It may not be the obvious choice but Rome is the home of Valentines

Who says Paris is the most romantic place to spend Valentine’s Day? It’s overcrowded, clichéd and far too expensive – not to mention an absolute nightmare for dinner reservations on February 14th. On the other hand Rome is quiet this time of year and a lot more original. But it still has that traditional feel – did you know that St. Valentine himself was a Roman? The following are a few of our favorite Valentine’s dates:

The other side

Sometimes romance just means getting some time to yourselves, having the space to enjoy each other’s company outside of your usual 9-5 schedule. If your idea of a Valentine is less roses and chocolates and more long lunch and a casual stroll, then The Other Side might be for you.

Trastevere, which translates as The Other Side, is a neighborhood on the other side of the Tiber that mostly escapes tourist notice. It has some of the city’s best food and most of it’s iconic winding streets, full of colorful houses and washing lines hanging from windows. The best thing you can do here is wander but we’ve put together a plan here that will give you a start and end point.

Santa Maria in Trastevere

Start off with a cappuccino and a cornetto (croissant) to get your energy up. Cross the Tiber via the Ponte Sisto Bridge - perhaps the city's most romantic - then fold away your map and get wandering. Basilica Santa Cecilia and Basilica Santa Maria in Trastevere are two must-see sights, beautiful and peaceful in the tourist low season. We also recommend visiting the Botanical gardens – a world away from the chaos of the historical center. If you can fit it in, a side trip to Isola Tiberina, the island in the middle of the Tiber, fills a lovely hour. There’s not much to see here but just a walk around its tiny circumference will give you a feeling of being removed.

Usually we’d recommend Bir & Fud or Freni e Frizioni for food but this being Love Day, you might be better served by a small local trattoria – you’ll have your pick here, just look for somewhere busy with no English-language menu. Asking the staff to just bring you what's best is often a recipe for success.

Picnic on Aventine Hill

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the Aventine Keyhole is one of Rome’s most unexpected gems. If you’re planning a day of sightseeing but would still like a nod to romance, pack a picnic and take a wander up the Aventine Hill to look through the keyhole at the Knights of Malta for the single most impressive view of St. Peter’s Basilica, perfectly framed by rows of rose bushes.

Together forever in Tiberina

The Borghese Gallery and Gardens

While everyone else is queuing up to get into the Vatican and the Colosseum, head for higher ground at the Galleria Borghese. The collection here is a thing of romance – Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne sets the scene with a love-struck Apollo (thanks to meddling Cupid) chasing a horrified Daphne. In her panic Daphne calls out to her father to save her and in his infinite wisdom, he turns her into a tree. Bernini’s masterpiece (arguably one of his best) captures the moment of change. Then there’s the nude of Pauline Boneparte which her husband had moved to the front room to embarrass her after a fight, David angling his catapult at Goliath, some spectacular Caravaggio works and a few unknowns that hold untold surprises (“What? Those are tiny tiles?!”).

This time of year the gallery is fabulously quiet and the gardens are at their most peaceful. Finish off your romantic tour with a walk through manicured lawns and ornate ponds, culminating in a beautiful view of Piazza del Popolo and St. Peter’s Basilica beyond. Bring some sandwiches and a bottle of cava to nearby Pincio Hill and you have yourself a perfectly peaceful Valentine’s Day.

Views from the Borghese Gardens are divine

For information on our Borghese tour see here.

The Anti-Valentine

If Valentine’s Day with all its commercialism and saccharine sweet traditions just isn’t your thing, we have exactly the activity for you. Get away from the expected with a journey into the crypts and catacombs of Rome. Start out at one of the many catacombs of Rome, exploring ancient underground burial networks with some of the world’s best examples of Early Christian artwork. Then it’s on to Basilica San Clemente. It may look like your average early Renaissance basilica from outside but the roots of this church go a little deeper. Follow a path down through the centuries to the foundations of the building – an incredibly preserved 1st century Roman street.

You'll never guess what lies beneath Basilica San Clemente

The deal clincher is your last stop – a visit to the eerie Capuchin Crypt. Here the remains of 2,000 Capuchin monks have been arranged into what can only be called decorations. Vertebrae strung together to make chandeliers, entire skeletons standing in their robes and a real skull and crossbones. The message? “What you are now we were once, what we are now you will be.” Romantic? Certainly not. Fascinating? Hell yeah.

For information on our Crypts & Catacombs tour see here.