It’s Valentine’s Day. Whether or not you are currently in love, we thought you’d like to know about the world’s most romantic cities, so here is our ranking to celebrate the day of love.
Since Flytrippers’ launch, we have curated deals to over 500 different destinations on our flight deals page. Now that’s a lot of destination options to choose from.
We believe that every country has something interesting to discover, so your main criteria should be to find a destination that is affordable on your dates, and of course one that is also affordable once you get there.
But if you plan on traveling with your loved one, maybe the level of romanticism of a city should be another thing to consider. And if you’re single, maybe the vibe of these cities will help you find a lover among the locals… or a fellow single traveler!
In any case, here is our ranking of the world’s most romantic cities. Obviously, it is quite subjective, but we glanced at many different existing rankings to consolidate the results and come up with the Top 10 cities that were most often featured.
And as an added bonus, we’ll tell you the best way to get to that city at a low price, since that’s our specialty.
10. Florence and Rome, Italy
Okay… rough start, as we’re already cheating by naming two cities. We won’t do it again, promised. Let’s say that it’s because we recommend a combo of these two cities, for twice the romantic vibes. These two Italian cities are often featured in the rankings.
Of course, Italy is basically romantic by default. The picture above is Florence, a unique city for lovers of art, architecture, culture, gastronomy… in short, the renaissance atmosphere in the city is very romantic.
Rome too is very romantic. One of the greatest cities on Earth. Enjoy your choice of cappuccino or gelato in this city with over 3,000 years of history and countless landmarks (also lots of fountains).
How to go to Italy cheap
If you want to travel there, it is one of the destinations that is often worth the extra effort, by combining two individual tickets as explained in our article about multi-ticket itineraries. Instead of paying $1,000 or more by buying on one itinerary, grab the cheapest transatlantic flight (to London, Paris, Dublin, Stockholm or even Brussels) and from there, you can usually find tickets to Italy for around $100-$150 roundtrip.
9. Charleston, USA
I am a huge fan of visiting the US, but even I was surprised to find this city in most rankings. And not just US-centric rankings made in the US (because those are often a bit biased), but even in lots of global rankings. It’s the only North American city that regularly made the cut.
Surprisingly, I’ve never been to Charleston, despite having visited 45 of the 50 States. But it’s true that I’ve very often heard good things about the city, everyone who has been has loved it.
It’s located in South Carolina and is known for having historic colonial architecture. It’s the most common example of a city with Southern Charm and that legendary hospitality. It has a nice climate too.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYboMZMADel/The famous oak-lined trees and well-preserved old city center are the highlights, but the Atlantic Ocean is very close too, the ocean is always a good idea.
How to go to Charleston cheap
Charleston is often on sale from Canadian cities under $300 roundtrip. Another option is to fly to Myrtle Beach, which is an often cheap airport, and then enjoy a nice South Carolina roadtrip. You can also fly there for only $14 from US border airports (Burlington, Buffalo, Seattle, Fargo, Syracuse, Bangor) if you have 25,000 Aeroplan Miles stashed. Detailed article about how that works coming next week.
8. Marrakech, Morocco
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeQTxABhyT7/From the only North American city to the only African city. Morocco is a bit under the radar, but still a charming and romantic destination.
Colorful buildings, a typical Mediterranean vibe and an aura that is just so different from what we know, that makes Marrakech amazing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfDhliMBJ-n/The palm trees everywhere, the mountains as a backdrop and of course the mighty Sahara desert nearby… Marrakech is a memorable getaway.
How to go to Morocco cheap
Hubs like Montreal and Toronto often get deals to Marrakech (or even Casablanca and Agadir), but for others it is often another case of the multi-ticket technique. Depending on the price of course, sometimes it can be cheaper, as Marrakech is well-served by European Ultra Low-Cost Carriers, so you can often combine with a short hop in Paris or London.
7. Dublin, Ireland
Irish landscapes are very romantic of course, but the capital also has its charms.
Cathedrals and castles all over the place give a unique feel. But some would argue that Dublin is even the most iconic Valentine’s Day city?
That’s because Saint Valentine himself is laid to rest in Dublin. Tombs and death, not that romantic right, but hey!
The areas around the city are pretty beautiful too. Dublin is a great city to combine an urban trip and a nature trip. It makes for a great stopover as well, since you can find cheap flights to basically anywhere in Western Europe from there.
How to go to Dublin cheap
This is one of the easiest. Dublin is often among the cheapest destinations in Europe from Canadian airports, in no small part thanks to WestJet (and of course WOW air in Montreal and Toronto).
6. Seville, Spain
Spain is very romantic and Andalusia even more so! Honorable mention to Madrid, Barcelona and even San Sebastian that often were nominated… but Seville is arguably Spain’s most romantic.
