Romantic destinations – Part 2

by The Flamingo

The second part of “Romantic destinations” is clear proof of Flamingo’s indecisive nature. I can’t really stick to only a couple beautiful places, can’t pick just a few from my memories. I won’t really be happy until I’ve written a few words of praise for each corner that made my life more beautiful than it was before.

As I’ve written in my previous article, these destinations need to have a few characteristics to make this list: small towns with unique architecture and narrow alleyways you can get yourself lost into, with exquisite restaurants, art galleries and a waterfront. So here are the other romantic places that I’m fond of:

• Cassis, France

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This small fishing village is in the southern part of France, reachable from the city of Marseille. The small port is colorful with pastel houses and villas. It has a beautiful big beach and also steep cliffs named Les Calanques which give you amazing views over the Mediterranean Sea. Being France, Cassis is of course decorated with beautiful exotic flowers and you can find ducks and swans wandering the alleys. The bistros on the waterfront all serve fish and fresh seafood alongside chilled rosé wine.

• Siena, Italy

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Tuscany has beautiful cities and villages, but Siena impressed me the most with its medieval architecture. The red brick buildings are unique as well as the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral. The central piazza is known for the famous horse races, the Palio, that take place in summer. There are lots of wines stores here that sell the best Tuscan wine like Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti, Nobile di Montepulciano and of course “Vin Santo”. Also here I had the best lasagna in all of Italy.

• Constanta, Romania

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This is my favorite place in my home country, definitely not a small town, but it has the same feel to it in my opinion. Constanta is the most important port at the Black Sea and there wasn’t a summer while I was growing up, when I missed visiting it. I know every street and corner in the city, every shop and every park, every museum and every shell on the large sandy beaches. What I like the most about this place is of course the high boardwalk with the beautiful Art Nouveau casino as its crown. My grandfather used to dine here every holiday while it was at its glorious peak. The whole historical district in the area is really beautiful and romantic, with the Mosque in its heart from where you can observe amazing landscapes all around. This city deserves a whole article, because of all of its historical richness. 

• Portofino, Italy

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Portofino is my latest Italian discovery. On the Ligurian Coast, a bit further down from the beautiful city of Genoa, on a peninsula deep in the Mediterranean Sea, is this seaside resort. Of course Liguria is renowned for the unique and striking Cinque Terre, but this little town stole my heart. Maybe because is more on the luxurious side than the other five very famous villages. The colorful houses are better maintained, the beautiful architecture of the Italian villas does help of course and so do the fancy boats and yachts floating in the port. A majestic church and a castle on the top of the hill reside over the quiet and charming harbour. 

• Seville, Spain

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Although there are many sightings in Andalusia, Spain, Seville really caught my heart because of the specific architecture, a blend between Moorish and Gothic. The castle (Real Alcazar) is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, this coming from a girl who loves palaces, castles and the sort. Also Seville is home to the largest Gothic cathedral in the world (by some criteria and of course) and to one of the most famous landmarks “Plaza de España”. In my opinion, Plaza de España is the heart of Spain and everything that it symbolizes: the richness and warmth of the colours, the majestic architecture and history behind the tile design. On top of everything, there’s also some water in the city…a nice boardwalk along a large river, with its mouth a few kilometers away in the Atlantic Ocean. 

• Friday Harbour, USA

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The Pacific Northwest definitely has its fair share of small, romantic places, it’s so hard to choose between them. But this one is really special because it’s a village on an island in the Pacific, in the vicinity of the Canadian border. The San Juan Islands are known for their whale watching tours. Their waters are swimming with orcas and humpback whales. There’s even a very interesting whale museum on the island. The harbour is really exquisite in the old American style. White wooden houses everywhere, flowers hanging on every corner, cafes and small restaurants all along the boardwalk and of course the precious view of all those sail boats bobbing in the salty wind. Friday Harbour can be reached from Seattle by taking a four hour cruise. 

• Morcote, Switzerland

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Morcote is a lovely little village on a steep hill at the edge of Lake Lugano, in the famous Italian area of Switzerland, Ticino. What surprised me the most was the exotic feel of this place: palm trees, oranges and lemons hanging in every garden, pink oleanders on the narrow street and of course all the Italian style villas. I recommend visiting the park on the side of the hill, it’s a botanical garden full of Roman statues, but also some from other parts of the world. 

• Aix-en-Provence, France

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This very old town dates back to the Romans. It has a medieval feel to it, but lacks the coldness some other medieval towns have. Aix is vibrant, warm in its colours, full of bistros, shops and art galleries. Here is were the impressionist painter Cezanne lived and got inspired. His charming house and garden shouldn’t be missed while visiting, if you are acquainted with his work. I think it’s the only town on my list that doesn’t have a boardwalk. But, in my defense, you can reach the Mediterranean in an hour from Aix en Provance and also, in its vicinity is the Camargue Delta, where the Rhône flows into the sea. 

• Agios Nikolaos, Greece

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This is a small, quiet little town on the northeastern coast of Crete. I spent my honeymoon here, so it definitely has a special place in my heart. As in most of the Greek coastal towns, the colours are the highlight: the famous contrast between the white of the houses and the blue of the sea. What’s more interesting is that this part of the Mediterranean, called the Gulf of Mirabello, has the most intense hues of blue I have ever seen. The taverns under the date and olive trees are also very romantic. It’s a great start to married life. 

• Stein am Rhein, Switzerland

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This is one of the smallest places on my list, a medieval very typical German town, but Swiss all the same. The colorful houses in the square have their façades painted in all sorts of designs. It’s very cheerful, especially during the Christmas season. I recommend dining on Swiss specialties in one of their cosy restaurants. The river Rhein flows right by and a few kilometers away spills into an amazing waterfall, the largest in debit in Europe.

• Sinaia, Romania

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I end my enormous list with another town from my home country. This is a mountain resort, where the royal Romanian family holds residence. The architecture of this place is really beautiful, with houses made from river rocks and timber frames inspired by the German style. Here resides the majestic Peles Castle at the edge of the forest, in its Neo-Renaissance splendour. Also some beautiful Belle Epoque manors remind us of a short period in Romanian history, when we were compared to the French. Alas, those days are long gone.

My list of romantic destinations ends here. The joy I felt writing these two articles, remembering all the special features of each place and the feelings they bestowed, can only increase by sharing them with you. Because there’s no better feeling than sharing your happiness with others. Dear reader, if you plan on going somewhere with your special one, consider in picking some places on my list, they won’t disappoint, I can assure you of that. 

Photos from Flamingo‘s archive and Pixabay.