The best alternative romantic city breaks for Valentine’s Day 2024

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and what could be more romantic than whisking your beloved away on a European city break?

Naturally, the allure of couple-centric front runners – Paris, Florence and Prague – dominate the search bar for loving long weekends filled with tables for two, rose-strewn duvets and flutes of champagne amid intimate itineraries.

With these can come steep price tags, swarms of sightseers and impossible restaurant reservations – all things that are sure to kill the mood.

This year, forget the hearts and flowers heavyweights vying for the crown of the city of love – opt instead for an under-the-radar alternative for better value, fewer tourists and just as much opportunity to hold hands and stare lovingly into each other’s eyes…

Here’s how to cheat the canals of Venice in a love affair with Annecy and trade fairy-tale Bruges for the charms of Strasbourg this 14 February.

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Swap Dubrovnik for Pula

With a prime spot on the Mediterranean, promenades of sophisticated seafood spots and distinctive medieval architecture, the cobbles of Dubrovnik are undoubtedly a haven for lovers and the proclaimed “Pearl of the Adriatic” welcomes hoards of visitors to its sun-kissed walls year-round.

An escape to frequently neglected Pula in northern Croatia offers an amphitheatre of Roman ruins to wander, a ragged coastline for bathing and authentic tavernas to taste pours from the Istria wine region without the perpetual hustle of southern hotspot Dubrovnik. Savour sailings watching the dolphins dance, Mediterranean meals beginning with pršut ham and local olive oil, and lively nights in buzzing bars post sunset in Istria’s historic main city.

Where to stay

Relax mere metres from the Adriatic, float hand in hand in a heated outdoor pool or stretch out during a couples massage at the stylish Boutique Hotel Valsabbion just 10 minutes from the heart of Pula.