Whether you’ve been hit by one of Cupid’s arrows recently or not, there’s no getting away from all the pink and red heart-shaped paraphernalia that’s been lurking on store shelves and covering every magazine and newspaper insert for weeks. Most of the people I know have long had a somewhat jaded attitude toward Valentine’s Day, even if they’re in a relationship. Because really, if you love someone, why is it only once a year that you’re supposed to show it?
But as soon as you make Valentine’s Day an excuse to travel, everything changes. You might have scoffed at the idea of celebrating Valentine’s Day before, but as soon as you start reading about how it’s celebrated differently in different parts of the world, your inner vagabond decides that Valentine’s Day is a perfectly legit reason to buy a plane ticket.
As travelers, it’s only natural that we’ll turn just about anything into a reason to pack a bag and hit the road, so it’s not surprising that there are lots of great travel-themed Valentine’s Day articles that have popped up lately. Here’s a round-up of some of the best articles we found, including some that’ll help you woo your dream date for next year’s Valentine’s Day trip. You’ll find all the lovey-dovey articles we published on BootsnAll, as well as some fun articles from elsewhere around the interwebs.
Step One: Attracting That Special Someone
If you’re going to whisk someone off on a romantic trip, first you’ve got to meet them, right? And if you’re already traveling when you meet someone you think has potential, you also want to be clued into what might be culturally inappropriate romance-wise before you open your mouth. So here are some articles to help you woo
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- How to Impress a French Girl – We’ll start with the ad that was featured in Google’s Super Bowl ad this year; seems as good a place to begin as any! This will help you get off on the right foot with that cute French girl at the cafe on Montmartre.
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- How to Impress a French Guy – If it’s not the cute girl at the cafe but your cute French waiter that you’ve got eyes for, this is what you’ll need to know.
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- How to Impress an Aussie Guy – Since this was written by BootsnAll’s very own in-house Australian, you know it’s accurate. (And if these tips for you, you might want to invite him to the wedding.)
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- How to Impress an Italian Girl – Italian girls may seem complex, but they’re more straightforward than you might think. Here’s what you’ll need to know to get on their good side.
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- How to Impress an Italian Guy – There are lots of similarities between what Italian girls like and what Italian guys like (yes, the clothes have to be trendy), but there are a few areas where the boys are fairly different.
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- How to Impress a Spanish Girl – Striking out in France & Italy? Maybe it’s a Spanish girl you’re after. Find out what it takes to get noticed.
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- How to Impress a Spanish Guy – Spanish guys have a reputation for being excellent lovers, so if you want to find out first-hand here’s what you need to know.
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- How to Impress a Greek Girl – Get swept away by the Greek Islands and then learn what it takes to sweep a Greek girl off her feet.
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- How to Impress a Greek Guy – It’s easy to fall head over heels with a Greek guy. Learn how to get him to fall for you in return.
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- How to Impress Guys from 6 Different Countries – This whimsical look at guys from countries that produce a huge percentage of the backpackers in the world could prove quite useful as you’re making your own way around the globe.
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- Some Valentine’s Day Traditions Around the World – If you happen to be traveling over Valentine’s Day, it’s a good idea to know exactly how many roses mean what in Taiwan before you start delivering bouquets.
Step Two: Making Sure You Travel Well Together
If travel will always be your first love, then you’d better be sure your new sweetheart is someone you can travel with. You can do this by spiriting them away to a romantic destination for Valentine’s Day (or any day), or you can make it a bit of a test with a trip somewhere a little more challenging. Here are some ideas for couples trips you might consider
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- How to Travel With Your Partner & Still Come Home as a Couple – Before you set off on an adventure with your new loved one, be sure to know these tricks to make sure you still love each other on the flight home.
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- Valentine’s Day Travel Deals – Want to start your new relationship right with a trip over Valentine’s Day that doesn’t break the bank? Here’s the place to start.
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- 5 Romantic European Hotels – These 5 hotels are splurges that might be worth it, especially if you’re trying to impress someone.
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- Romantic Weekend Spots in Europe – These 20 suggestions for a romantic weekend getaway are great for Valentine’s Day or any day.
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- Chocolate-Centric Destinations – If your sweetie has a real sweet tooth, then a surprise trip to one of these cocoa-rific spots might be all it takes to cement your relationship.
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- Take Your Valentine to Valentine – These places may fall into the category of “make any place romantic,” because who knows whether Valentine, Nebraska is romance-inspiring until you get there?
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- Last Minute Valentine’s Day Getaways Around the World – Some of these last-minute travel deals are so good you might want to take advantage of them whether you’ve got a sweetheart or not. $898 for a 4-day escape to Tahiti, including airfare? Yes, please.
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- Wanna have sex in this restaurant bathroom, honey? – One Toronto restaurant is encouraging customers to get it on in the restaurant bathroom on Valentine’s Day this year. If this doesn’t count as a test for a new(ish) relationship, then I dunno what does.
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- Ditch the Date, Keep the Romance: 5 Romance-Infused Places for Solo Travelers – Hey, if it doesn’t work out after all, that doesn’t mean you have to ignore romance entirely on Valentine’s Day. These 5 places could remind you that love isn’t just about being in a couple.
Step Three: Making it Permanent
So you’ve survived a trip (or a few) with the new love of your life, and you’d like to seal the deal with some jewelry and a new title. A proposal is another spectacular reason to plan a trip, and it’s especially fun if you go somewhere that’s a bit offbeat so your sweetie doesn’t suspect anything.
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- 5 Unexpected (& Perfect) Destinations for a Proposal – These five places are plenty romantic, but they may not be on your loved one’s radar as a “proposal” destination, which means you might be able to keep it a surprise until you actually pop the question.