Why now?
Bookings to the traditional Valentine's favourites of Paris and Venice are up 24% this year. You could avoid the crowds by heading to the city of the Tsars, which has been tipped as a top romantic city in the brand new Footprint European City Breaks Guide. £14.99, footprintbooks.com.

Getting there
Fly with British Airways (ba.com), or Regent Holidays (regent-holidays.co.uk) will put a package together for you from £405pp for a three-night break.

Where to stay
Blow the budget at the city's oldest hotel, the Grand Hotel Europe, Mikhailovskaya ul 1/7 (grand-hotel-europe.com), doubles from £195, or try the three-star Neva Hotel (00 812 278 0504) on Tchaikovskovo St 17, doubles from £50.

Where to eat
Lunchtime soup and blinis in cosy 19th-century decor at Staroe Café, Fontanka Embankment 108. For dinner, 50s-style Café Idiot, on Moika 82 (+315 1675) with background jazz, vaulted rooms and free vodka with your meal, from around £6.

What to buy
His 'n' hers astrakhan hats, $50-$100 from the souvenir market on Nabetrezhnaya Kanala Griboyedova.