to treat yourselves to a Sunday church service, where you’ll be gently serenaded with some of the most beautiful a cappella harmonies you’ll ever hear.

Saint Lucia

The teardrop-shaped island of Saint Lucia is a picture-perfect blend of coconut-laden palms, secluded sandy coves, waterfalls, romantic sunset cruises and the pastel gingerbread-style buildings in the island’s capital, Castries. Have a toes-in-the-soft-sand wedding or an intimate mountainside ceremony. For a truly sensuous experience, head for the Caribbean’s only drive-in volcano for a do-it-yourself mud bath at Sulphur Springs Park, then rinse off together under a waterfall.

End your perfect day with a tiki torch–lit romantic dinner on a private deck overlooking the water at Rock Maison, where Champagne is delivered on a zip line from the hotel above.

Romantic reflection in Paris
© Ekaterina Pokrovsky / STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Paris

Paris is where you fall in love, profess your love and, years later, reclaim and reaffirm your love. You linger in intimate cafés, walk through little alleyways, stroll along the Seine at night, as Paris’ landmarks seem magically lit. Have a drink at Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris, hop on a small bateau mouche for a sunset cruise on the Seine. Visit Le mur des je t’aime (The I Love You Wall) in the small Jehan-Rictus Garden in Montmartre, where tiles spell out the phrase of endearment in more than 300 languages.

Napa is a destination for love, and for wine lovers.
© auremar / STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Napa Valley

Napa Valley, in California, is all about savoring life, which makes it a great place for a wedding or honeymoon. The 30-mile-long valley is a tapestry of vineyards, Michelin-starred restaurants and award-winning wineries, making Napa a feast for the senses. And love is in the air—literally—when you and your partner take in the natural beauty of the region’s rolling hills with a hot-air balloon ride.

New York City

There are endless romantic things to do in the city that never sleeps. Rent a boat at the Lake of Central Park. Wander the gardens of the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx and explore the magical glass-domed conservatory built in 1902. In summer, have a romantic picnic-dinner-and-a-movie date in Bryant Park, a green oasis behind the beaux-arts New York Public Library. Inspired to read poetry to your sweetheart? Borrow a book from the library carts scattered around the park. And then, cross the East River to Brooklyn Heights and stroll along the tree-lined riverside promenade with stunning views of Manhattan.

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