Celebrate St. Valentine's Day with a blockbuster Roadtrip

Going on a driving route in St. Valentine is one of the most fun and romantic thing you can enjoy with your partner. Getting to know new places together and disconnecting from the world turn a getaway into an irresistible option. Let yourself be carried away by the adventure and enjoy an unforgettable Valentine.

Where does the St. Valentine's Day tradition comes from?

Myth or reality, it is not clear whether St. Valentine really existed or he is only a legend whose origin is attributed to Christianity. Valentine was a Roman physician and an ordained priest, who defied the orders of Emperor Claudius II when he forbade young men to marry in order to recruit more soldiers for his army. Valentine began marrying couples secretly risking his own life, in defense of love. When this challenge reached the ears of the emperor, he ordered to lock him in jail prior to his beheading. It was there that the priest fell in love with the jailer's daughter, to whom he wrote a letter before dying that ended "From your Valentine." In 1969 this holiday was removed from the Catholic calendar but it continues to be present as a day for the celebration of love.

Valentine's Day celebration customs

The romanticism of St. Valentine’s Romeo-and-Juliet legend has reached all corners of the world, and each country celebrates it with its special peculiarities: In Spain chocolates and flowers are given as a gift and couples enjoy a romantic dinner or a getaway weekend; in Portugal the tradition is that the lovers dedicate themselves a full day of attention and give each other baskets with gifts, food, flowers and St. Valentine's cards; in Germany they give away piglets with hearts made of chocolate and flowers, in which the pig symbolizes luck and even lust; in Japan women give chocolates to men, depending on the type of chocolate it can be a gift to friends or coworker, or even a love declaration, in Croatia a heart-shaped honey and ginger cake is presented with a custom phrase.

Best cities to enjoy your St. Valentine's Day road trip

For those of us who believe that the best gifts are the moments we live together, there is nothing like taking the car and visiting new unknown places. So if you intend to go on a weekend getaway to celebrate Valentine's Day, here are some of our proposals for you to make this Valentine's Day unforgettable.

Sevilla

Sevilla is one of the most romantic cities in Spain, with its old alleys, its white houses in the Santacruz district and its Arabic architecture scattered around every corner of the city. If you decide to drive your rental car to Sevilla, you cannot miss La Isleta de los Pájaros at Parque de María Luisa with the Alfonso XII Pavilion, the Cenador de la Alcoba in the Reales Alcázares gardens, the promenade Marques de Contadero or the Triana Bridge illuminated at dusk with the Torre del Oro overlooking. These are some of the most beautiful places in the city to enjoy in good company. If you also want to go on a good gastronomic route in Sevilla, take note: Bar Pelayo, Bar Catedral one of the city’s most emblematic, the Corral del Agua with a very special charm or Rio Grande for a romantic dinner next to the Guadalquivir, will not disappoint you.

Rome

The eternal city is another essential destination to enjoy a few days with your partner. The villa Borghese, the Orange Garden on the Aventine Hill, the promenade at Parco degli Acquedotti, a walk along the Tiber river, buying groceries at the Campo de Fiori market or visiting the Knights of Malta priory with its wonderful garden and Rome’s most incredible views are some suggestions for your romantic trip to Rome. Enjoy Italian cuisine in the most recommended restaurants: Terrazza Hotel Capo, the Mecenate Palace Hotel or the Mirabelle Restaurant at the Splendide Royal Hotel.

Lisbon

Lisbon is a safe bet for your romantic Valentine's day getaway, do not miss the mirador das Portas do Sol in the Alfama district, one of the oldest in the city, the Torel garden in Bairro da Pena, the Gardens of the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum or the St. George Castle. An to eat: the Kaffehaus Café, the Bica do Sapato or the Café Buenos Aires.

Will you try and go on a road trip on Valentine's Day with your partner? Rent your car and get ready to experience one of those magical trips with the best company.