Viator Travel Blog

Paris, Rome and Florence always get the credit for being the cities with the most romantic views, locations and ambiance, but don’t underestimate good old London; this city also has some wonderfully romantic spots which are perfect places to soak up the atmosphere of this vibrant city. So when love is in the air and you fancy whisking your Valentine away on a special break, or just want to celebrate a special occasion, head to London and experience another side to England’s capital. Here are some suggestions on where to experience romantic London at its best.

The Jordaan, the district to the west of the city center and the western canal belt, is an area that should be visited to experience a quieter side of Amsterdam and to escape the tourist crowds. This residential area, bordered roughly by Prinsengracht, Brouwersgracht, Lijnbaansgracht and Leidsegracht, is now home to some of the most desirable properties in the city, as well as interesting museums, historic cafes, independent boutiques, quirky restaurants, and art galleries, with surprises tucked around every corner.

Paris may be known as the City of Light, but lurking just beneath its glossy exterior of majestic museums and monuments is a darker element, a side that not all visitors to this city get to experience. Paris isn’t just about the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysées; there is more to the city than the Opéra, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Sacré Coeur. There is another element to Paris: this is Paris of the macabre, the weird and wonderful, the Gothic and bizarre.

Visit these mysterious locations in Paris for an alternative insight into the capital.

This quintessentially English region is also teeming with tea rooms, with the tradition for taking tea dating back 300 years, so it is therefore the ideal place to embark on a tea room tour.

Afternoon tea can consist of tea and a slice of homemade cake, or perhaps a cream tea with scones, clotted cream and jam, or ‘the works’ -a full afternoon tea with cakes, pastries and small sandwiches. You are never very far away from a tea room in the Cotswolds, and here are some suggestions on where to visit when you are in need of refreshment.

Not so long ago London was seen as one of the worst beer cities in the country, with only a handful of breweries remaining, despite once being the brewing capital of the world and the birthplace of traditional beer styles such as porters, IPAs, and stouts. But now new beers and bars are starting to appear in every corner of the city as part of this craft beer explosion; there are now over 30 breweries in London, around 5 times more than in 2006, and this number is increasing rapidly.

You might think it’s impossible to see the sights of Rome in just one day – but Italy’s capital is actually very compact and easy to explore. With a bit of planning, a good map, and a decent pair of shoes to cope with all those cobbled streets, you can see many of Rome’s highlights in the space of a day – and this guide will show you how. True, you might wish you had more time to marvel at the many monuments in this museum city of ruined temples, crumbling churches and pretty piazzas, but this will at least give you a taste of the Eternal City, and leave you wanting more.