Love Is In The Air…
Perhaps you’re planning to propose? Or you could be jetting off to some of the world’s most romantic locations to renew your love for each other. Even if you’ve been together for years, why not just add a little bit of sparkle with a Valentine’s break.
Flying solo? It’s not just couples that get to have all the fun on 14 February. Solo travellers can have a whale of a time with Just You holidays and if Valentine hearts are not your thing then you can easily escape the mush and have some fun on your own. There’s plenty on offer for single travellers too… and who knows, Cupid’s arrow might just strike this time!
I’m a romantic at heart and nothing makes me happier than hearts, flowers, moonlight, intimate champagne dinners and all the clichés that come with Valentines day but, and there is a but. Sometimes it’s other things that make us fall in love all over again or make our hearts skip a beat. For me, holidays will do it every time. I love to travel and over the years, a recurrent theme runs through my holiday memories and how I feel when I’m there. It’s letting go of normal life and being able to just be. No matter where I am, if I ease myself into the rhythm of the place and really go with the flow, I find I revert to my younger self; the best version of me and the one that someone fell in love with, a very long time ago. This is romance and this is how I recapture the happy carefee days of our early years as young lovers and not middle aged parents with what feels like the weight of the world on our shoulders.
Nassau, The Bahamas
So, as it’s coming up to most romantic time of the year, I am going to share my most intimate secrets with you…the most romantic holidays I have shared with my husband. Let me take you on a journey…it starts in 1991. Our first holiday away as a couple and my first holiday away without my parents! I was 19. We were lucky enough to land a bargain deal to Nassau in The Bahamas. I’d never been so far away before and this trip is really what started my wanderlust and my passion for foreign travel. I’d never seen such secluded beaches. I felt like I was the star of the Bounty advert, which some of you may remember. White sandy beaches fringed with crystal clear water and shady palms. It would be hard not to get romantic with such a dreamy backdrop.
So from here, our next big trip was to be a special one indeed…our honeymoon. After months of trawling through brochures (there was no internet in those days!) we decided to put the Caribbean to the test as the ‘go to’ destination for honeymooners. We opted for St Lucia in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. This beautiful island gave us what we were looking for…seclusion, romantic candlelit dinners by the beach and lazy days of enjoying married life.
Phuket, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand
Now that the long haul bug had bitten, our next adventure as Mr & Mrs took us to the distant shores of Thailand. Phuket was our home for two weeks of exotic food, luxurious accommodation and some of the strangest encounters of my life.
A wonderful holiday in a beautiful country and an experience I will never forget.
I have to say, even though I love travelling to far-flung corners of the globe, I struggle with long flights. I still do them but it’s getting harder as the years go by. SO, after the lengthy voyage from Phuket to Glasgow that took in stops in Bangkok, Bahrain and London, I was hell-bent on a shorter journey for our next trip.
Verona, Italy
Verona, Italy
For the next few years we divided our time between Italy and Spain and both of these lively and colourful countries have played their part in the story of my life.
My Spanish adventures circles around the sizzling region of Andalucia. I’ve been privileged to visit Cordoba, Granada, Barcelona and just about every white washed village along the Costa del Sol.
Italy, one of the great loves of my life has given me many happy trips up and down the length of the country, taking in everything she has to offer, especially romance…amore is a buzz word in Bella Italia!
Venice, Verona, Sorrento, Capri, Lido di Jesolo, Lake Garda and this year my itchy feet are taking me back to this slice of heaven on earth as we brave the roads of Italy to tour the delights of Tuscany.
Read more on the romance of travel in Italy
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater Beach, Florida
Last year, we enjoyed a family holiday in Florida and whereby the thrills and spills of Orlando and Disney were great fun, it’s not where I’d go for lazy romantic days. However, we did stop in Clearwater for a few days, now there’s a different story. Here I was able to watch some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. Every colour of the rainbow seemed to come out to play, making for dramatic evening light. Even though we were there as a family of three, I loved the warm fuzzy glow that being together is sunnier climes gave me. I was still enjoying the romance but from a different perspective.
So, there you have it, some of the most romantic holidays of my life and I’m sure it will have inspired you to look back and reflect on some of your favourite trips with your loved ones. Why not revisit them this year and recreate the magic. You could fall in love all over again or you might fancy somewhere different to make some new memories. Wherever you choose, it’s the season of love and we wish you a happy, romantic time.
There are some red-hot deals to be had with talkholiday, leaving you with extra cash to splash on the love of your life. Save money by booking with us and in doing so you will also be helping fight poverty globally. Did you know that we donate to Traidcraft with every booking? Now, that’s love!
Here’s a few ideas to get you inspired valentine’s:
- Pick your perfect valentine treat at MacDonald Hotels with valentine’s couples breaks.
- From Paris to New York say “Je t’aime” with a valentine’s break to remember.
- Looking for some me time? Book yourself a singles holiday and let yourself be captured by the magic of travel.
None of these offers take your fancy? Not to worry we have it covered! At tripsology there are travel deals to suit everyone so just head on over and start exploring.