Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to love and romance but who do you think were the most romantic couples of all time?
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Some names immediately spring to mind such as Antony and Cleopatra, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, Louis XV of France and Madame de Pompadour, Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier, Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, and many others.
Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.
- Christian evangelist David Wilkerson
What about extravagant dedications to love?
“In 1612 Shah Jahan married the Persian princess Arjumand Banu Begum and built the Taj Mahal for her as a tomb when she died in childbirth,” a historian said. “Overall it took 22,000 labourers more than 21 years to complete the epic monument.
“Another dedication to love is Edward VIII’s decision in 1936 to give up the throne for a woman he loved. This undoubtedly deserves a place among history’s most romantic moments.”
Often these great loves were short, for example Queen Victoria lost her husband Albert quite young and it is said she never got over his death, retreating from public life and wearing black for the remaining 40 years of her life.
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage
- Lao Tzu
But for the average person with a limited budget, here are 20 romantic ideas:
- Bring a picnic to the park
- Watch the sunset
- Rent a paddle boat or double kayak
- Hire a plush hotel suite for the night
- Visit a national park
- Go for a romantic drive in the country
- Hire a sailboat or go for a cruise
- Go back to where you first met
- Book a treatment in a day spa
- Walk in a botanic garden
- Visit a vineyard
- Make dinner together from scratch
- Give each other a massage
- Both take the day off work as a holiday (February 14 is on a Thursday this year)
- Look at the stars outside
- Swim with dolphins – this needs to be preplanned
- Build a campfire and toast some marshmallows
- Tour your hometown if you had good memories
- Hire a romantic movie that s not too soppy
- Go to a restaurant with stunning views
Make sure it is something that is special to both of you. Nothing beats simply taking time out with the one you love.
