5 Cities to Fall in Love
Love is all around
February is American Heart Month, and while health experts and physicians agree that the Mediterranean Diet is one of the best ways for you to maintain heart health, falling and being in love is another great way to help your heart and your health.
Since it’s Heart Month and Valentine’s Month, and because we love to travel, we’d like to suggest 5 romantic cities where you can easily fall in love.
Verona, Italy
Verona is many things. It is famous for its annual Opera Festival (celebrating its 100th year in the Summer of 2023), for VinItaly, the international wine competition and exposition that is held annually in April, and speaking about love, it is known as the home of Romeo and Juliet.
While the story didn’t end so well for Romeo and Juliet, we think it’s a great place to fall in love (or celebrate love). The city is romantic and beautiful, spectacularly walkable, comfortable and welcoming. We stopped in Verona on the way to Venice, and never left.
If you do choose Verona, stay at the Due Torri Hotel, housed in a 14th century palace in the historic center, near the church of Saint Anastasia, not too far from the Houses of Juliet.
Lecce, Italy
Lecce, in Puglia, the heel of Itay’s boot, is known for its spectacular Baroque architecture. The city is walkable and bikeable, and the food is a delicious example of why the Mediterranean Diet is so healthy and delicious.
Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa, a classic dish of Puglia is the little ear pasta – orecchiette – with broccoli rabe (rapini). It’s found in many home kitchens and one of our favorite restaurants, Le Zie Trattoria Casereccia, which roughly translates to “home cooking of the aunt”. Locals love it, and visitors will fall in love too, along with the olive oil and wines of Puglia.
While there are many stunning masseria (farmhouses transformed into beautiful hotels) in Puglia, we also love to be in Lecce at the Patria Palace Hotel. Born as a noble residence of Petrarolo D’Anna family, the hotel looks out at the spectacular Baroque Basilica of Santa Croce. If a countryside masseria is your heart’s desire, look no further than Masseria San Domenico.
Athens, Greece
What better place to fall in love than in the Cradle of Democracy – Athens!
You might not think of busy, bustling Athens as a place for romance, but you’re wrong. It’s wonderfully romantic.
Climb the Acropolis, stare at the Parthenon and the Caryatids, look out toward the sea and then toward the mountains, and imagine what it was like in ancient times. Then walk back down and walk through beautiful, historic streets, visit local markets, and sit in outdoor tavernas and restaurants, all while looking back up at the spectacular Acropolis.
A romantic view of the Acropolis is how we choose where to stay. The Electra Palace Hotel in the Plaka District provides views of the Acropolis while you backstroke in the pool, while you’re dining on the best of Greek food and wine, and while you’re resting in your room. It’s heavenly.
Istanbul
Istanbul is the only city in the world that is in two continents – Europe and Asia. It is ancient and it is modern; it’s exciting and overwhelming, its beauty is exotic and fascinating.
The Ottoman scholar Tom Brosnahan wrote: “It is worth traveling to Turkey just to eat. Turkish cuisine is the very heart of eastern Mediterranean cooking, which demands excellent, fresh ingredients and careful, even laborious preparation. The ingredients are often very simple, but are of the highest quality, and in recipes they are harmonized with great care.”
There are many beautiful and romantic places in Istanbul – on both European and Asian sides – in which to enjoy the culture, the cuisine, the beauty of the city, and of course, the one who makes you laugh and love. To be sure, Istanbul is spectacular, and a splendid city in which to fall in love.
Where to stay? There is an incredible variety of interesting places to stay – some with views of the Bosporus, others in historic homes and palaces, whether in the Old City or in modern neighborhoods. For a splurge, try the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, formerly a prison featured in the movie Midnight Express and now with its Turkish neoclassical architecture, a beautifully restored luxurious hotel in the Old City, close to Topkapi and the Hagia Sofia. Whether or not our budget allows us to check in, we never miss a chance to visit this Four Seasons for tea-time.
Madrid
There is so much to love about Madrid: the elegance and the energy; the architecture, buildings, and the expanses of parks and wide boulevards; the Plaza Mayor and the city’s many fountains; the museums; the sense of place; the people; and, of course, the food and wines.
With so much to love about this gracious city, it’s naturally quite easy to fall in love with your sweetheart – whether for the first time, or to fall in love all over again. Share a glass of cava or sherry; go tapas hopping; enjoy long walks in the glorious Retiro Garden or along the broad boulevards; take a cooking class together; visit one of the city’s world-class museums; and then end your day by enjoying a romantic dinner with a glass of Rioja or Ribera del Duero.
You’ll want to stay at the Wellington Hotel in Madrid’s Salamanca neighborhood, around the corner from the Retiro Garden. With so many reasons for the choice -- the elegant bar where you feel comfortable in a crowd or at a table for one, the rooms and linens, whether a suite or a single, the tapestries in the breakfast room, the staff – there’s a lot to love.
Whether you travel in February or September, or whether you go to any of these five places (although we hope you do!), we know that – as the Troggs or Billy Mack in Love Actually would sing – love is all around.
Global Recipe: Almond Cookies with Tahini and Honey
These cookies are the perfect sweet treat for Valentine’s Day! These cookies use almonds as the base, inspired by the traditional almond cakes of Spain. Think of these as an elegant, Mediterranean version of peanut butter cookies.
Join us in Sicily, October 8-15, 2023
Are you a fan of White Lotus? If you are (and even if you haven’t watched White Lotus!), uncover the real Sicily with us on a spectacular 7-day immersion into the food, culture, and history of this gorgeous island.
Dazzling, sunny Sicily is a crossroads of Mediterranean influence: Italian, Spanish, Arab, French. Oldways and The Feedfeed will take you beyond the tourist attractions so you can enjoy a true Sicilian experience. We’ll be joined by Chef John daSilva of Chickadee Restaurant in Boston, who will help us experience this tour through the eyes of a chef!