Rekindle romance on a romantic getaway

While we tend to think most of romance around Valentine's Day, our favorite romantic getaways are guaranteed to rekindle a long-standing romance, or kick a new one up a notch, all year long. Whether you choose to cuddle up on a gondola ride in Venice; snuggle under a blanket on a caleche ride in Quebec City; dance cheek-to-cheek in Buenos Aires; spend long days canoodling on spectacular islands like Bora Bora, Santorini, and Nevis; cruise magical Halong Bay; or discover breathtaking Dubrovnik together, you're bound to feel a renewed (or new) sense of intimacy with your partner. Of course, no list of this sort would be complete without a nod to Paris, the epitome of romantic getaways (and site of countless marriage proposals), but dear Santa Barbara, closer to home, is just as ripe for a tryst, with countless spas and vineyards in the vicinity that are sure to help you and yours relax — and lose your inhibitions.

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Sunbathers relax on the pebbled beach outside the city walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia, in 2005. The city has been magnificently restored to its former glory to emerge as one of the most fashionable vacation spots in all of Europe.

1. Buenos Aires, Argentina

As the old saying goes, it takes two to tango — and there’s no better place to practice your moves with your partner than on a romantic getaway to Buenos Aires, the birthplace of this incredibly sexy dance.

2. Bora Bora

If there’s one destination to blow your savings on in the name of love, this tiny, pricey South Pacific island is it. Novelist James A. Michener described Bora Bora as, “the most beautiful island in the world” and visitors to this romantic getaway's far-flung shores rarely disagree.

3. Dubrovnik, Croatia

Couples in search of romance are flocking to this wondrous city on the southernmost stretch of Croatia’s coast, as enchanted by its beauty today as the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who once proclaimed, "If you want to see heaven on earth, come to Dubrovnik.

4. Halong Bay, Vietnam

Now that you’ve found your knight in shining armor, put his dragon-slaying skills to the test in this ancient dragon’s lair near the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.

5. Nevis

If you’re craving a Caribbean getaway that’s just as high on romance as it is on R & R, look no further than darling Nevis (pronounced n-EE-vis), the sister island of St. Kitts.

6. Paris, France

Parisian culture seems inherently designed for romance, with countless settings tailor-made for those only-in-the-movies-type kisses: manicured gardens with perfect make-out benches lie around every corner; lamp-lit pedestrian quays along the Seine invite stolen smooches; and majestic plazas and tucked-away squares like Place des Vosges offer storybook backdrops for marriage proposals.

7. Quebec City, Canada

With its homegrown French language, colonial architecture, and horse-drawn carriages, Quebec City is inherently designed with romantic getaways in mind.

8. Santa Barbara, California

Bona fide beach town, the Santa Ynez wine-producing region next door, and loads of spa retreats within driving distance . . . it’s no wonder California’s Santa Barbara gets our nod in the romantic getaways department.

9. Santorini, Greece

Some may think island romance is overrated, but then they’ve probably never been to Santorini. The most visually stunning of all the Greek Cyclades, this beguiling honeymoon spot has all the trappings of a dream vacation: Postcard-perfect cliffside villages, exotic black-sand volcanic beaches, transcendent sunsets, luxurious cave-rock hotels, dramatic striated red-and-gray cliffs stretching to the sky, and the Aegean’s finest wineries.

10. Venice, Italy

An extraordinary waterfront wonderland where ancient palazzi seemingly float above water, Venice manages to be both serene and seductive all at once. While its labyrinthine cobblestone streets certainly encourage lovers to stroll hand in hand, it’s the city’s iconic gondolas that really up the romantic ante. Read more at www.msnbc.msn.com

 

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