lola

I posted this question because we hear so much about magic places and romantic hideaways, but not that much about some of our romantic experiences. I'll add mine later when I can sort through, but look forward to reading yours. Happy Valentines Day!

Maira

Good timing Lola! <BR> <BR>My own personal favorite romantic travel experience happened in Venice (where else?). I was adamantly against my (then) boyfriend's insistence on renting a gondola just for the two of us. Well, he sort of talked me into it and away we went. Just as we were passing Marco Polo's house, he got on his knees and proposed. <BR> <BR>How could any girl say no on that setting?

sweptaway

My most romantic trip to Europe was when a man I was dating asked me for a second date--to Europe. We took a wine tour of Bordeaux, and went on from there. We stayed in Chateaux Margaux, right next to the vineyard. The relationship didn't last, but the memories do.

anon

Eight years ago my husband and I went off to Paris, after he had finished having an affair. I was emotionally bruised, to say the least. Our trip to Paris was supposed to see if we could repair our relationship. Both of us were tense. The first night in Paris we walked from our hotel about five blocks south of the opera (the old one) and ended up in the Place de la Concorde. We sat and watched the dusk turn to night and got back in touch with each other. Our marriage has been fine ever since. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

MaureenGP

My most romantic travel experience was not in Europe, but in San Juan, Puerto Rico, nearly 27 years ago on our honeymoon. Walking the streets of Old San Juan after dinner one evening near the Governor's Palace, we came across students playing guitars on the sea wall underneath the flamboyan trees, with the lovely fragrance of tropical flowers in the air. I asked my husband if he had somehow planned for the musicians that night because the romantic scene was right out of a movie! <BR>My second most romantic travel experience was in Europe, however, on the Plaza Mayor in Madrid about 20 years ago. We ate a restaurant called El Pulpito and were serenaded by student musicians (there we go again!) called tunas, while gypsy woman came around to sell flowers. It was a magical place, and although I'm sure much of it was for the benefit of tourists, it didn't matter at all. <BR>I'm now thinking we are due for another romantic travel experience--maybe it will happen when we return to Spain this summer!

single

My most romantic experience was in Kaui and Lanai in and around Valentine's Day, at the climax (!) of a short, passionate relationship. But next best was wandering the Amalfi Coast and ending at a spa in Ischia with a man who was romantic and attentive. I went topless sunbathing there for the first time. Being single for much of my adult life has led to many extraordinarily romantic trips and is one of the pluses of single life.

Oliver

Hi Lola, <BR>nice contribution to the forum. While reading, certain experiences came to my mind, which should habe been the most romantic experiences, but ended not so nice... <BR>I knew, that my girlfriend looked forward to a romantic proposal - and me too. She loves those TV-Shows about people proposing in a very special way. Altough I'm not very creative in such things, I wanted to try my best. As we both love travelling, what would be better as to propose in a foreign country, I thought. <BR>First attempt was in the "city of love", Paris – but the Eiffel Tower was under construction that day. <BR>Second attempt was in Oostende, Belgium. I thought, on the beach, looking at the sun going down, would be the perfect place and time. But through our 3-day-visit it never stopped raining. <BR>After that experiences I resigned from proposing in a foreign country. I thought it would be a nice idea to surprise my girlfried coming back from a business trip to Malta. I covered the floor in our house with a lot of roses. Just when my girlfriend went in, she noticed the new painting I arranged on the wall - she hated the painting and the place where it was. Nice atmosphere for a proposal, eh? <BR>Our most romatic vacation after that was on Edisto Island/SC. I thought, now the time was right! I bought some candles, flowers and a bottle of champagne. But that day we had an argument about something very unimportant. My girlfriend - who already looked through me - said: "If you intend to propose to me today, try it another time." <BR>So, finally, I ordered two T-Shirts, mine printed with "Do yout want to marry me?", hers with "YES". I booked a luxury hotel in Heidelberg and took her with me, while she didn't know the destination. After a nice meal I took my jacket off to show her the printing and offered her hers. She pulled the T-Shirt over. Uff, finally I did it! <BR>It happened not abroad, but it was a very romantic evening anyway. <BR> <BR>Regards <BR> <BR>Oliver

Bob Brown

Romantic is something that transcends geographical boundaries. So even though this is the European forum, the topic could appear anywhere. My favorite adventure in that regard was in Yellowstone when my wife and I went out at midnight to await the eruption of Grand Geyser by a full moon at about 2 AM. It was indeed GRAND, with the silver light giving the surroundings a beautiful glow. And it provided a gorgeous backlighting effect for the towering plume of spray from the eruption. Oddly enought, we were not alone. There were others who had the same idea.

lola

Wow, Oliver, you're something else. Has the romance remained?

sam

Most romantic moment was when I met an Italian girl in Todi. Meant to stay one night--stayed a week, I think. Never saw her again but never will forget her or that week.

Oliver

Hi Lola, <BR> <BR>yes, we`re still married and happy together. This year we`re doing a kind of "revival" trip to South Carolina, hopefully without any arguments... <BR> <BR>Oliver

romantic

More!!!

cupid

Happy Valentines Day fellow Fodorites. May you have much romance in your travels ahead--even if you haven't had much yet. My Valentine gift is to remind you that when you book a room make sure to ask for a king or queen bed, a balcony and a view. Helps things along, I've found.

2timer

My most romantic experience was also one of the most absurd. I traveled to Rome with a man as "friends," but he kept wanting more that that. When he left halfway through the trip, as planned, he didn't know that a man I had recently met was traveling to Rome that same day to meet me. I went to the airport to drop one off, pick one up. Neither knew about the other. This second man was more than friends and we had a delightfully romantic sojourn, all the moreso because I had kept fending the other guy off and knew my heart really was with fella number 2.

lola

Figured out that my most romantic experience was a 2-month long honeymoon driving throughout Europe in the 1960s in a green MGB which we bought in England and shipped back. I was young and absolutely enthralled with everything and everybody European. Nothing like it since, because it was the first time and things were more different then. Each country was a revelation. This honeymoon was a storehouse of romantic and exciting memories and influenced my cooking, my fashion sense, my politics and my outlook ever since. I think for the better.

paula

My most romantic experience was when my boyfriend popped the question in Seville Spain on New Year's Eve. We were eating grapes, one by one as the seconds ticked away to midnight, a tradition there--and then when all the grapes were eaten, out came something the size of a grape, but sparkling. He asked me to marry him in English and Spanish and I said yes in both.