Travel tips for lovers

Many love stories are set in the Italian lagoon city of Venice. Composer Johann Strauss captured the romanticism in his operetta "A night in Venice," in which the love interest is enticed to climb into a boat during the "Gondola Song." Local legend says that lovers will be granted eternal love if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs as the bells of St. Mark's church toll.

Staying in Italy, legend says that if you throw three coins into the waters of the most famous fountain in the Eternal City you will marry your lover. The fountain also made movie history in an iconic scene of the Federico Fellini film "La Dolce Vita." In it, actress Anita Ekberg bathes in the Trevi fountain — something that is actually strictly forbidden.

Against the backdrop of the skyline of Germany's banking city, countless couples promise each other undying love on the Eiserne Steg pedestrian bridge by attaching a padlock engraved with their initials to the railing and throwing the key into the river Main. This romantic gesture can have a downside though, as a bridge railing in Paris collapsed under the weight of too many padlocks.

In the early 19th century, the French metropolis reveled in the artistic and literary liberation of Romanticism. Still today, there's no escaping the romance of Paris, the so-called "city of love." A great place for romance is a stroll along the river Seine. Don't forget, Paris is one of the few places in the world where public displays of affection are welcomed.

Just outside Reykjavík, the Blue Lagoon is an ideal spot for a romantic dip. The 240-degree-Celsius (464 F°) geothermal water originates some 1,600 meters (5249 ft.) below the surface. It is cooled to a pleasant temperature en route to the spa waters of the Blue Lagoon. Surrounded by impressive nature and immersed in mineral-rich steam, any visit here is a romantic spa experience.

With undulating hills covered in colourful houses, narrow streets filled with cosy wine bars, and incredible ocean views, the Portugese captial is the perfect place for a romantic getaway. For over 100 years, three funicular trains, like the "Ascensor da Bica" have connected the lower city (Baixa) with the upper city districts (Chiada and Bairro Alto) which are located high up on steep cliffs.

The glazed viewing platform AlpspiX guarantees a racing heart! At a height of 2,000 meters (6561 ft), walk hand in hand over one of two bridges spanning a dizzying vertical drop to enjoy the stunning Alpine panorama. The adventure begins at the mountain station of the Alpspitzbahn cable car, which runs from Garmisch-Partenkirchen down in the valley.

Lovers can find secluded places on the never-ending beaches of fine black sand. The volcanic Canary Islands are today part of Spain. Fuerteventura is thought to be the oldest of the islands, created during a volcanic eruption off the coast of Africa some 20 million years ago. There haven't been any volcanic eruptions for a very long time, but there's still plenty of heat under your feet here.

Lovers get an extra helping of romanticism in the Austrian capital. Take a horse-drawn carriage, known here as Fiaker, to Schönbrunn Palace (pictured) or to the Prater amusement park with its huge Ferris wheel. Go a few rounds in a gondola on the Ferris wheel and enjoy a delectable four-course meal in the evening for a truly lavish Viennese experience.

Hitting the dance floor will show just how well you're in tune with each other. Finnish Tango is more casual and, according to some, easier to learn than the classic Argentinian style. Finland is rarely thought of as the world's second Tango nation, but is rather seen as the land of a thousand lakes. Yet since 1913, couples over generations have come closer here, dancing in step to tango music.