Romantic destinations – Part 1

by The Flamingo

The Fox and The Flamingo love to travel the world…and who doesn’t?! This is one of those hobbies that everybody enjoys once they get a taste of it. 

The Flamingo created a list with favorite travel destinations, which turned out to be way too long, so it got split into two parts. Paris will not be included here, because you already know, dear reader, that Paris is my favorite and that it deserves the attention of more than being part of a list. You will find a dedicated article about Paris here.

I enjoy romantic places the most, small towns and villages with their own special charm. For a place to end up on my favorite list it must have five qualities: unique architecture, narrow alleyways, dreamy, cozy restaurants with local delicacies, art galleries and closeness to water. Here they are, in no particular order:

• Wheeler on the Bay, USA

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Located in Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest, the greenest area of USA, this town has stolen my heart. It literally has two streets, with one restaurant and two small hotels. But its location is perfect. It’s by a small bay of the Pacific, where you can see harbour seals swimming, elk grazing on the other (wild) side and all kinds of beautiful birds. The water has a strong fresh smell and is still enough to go kayaking. More coastal beach towns are within easy driving distance and interspersed through the hills around are vineyards selling their delicious produce. This is the most peaceful place on earth, the perfect spot for a weekend break to relax and forget that you even have a life outside of this place.

• Nikko, Japan

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This is a small town in the mountains, two hours away from Tokyo. This place harbours an exquisite area of temples surrounding the Toshogu Shrine dedicated to the famous shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. The town charms with all its beautiful historic sites and the Buddhas hidden in the middle of the forest. The river that flows through Nikko has a unique turquoise color that you can’t capture in photos. I recommend spending the night in a traditional Japanese inn (Ryokan). 

• Nice, France

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This beautiful city is the center of the renowned Côte d’Azur, build in the Belle Epoque style. In my opinion the Promenade des Anglais is the most beautiful boardwalk in the world, with the sky blue Mediterranean on one side and the enchanting aristocratic villas and hotels on the other. The restaurants in the old part of the city offer a selection of the best French and Italian food. It is also a very artistic spot, like the whole French Riviera, where you can admire French art at its best. 

• Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

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Also called “Pinocchio’s town”, because it inspired Walt Disney when he created the cartoon, it is a fairytale. It impressed me so much that when obtained my German language proficiency certificate, I used it as one of the themes for my thesis. This is a typical medieval German “Burg” located in the beautiful Bavaria, in southern Germany. In the center of the town you can find a Christmas store, open all year long, specialized in Nutcrackers. 

• Oia, Greece

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This is the second largest village on the island of Santorini. In Oia I spent a whole day on my honeymoon trip. It’s really breathtaking to admire the deep blue of the Aegean Sea from the high cliffs of the island. The contrast between the white houses, the sky and the sea is what Oia is famous for. Wandering the narrow alleyways spiraling down the cliffs between the white cafes, hotels and restaurants is the highlight of the trip. 

• Venice, Italy

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Being one of the most famous and amazing cities in the world, it is difficult to be brief when describing Venice. From the Renaissance and Gothic architecture to the gondolas floating on the intricate water canals, this city offers some unique sites and experiences. Here you can find authentic Murano glass and buy artisan jewellery as well as house decorations crafted from it. Venice is truly romantic to its core and to me it’s the very definition of Italy. 

• Honfleur, France

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I visited this small town on the coast of Normandy when I was very young. It left a powerful impression till the present day. The picturesque port, beautifully decorated with colorful flowers, is the highlight of this place, with all the small sailboats anchored at the peer. Here the river Seine flows into by the English Channel. If you enjoy fresh seafood, all restaurants offer the best selection of oysters. 

• Bowness on Windermere, UK

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Lake District is really one of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen, and this small town is the most important one, representative for the English countryside. Bowness is a port on the lake Windermere and is a perfect headquarters for your trip to the Lake District. From here you can travel by boat to amazing English villages on the other side of the lake, by car over the hills and mountains or on foot on the many hiking trails in the vicinity. Also Bowness architecture is really nice and has a specific cozy feeling that is only found in England. 

• Sibiu, Romania

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My second favorite town from my home country, Sibiu is located in Transylvania and has German style architecture. It’s small, but very charming, with an amazing art museum, the Brukenthal, and so many snug restaurants that serve delicious Romanian food. Also the two big churches here, the catholic and evangelical one, are examples of beautiful architecture both inside and out. Sibiu is still surrounded by its medieval walls. From here you can travel to other similar small towns in Transylvania like Sighisoara, Medias or Targu Mures. 

• Sintra, Portugal

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This town is really amazing and has the largest number of castles I’ve seen in one place, especially in such a small area. The romantic Sintra is located on hills and valleys. It has a total of seven castles in its vicinity, each more beautiful than the other. Pena Palace is the most famous of all, because of its warm colors and the Romantic style. But I also recommend the Gothic Quinta da Regaleira with its unique gardens and the Monserrate Palace with its exotic Romantic-Moorish architecture. 

• Neuchâtel, Switzerland

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This small medieval town is a jewel I found while visiting the French part of Switzerland. It’s very Swiss-like thanks to its small fountains with colorful statues in the water, the Gothic church on top of the hill, but at the same time it has a French vibe. It’s warmer and more exquisite than the sister towns in the German part of Switzerland. What made it my favorite place in my new adoptive country is for sure the view on Lake Neuchâtel. The rain on the occasion of my visit and the yellow hues of October made it even more romantic.

The second part of the article is coming soon. Meanwhile I await your list of favorite places, dear reader, and hope that I will enlarge my travel horizons very soon with the places that you recommend. 

Photos from Flamingo‘s archive, Unsplash and Pixabay.