The unique architecture, the flowery streets, flamenco dances… everything is charminng in Sevilla.
You can simply walk around this city (or ride a horse-carriage) to be amazed by the setting. And don’t forget the tapas bar. There’s a reason Spain surpassed the US last year to become the second most visited country in the world.
How to go to Spain cheap
Again, refer to the multi-ticket technique. I did it this fall, albeit for Madrid, and roundtrips between Paris and Spain were around $150, and that was at the last minute.
5. Lisbon, Portugal
Let’s stay in the Iberian peninsula and cross into Portugal. One of 2018’s trendiest destinations, Lisbon is a pretty incredibly city.
There are countless hills that provide a breathtaking view of the city below, but even on street level you’ll be amazed. You can read our guest-blogger’s story about Lisbon here (and you can share your own travel stories with our 160,000 monthly visitors too)
Don’t forget the iconic little trams in narrow hilly streets. And it is also arguably Western Europe’s most affordable city.
Comment aller au Portugal pas cher
You guessed it, again refer to the multi-ticket technique. This one was tested by Flytrippers’ other cofounder Kevin, as he didn’t want to go to Madrid, so he went from Paris to Lisbon. Roundtrips were around $150 too.
4. Buenos Aires, Argentina
What is unique about Argentina is the unique fusion of European and Latin American culture and atmosphere.
The city is elegant, the architecture is lovely. It is Latin America’s only city on our list.
You know tango? That’s Buenos Aires. That’s as romantic as it gets.
How to go to Argentina cheap
Historically, this destination has never been cheap in terms of airfare. The good news is that a major Ultra Low-Cost Carrier is setting up shop in Argentina in 2018, so prices should go down quite a bit. In the meantime, there’s no secret recipe, you have to wait for a somewhat rare deal (we found some under $900 from Montreal and Toronto) or use our tool to find the cheapest dates.
3. Prague, Czechia
Yes, it’s called Czechia now.
Whatever the country’s name, everyone will agree that Prague is magnificent. A lot (and I mean a lot) of people have told me that Prague is the most beautiful city in Europe.
The historic city center has been preserved with great care, that helps.
You can stroll through beautiful buildings on Medieval cobblestone streets, that’s very romantic.
How to go to Prague cheap
Eastern (and Central) Europe is where the multi-ticket itinerary really can save you hundreds. From most Canadian cities, flying to Prague will cost you well over $1,000. But with a cheaper flight to any European getaway, you’ll then find an affordable roundtrip on low-cost carriers and save a lot of money. I saved over $800 on a single ticket to Bulgaria last year that way.
2. Venice, Italy
When you saw Florence and Rome earlier, you probably wondered why Venice wasn’t included. We could’ve. But most rankings have Venice in 1st or 2nd place, so we had to keep it as a standalone.
Venice is undeniably romantic. The canals, the gondola rides… such a classic. And classics usually do well in rankings.
The city itself is stunning, but simply walking in those narrow streets (or on narrow bridges) is a unique experience.
How to go to Venice cheap
Again (and for the last time), Venice is another city where it might be worth splitting your itinerary in two tickets.
1. Paris, France
Yes, Paris! You probably aren’t that surprised. We told you earlier about Spain being the second most visited country… well the most visited is France.
Because… Paris!
The epitome of romantic. The architecture, the little cafés… the Eiffel Tower. It’s the best destination for couples.
It’s also never been cheaper to fly to Paris, and it is about to get even cheaper for almost everyone, so it might be worth going there even only for a long weekend.
How to go to Paris cheap
It’s already one of the most affordable cities in Europe to fly to. We spot deals to Paris for $399 pretty regularly from Montreal and Toronto. Montreal is even getting a second transatlantic carrier this summer (Toronto too, but that one will only be flying to the UK). But for all other Canadian travelers, WestJet just announced new flights to Paris from Halifax, so with connecting flights, prices should go down for pretty much everyone in Canada.
BONUS: Tahiti, Bora Bora (French Polynesia)
I was kind of surprised that very few exotic destinations were featured in these most romantic destination lists. So since we at Flytrippers love to give you more for your money, here is a bonus destination.
Beaches and blue water… that’s more vacationing than traveling, but it can still romantic to relax a bit with your loved one.
Obviously, there are a lot of places with beautiful beaches, even nearby in the Caribbean. But the best spots are in the Pacific Ocean, of course.
Tahiti and Bora Bora are two dream destinations for many people. It is currently prohibitively expensive to fly there, although that seems like it might change… we won’t say more for now, we wanted to tease you a bit, come back on our blog soon for details (or subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you never miss a thing).
Bottom Line
Here are a few romantic destinations, great for a couples getaway.
What is your favorite romantic destination?
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Ranking inspired by those published by Travel + Leisure, UCITYGUIDES and TheCrazyTourist among others.