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Top 10 Destinations For Valentine's Day

Would you go to the ends of the Earth for your special someone? Here are some great places to start.

As Valentine's Day approaches, why not indulge your sweetheart this year with a holiday to one of the world's most romantic places?

We recommend the following for a Valentine's Day to remember. All of these loved-up destinations are cupid-approved and rate high on the best-spots-to-propose list.


Paris, France
Top of this list would have to be a city so rich with romantic connotations and so often claimed to be the most romantic in the world, that it has been dubbed the 'City of Love'. Enjoy fresh croissants and coffee, and explore the many beautiful sights such as the Louvre, Tuileries Garden, Notre Dame, the Champs-Elysees (known as la plus belle avenue du monde - "the most beautiful avenue in the world"), Arc de Triomphe and of course the Eiffel Tower. If it's good enough for the likes of Tom and Katie to publicly flaunt an engagement rock, it's good enough for a proposal of your own.

Get there: Etihad connects through to Paris 10 times a week, from A$1,934.

Milan, Italy
The popular origins of St Valentine place him in Italy. One story claims he was a priest who was put to death by Emperor Claudius II for performing secret marriages for young lovers during the third century in Rome, while others suggest he sent the first 'valentine's greeting' to a woman he fell in love with while in prison. Meanwhile our favourite modern-day Valentine emblem, Cupid, is the son of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Enjoy the city's historical connection to St Valentine and the passion the Italians are famous for. Today lovers often meet at Piazza San Fedela, between Piazza Duomo and Via Manzoni, next to a statue of Alessandro Manzoni, author of the famous Italian work "I Promessi Sposi" - "The Betrothed".

Get there: Etihad connects through to Milan 3 times a week, from A$1,886.

Dublin, Ireland
Here you can visit the real St Valentine. It is not known exactly what became of him but in 1835 Pope Gregory XVI was so impressed by the passionate preaching of Irish priest Father John Spratt during his visit to Rome that he gave him what are believed to be St Valentine's remains. Held in a black and gold casket, they can be viewed every Valentine's Day at the Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin. Special ways to celebrate Valentine's Day Dublin-style include a medieval banquet in an Irish castle, a horse-drawn carriage ride and picnic in Killarney, or you can literally go to 'the end of the world' - Europe's western-most point - for each other at Dunmore Head.

Get there: Etihad connects through to Dublin 4 times a week, from A$1,898.

New York, USA
New York City is bubbling with activities for a romantic twosome. Top of the list would be ice-skating at Rockefeller Center and a horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park. A popular spot for Valentine's Day proposals - and wedding ceremonies - is the observation deck of the Empire State Building. So, even if you're not that far in your relationship yet, it might be fun to watch someone else take the plunge!

New York restaurants turn it on for Valentine's Day - so there's a huge choice for a romantic dinner for two, and the city is full of romantic bars. So spend a romantic night on the town, or take a blanket and picnic basket down to Battery Park.

Get there: Etihad connects through to New York 10 times a week, from A$2,057.

London, England
Whether it's bespoke jewellery from one of the boutiques in Hatton Garden, a teddy bear from Hamley's on Regent Street or lingerie from Agent Provocateur in Soho, London offers a number of options for the perfect Valentine's Day gift. And for a romantic proposal to remember take a one-hour flight in a private capsule on the London Eye - complete with champagne and canapes. If the proposal doesn't take your beloved's breath away then maybe the 135 metre high view of London town in the winter will. Then spend the evening snuggling in front of an open fire, protecting each other from the cold!

Get there: Etihad connects through to London 14 times a week, from A$1,986.

Frankfurt, Germany
This sophisticated financial centre boasts some of the most modern skyscrapers in Europe next to beautifully maintained old buildings, such as those in Romer Square. It is also the gateway to The Romantic Road, Germany's best known and most popular scenic drive, which runs from the River Main to the Alps. As the name suggests it is the ideal road for a romantic cruise. Spend a few relaxing days winding your way through countryside punctuated with fairytale castles and picturesque villages. After checking for Rapunzel from tower windows and admiring the scenery - including each other of course - nestle down each night in a beautiful historic hotel or a little B&B.

Get there: Etihad connects through to Frankfurt 5 times a week, from A$1,917.

Geneva, Switzerland
Second home to the United Nations, the scenes in this city look like they just sprung from a book of fairytales. A popular way to get around is by bicycle (tandem anyone?). Or if you're not the peddling type, take a romantic stroll along the picturesque lakefront, across the Mont-Blanc Bridge and down to Jardin Anglais (the English Garden), home to the famous flower clock. If you really do believe you're with the one for all time give your beloved a keepsake timepiece from the watch capital of the world. And plenty of sweet treats from the city's master chocolate makers, of course.

Get there: Etihad connects through to Geneva 3 times a week, from A$1,882.

Casablanca, Morocco
Take a cue from Rick and Ilsa and create your own - maybe slightly less dramatic - love story in the setting of the famous 1942 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Check out the long sandy beaches minus the peak-season crowds. And if cinema was your inspiration snuggle in the dark to watch a film at the beautiful Art Deco Rialto Cinema, built in 1930, followed by a romantic dinner for two at any of the city's superb restaurants. This is where you look at your beloved and say "Here's lookin' at you kid". And don't forget to download "As time goes by" onto your iPod so you get the words right for the serenade.

Get there: Etihad connects through to Casablanca 2 times a week, from A$1,881.

Cairo, Egypt
Home to the Pyramids of Giza, the last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the World, this city played backdrop to one of the most legendary love stories ever recorded. The story of Roman general Marc Antony and the beautiful Queen Cleopatra VII, last Pharoah of Egypt, has inspired writers, artists and romantics from all over the world for centuries. Today, the Egyptians love to celebrate love - so much so that they do it twice a year: on November 4, as chosen by the late author Mostafa Amin, and on February 14. So book a hotel overlooking the Nile and make plans to visit the pyramids and see how Egyptians have honoured their beloved since 2,000BC.

Get there: Etihad connects through to Cairo 7 times a week, from A$2,060.

Moscow, Russian Federation
If rugging up against the cold and keeping each other warm is your idea of romance, then Moscow is for you. On average February is Moscow's coldest month, but that doesn't have to dampen a magical experience. Immerse in the culture that gave us Doctor Zhivago and The Nutcracker, and enjoy the majestic backdrop of world renowned architecture such as St. Basil's Cathedral, Cathedral of the Saviour, the Seven Sisters and ofcourse the impressive Red Square. A set of wooden matroyshka (nesting) dolls, personalised with your names and date will make for a special keepsake. Or if the budget allows go for a Faberge egg pendant or a distinctive piece of Russian jewellery. Maybe a real Russian wedding ring, inscribed "From Russia, With Love" of course.

Get there: Etihad connects through to Moscow 4 times a week, from A$1,881.

Etihad Airways flies from Sydney 11 times per week, from Brisbane three times per week and will commence a daily service from Melbourne in March 2009.

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