Parisian encounter
Nul points for originality but top marks for romance. Eurostar Holidays Direct (0870 1 676767) has a short break departing for the city of lovers on 13 February for £143 per person. The price includes two nights accommodation at the two-star Hotel de France and return Eurostar travel. For £66 per person you can prebook a gourmet dinner cruise along the Seine with champagne and musical accompaniment.
Rural retreat
Escape to your very own nineteenth-century cottage which comes with its own duck pond, rose garden, wood-burning stove and Victorian brass bed. The cottage, near Knighton in Wales, is available for a week from 10 February at a cost of £179. Search through a database of more than 3,000 properties around the UK, northern France & Ireland by visiting www.easycottages.com or by telephoning 01756 70 80 90.
Play Romeo and Juliet
The perfect destination for star-crossed lovers, Verona is the city of Romeo and Juliet. Stay in the comfortable three-star Hotel de'Capuleti and pay a visit to Juliet's balcony. The house to which the balcony belongs was once owned by the Cappello family, the model for the fictional Capulets. Inntravel (01653 629010) has a two-night break departing 8 February for £198 per person including accommodation and return BA flights from Gatwick to Verona.
Disneyland Paris
Take your Prince (or Princess) Charming to Disneyland Paris (0870 5030303). Prices start at £223 per person for one night in the fairy-tale themed Disneyland Hotel, two days in the theme park and return travel on Eurostar. Visit Sleeping Beauty's Castle, go ice-skating outside the Hotel New York and enjoy a French meal at the romantic Auberge de Cendrillon.
Champagne and roses
Champagne on arrival and a red rose on the pillow are just two of the romantic touches promised by Tylney Hall (01256 764881) in Hampshire for guests arriving the weekend before or after Valentine's Day. The knot garden, entwined dolphins fountain and log fires set the tone at this Tudor country house hotel. Prices start at £245 per person for two nights, including dinner on Friday and aperitifs and a black-tie gourmet dinner on Saturday night with musical accompaniment.
Ballet and chocolate in Vienna
Go one step better than chocolates with a visit to the Hotel Sacher in Vienna whose café is home to the original Sachen Torte, a deliciously rich chocolate cake. A two-night stay at the five-star hotel with Thomson Breakaway Cities (0870 606 1476) costs £964 per couple in February, including flights, arrival transfer and a guide book. The hotel is opposite the Opera House, which will be staging the most romantic of ballets, Swan Lake, on 14 February.
Stay in an Irish castle
If the Scottish castles are all booked up for Valentine's look across the Irish Sea where there are plenty of historic properties offering a romantic getaway. One such is Dromoland Castle. Surrounded by acres of private park and woodland, the castle's bedrooms are decorated with antique furnishings. A three-night break in February costs from £685 per person including flights from London, accommodation with breakfast and private transfers. Book with Seasons in Style on 0151 342 0505.
Moroccan magic
With its jugglers, magicians, storytellers, shady courtyards and heaving souks set against the backdrop of the Atlas mountains, Marrakesh offers up a potent brew for romantic souls. The Riad Kaiss hotel has rooftop terraces, a flower-filled patio and four-poster beds in most rooms. A three-night break departing on 12 February with Simply Travel (0208 541 2212) costs £464 per person, including bed and breakfast accommodation, return flights with British Airways, transfers and roses on arrival.
Classic driving tour
Cruise the country lanes of East Anglia with your loved one in an Aston Martin DB6 or a Jaguar E-Type Roadster. Grand Touring Club (01449 737 774) offers a range of self-drive breaks in classic cars. Prices start at £250 per person for a three-night midweek break and include car hire, insurance and breakdown cover, advice line and area route books. Accommodation can be arranged on request, along with other extras including champagne, concert tickets or even a gourmet winter picnic.
Spanish spa break
Indulge in life's sensual pleasures on a Valentine's spa package at the Marbella Club Hotel & Spa in Spain. Priced from £555 per person, the package includes three nights accommodation, flights, a candlelit dinner for two and a two-day Thalasso spa programme which includes treatments such as algae baths and full-body massages. Book with the Mediterranean Experience on 020 8445 6000.
