Top 5 ideas for a romantic weekend getaway in the fall

This is the time when the streets of tourist cities empty and life returns to its usual rhythm after a hot summer. This is the time of bright colors, freshness and, of course, quiet, cozy romance. And to appreciate it all, we suggest you to go to Europe for a weekend with your other half. We will tell you about the most romantic places. It is worth escaping to one of these corners of Europe with your loved one at least for a couple of days, so that happy memories will warm you in the cold evenings.

1. Vilnius, Lithuania

Lithuanians do not emphasize their Soviet past, and all the paraphernalia associated with it, they collected and safely sent for preservation in Grutas Park. Now the city looks more like a small European capital than a part of the post-Soviet space.

The historic medieval part of Vilnius is considered the largest in Europe, very beautiful and tidy. There is a fortress with a tower, churches, cathedrals, ancient gates, a national museum and a university where all the great minds of eastern Europe studied in their time.

Yes, Vilnius is an ancient city, but the word "old age" somehow does not fit with it.

Perhaps because of all sorts of art movements that fill this city with the spirit of novelty and rebellion. Vilnius is home to ŠMC — the largest contemporary art center in the entire Baltics, several original theaters, as well as Menų spaustuvė — a platform for cultural projects, modern dance and even circus. Try to discover a different Vilnius — not staid and proper, but reckless and romantic. Look into the most amazing part of the city — Užupis.

It is a republic within the city, populated by people of art: artists, writers, musicians. Every building in the neighborhood has its own history. It is often compared to Montmartre or Andreevsky Spusk, but Užupis is larger and more dynamic. And although it is a state in words only and has only 12 men in its army, the people of Užupis insist on its status and have even invented 38 points of the Constitution. Try to get to know one of the neighborhood's inhabitants, then you're guaranteed a long walk through the tangled streets, spiced with stories of famous residents and the romance and freedom of bohemian life.

Every alley, courtyard, and street in Užupis is guaranteed to surprise you, even if you explore them on your own. In the fall it is especially good to walk in Vingis Park, because of its size it gives the impression of walking through the forest along the bank of the Neris River.

An open-air concert venue has been built in the park. Lady Gaga and Depeche Mode used to draw crowds here. Locals love spending weekends in this park. You can bike, rollerblade and skateboard here. Not far away are several romantic restaurants with terraces where dances are held. And also a famous "cat" cafe, where you will be accompanied by a dozen cute representatives of the feline family.

Vilnius is also good because although it is a European city, the prices here do not hit the pocket, so you can safely chic and enjoy the pastime and local cuisine.

Hotel accommodation for two people starts from €40 per night.

Dinner for two in a restaurant starts from €20.

2. Bordeaux, France

France as we imagine it — luxurious, sedate, where wine and cheese are served even for breakfast — is definitely not Paris, it is Aquitaine region and its capital — the city of Bordeaux.

The locals do not recognize the rush and any changes, they try to preserve the towns and villages in their original form, and their meals are spread over several hours. The capital of the region looks both modern and retains the charm of a provincial town. In the main square of De la Bourse there is a building of financial exchange, it looks representative, quite in the spirit of French architecture of VIII century. But stay here for 15 minutes, and you will see how the whole square fills with water for a few centimeters, creating the effect of a mirror, and after another 15 minutes over the surface of the water appears fog — this is perhaps the most amusing and unusual sight, especially in the evening, when the lights of buildings and streets are reflected in the water. One pleasure to stroll along the Garonne riverfront, here you can see the panorama of the whole city, you can see Napoleon's bridge and the spires of medieval churches.

And what kind of vacation in Bordeaux, the capital of French winemaking, without a glass of red dry? It is said that any resident of the province can rent a few bushes of grapes to open a bottle of his own wine in a family circle. This drink is a second religion here. It is not necessary to pay a fabulous sum for a collector's bottle, in Bordeaux even the most ordinary wine is still surprisingly tasty. Don't miss the opportunity to try local cheeses and foie gras.

You can rent a car or buy a train ticket to visit one of the coastal villages and admire the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Among the most famous is the town of Arcachon. Here you can walk through vineyards, taste oysters and see the Peel Dune, a huge sand mound on the ocean.

This region of France is still an undiscovered place for our tourist, so cultural assimilation is guaranteed. Bordeaux falls in love with a special French charm.

The cost of hotel accommodation for two people is €65 per night.

Dinner for two in a restaurant is €40.

3. Cologne. Germany

We're all somehow more used to associating fall in Germany with Oktoberfest in Munich. And the first thing that comes to mind is a sea of beer, sausages, unrestrained fun. And certainly not romance. That's a shame. It's funny that Germans themselves consider themselves a very romantic nation. To understand what they mean, it is worth getting lost in the streets of an old German city like Cologne.

Cologne is located on both sides of the Rhine River, the two parts of the city are connected by eight amazingly beautiful bridges and one cable car, on which you can ride in a cabin.

Of course, there are "bridges of love" in many cities. Cologne is no exception, but the number of locks on the Hohenzollern Bridge is really impressive. If you walk across the bridge, you will come to the main Cologne Cathedral — the largest Catholic cathedral in Europe. Its scale is astounding. Next to this majestic Gothic building you feel insignificant, even the most convinced atheist will feel religious awe. If you climb to the observation deck at the top of the cathedral, it seems that the whole world is at your feet. Another point from which you can admire the panorama of the city is the tower of the KölnTriangle business center, which is also located near the bridge.

