Oozing history (almost every corner fosters a castle or a UNESCO
World Heritage Site), this European city is something of a catchall
for new couples. A stone’s throw from both seaside resorts and
wineries, it’s a great choice for those working on a variety of
budgets. Popular with young creatives – and the nouveau riche (the
Fassbenders have recently set-up shop here) – it’s easy to be
romanced by this city. With a burgeoning contemporary food scene
and inbuilt cardio thanks to the city’s hilly landscape it’s hard
to find fault with this weekend escape. When you’ve had your fill
of pastel de natas (traditional custard tarts), romantic tram rides
and photo-worthy vistas, rent a car and head west for the seaside
town of Cascais.

What
Dublin lacks in sex appeal it more than makes up for in charm.
Make like literary greats Joyce and Heaney and wax lyrical about
your new love in sonnet form – or deliver a more succinct message
via tweet in the city’s Silicon Docks. With copious restaurants
showcasing the country’s bounty and casual pints waiting at every
corner, plan out your evening but leave your afternoon free to
ramble. With this walkable city centre at your disposal, wander
past Georgian terraces and loiter a while in the city centres open
green spaces stretching from Portobello to Parnell Square. This one
is a good option for the less committal.

A ochre- and rose-hued hive of activity,
Marrakech is a winning choice for a first trip away. Indulge in
a hammam before bartering for treasures in the kaleidoscopic souks
or escape the hurly-burly of the medina all together in favour of
pastures new. For adventurous couples, the Atlas Mountains,
Sahara
Desert and coastal town of Essaouira are all but a drive away.
Once you’ve returned to the city, tuck into citrus-y tajine in a
chic cushion-filled restaurant before heading back to base. When it
comes to sleeping, holidaymakers can choose from centuries-old
palaces turned boutique hotels or luxury tents erected in desert
landscapes. You’ll get brownie points for booking a room at the
jewel-hued El Fenn.

Whether hitting the beach, following in Gaudí’s footsteps or bar
hopping, Barcelona
is effectively the anti-argument holiday destination. With so many
options, even the pickiest of partners are sure to be satiated by
the mere choice in this city. An urban beach town, art haven and a
food mecca, where else can you surf in the morning, take in
surrealist buildings in the afternoon and eat the best tapas of
your life before 5PM? The only fear, of course, is you’ll fall more
in love with the city than each other.

Paint yourself cultured in seductive
Vienna, the former imperial city that spoils it’s visitors with
a never-ending wealth of things to do and see. A bravado move worth
making, a trip to this artisan city, with winding lanes,
time-honoured palaces and airs by Mozart chiming in the background,
is sure to make for some not so subtle wooing. With copious amounts
of sachertorte, masterpiece-filled museums and imperial
architecture a plenty, plus some of the plushest hotels in Europe,
we’re willing to wager that you’ll leave the city humming.

What’s a heated Flamenco dance among more-than friends? A
disarming sort of city, romance is perpetually in the air in
Seville
– or is that the heady scent of blossom on the city’s 14,000 orange
trees? It’s historic centre is an intoxicating mix of periods
comprising of Mudéjar palaces, baroque churches and winding
medieval lanes, sure to entice those who visit and the tasty
regional food is top notch. Remembering this the home of tapas – if
you can learn to share your food, your relationship will go the
distance.