By the way, Cologne was the first place where "Cologne water" — cologne — was invented, so you can visit the special Duftmuseum im Farina-Haus and buy a bottle of authentic Cologne fragrance. Chocolate was not invented in Cologne, but there is a very popular German museum dedicated to the sweet treat.

A soulful and beautiful place is the Flora Botanical Garden, where you can walk all day long. The garden looks especially beautiful in autumn, when the foliage is mottled with bright colors. It's a place for great photos.

And if the walks tire you out, check out the Thermae of Claudius. The nicest rule of the place is that you'll have to leave your phones outside. There are swimming pools, saunas, Jacuzzis, aqua massages, and in addition a ban on all kinds of gadgets — complete relaxation is ensured.

In the evening you can walk through the wonderful establishments of Cologne. We recommend choosing a place with live music, such as Jazzlokal papa Joe. This is one of the oldest jazz clubs in all of Germany. The repertoire here is classic and they play every day. From pleasant bonuses — free pistachios on a bar, they are simply scattered on a counter and it is possible to take them, only having filled their pockets or palms, no dishes.

And yes, this is Germany, here beer can be very "romantic". You can spend the whole evening wandering around the classic Cologne breweries, of which there are many in the city. In such places you can easily find a common language with the owners of the establishment and feel the heady spirit of the German city.

Hotel accommodation for two people starts from €70 per night.

Dinner for two in a restaurant — €45.

4. Bruges. Belgium

Bruges is a Belgian fairy tale with the smell of waffles and chocolate. Here you can walk to infinity: the atmosphere that hovers around the Gothic buildings, the scattering of canals with white swans, avenue with working mills — the feeling of magic does not let go all the time you stay in the city. Here you believe in any miracles.

Probably, a special atmosphere reigns here also because Bruges has not changed its original appearance. Once it was an important port of Flanders, trade flourished here and the city grew rich. But over time Bruges lost its strategic importance and remained neglected until the last century. This "mothballing" beckons tourists from all over the world.

The best place to start your walk is the Grote Market Square. It became famous largely thanks to the Hollywood movie "Lie low in Bruges", where the key scenes of the movie took place, namely in the Belfort Tower, which all visitors to Bruges strive to get to. From here you can get a panoramic view of the whole city, the spires of Gothic cathedrals are in the field of vision, the streets along the canals are full of brightly colored houses. However, it is possible to look at the city only through the net, now all the openings in the tower are shrouded with a net for safety reasons. Either because of the drafts or because of fans of the same movie.

Be sure to look for the Church of the Blood of the Lord, it is not very conspicuous against the background of the neighboring building of the Town Hall, but this small temple attracts with mystery. The vial with drops of Jesus Christ's blood, brought by the Crusaders in the XII century, is kept here. The stone walls, the light of hundreds of candles, the singing of the church choir. Even if you are not a religious person, come in for a while, you'll love it.

One of the symbols of Bruges is the swan. Not far from the center you will find the city's Lake of Love, naturally with white swans and ducks. You can get here also by booking a boat trip along the canals. On the shores of the lake lovers traditionally organize picnics.

You can have a snack in one of the many cozy cafes. Bruges is considered to be the capital of Belgian chocolate, so to eat enough of it is "mast". By the way, in this small medieval town there is also a gay pub, called simply — The Pub, located in the center, not far from the Grote Market. There's nothing about it being a meeting place for sex minorities, except for the bartender. So, if you are planning a romantic dinner with your other half in Bruges, you might find this information useful.

The cost of hotel accommodation for two people is €90.

Dinner for two in a restaurant — €60.

5. Verona. Italy

Romeo and Juliet's love made this small Italian town famous all over the world. Their love has been written from the pages of Shakespeare, but the locals have made sure that we do not doubt its authenticity. In Verona there are quite real houses of Juliet Capuletti and Romeo Montague. And the famous Juliet balcony is open to the public, flocks of girls in love come up here every day, imagining themselves Juliet. You can also ask for a great and pure love by touching the marble statue of the heroine in the courtyard.

Verona is a pleasure to walk through its narrow cobblestone streets, its wide squares, and its observation decks. But if you ask the people of Verona what you should do during your stay in the city, the answer is likely to be the same: "Ice cream! Be sure to try as much ice cream as you can!"

Well, in addition to delicious Italian cuisine, Verona is worth appreciating the magnificent Renaissance architecture. The gardens and the Giusti Palace, an example of classic Italian Renaissance architecture, will not leave anyone indifferent. The gardens are very beautiful, with correct geometric shapes. To grow something like this, you need to give a certain shape to trees for centuries.

In the heart of Verona is a working Roman theater, the Arena di Verona. The amphitheater is not as impressive as the Colosseum, but it is great if you get there during the opera festival. After all, the structure is about 2000 years old, and once within its walls sounded the singing of artists of the distant antiquity.

Not far from the Arena is also another example of ancient architecture, the Roman Theater.

And if you've had enough cultural enlightenment, try simply wandering around Verona's courtyards. The hustle and bustle of the modern world is completely absent here, and it's as if time doesn't exist. You are in the era of "Romeo and Juliet": small cozy cafes, smiling Veronians, soft light that comes from the houses. This city is perfect for all lovers and dreamers.

The cost of hotel accommodation for two people is €70.

Dinner for two in a restaurant — 60€.