Valentine's getaways 2008

A Valentine's getaway to a romantic city, deserted beach or beautiful wilderness is a fantastic way to sweep your loved one off their feet.

With romance in mind, travelbite.co.uk has come up with its top places to go for a Valentine's holiday this February.

Visit the world heritage city of Bath

You do not need to go far to find a city with Unesco world heritage site status to while away a romantic weekend in.

The city of Bath has been part of the list that contains some of the world's most famous man-made wonders since 1987, thanks to its foundations as a Roman thermal spa, and its wonderfully stylish Palladian buildings that date from 1700s.

Once you have taken in the glorious sight of the Avon flowing under the Pulteney Bridge, you can spend the rest of the day enjoying the shops, cafes and restaurants of the city centre.

Among the city's best fashion boutiques are Prey on George Street, and Mee on the cobbled and chic little Bartlett Street, which is off George Street.

Milsom Street also offers plenty of high street shops plus a few independent stores, with lots of impressive grand façades to take in on the way.

There is more shopping to come too for holidaymakers booking their city breaks for later in the year. Visitors should look out for the new Jamie Oliver eatery, called Jamie's Italian, part of a new boutique shopping centre called Milsom Place due to open in early spring.

There are plenty of other established places to eat in the city though. Whether you are vegetarian or not, Demuths has some of the most exciting and delicious cooking going in the city. You can also find plenty of good restaurants serving, Thai, Nepalese, French, British and Indian food. See the Visit Bath website for more information.

Elegance, history and stylish eateries in Chester

The historic Roman city of Chester on the border of North Wales has been attracting visitors for hundreds of years, and come Valentine's Day, could make the perfect place for a romantic weekend away.

It is the elegant mix of Roman, Norman and Tudor architecture and natural beauty of the tree-lined River Dee which has kept people coming back, and made Chester one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

Its cobbled streets, cosy cafes and trendy bars are perfect for whiling away a few hours, and there are plenty of pubs with dark corners for amorous couples to hide in.

The city centre is relatively small as the unique two-tiered streets known as the Rows manage to fit in the same amount of shops, bars and restaurants as an area twice its size.

As well as the usual high street chains there are a number of quality independent jewellery and clothing stores, most notably Maya on Bridge Street and Palenque in the Grosvenor Shopping centre which specialise in silver and amber creations.

The city also boasts the only complete Roman walls in the country, where you can walk in an unbroken circuit (holding hands) round the whole of the city, taking in the imposing Norman Cathedral, amphitheatre and Eastgate Clock on the way.

If you have exhausted the shops, Chester Zoo, the biggest in the UK, is a great day out, and with over 110 acres of space and 7,000 animals, you may even need to make it two.

One of Chester's best and therefore busiest restaurants is Chez Jules on Northgate Street, which serves fresh French food at reasonable prices. It is always heaving, but the wait is worth it.

Telfords Warehouse next to the canal locks and the bars and Restaurants in Rufus Court are also interesting places to eat and sometimes host live music and theatre.

For more bars head to Watergate Street where you can take your pick of drinking holes from Bar Lounge, Watergates, Bar Havana, and Amber Lounge in which to spend an intimate evening or two.

Whisk your loved one to Lisbon

Portugal's capital Lisbon offers an intoxicating mix of 19th-century style and charm, a chance warm up in the sun and lots of modern and friendly places to shop, eat and drink.

You can make the most of your trip by renting an apartment in the city and living as the locals do.

A tried and tested favourite is Marisa Romero's city centre apartment, located close to the main square. The property is in a recently converted 1930s apartment block, featuring a tiled exterior, a small balcony, a well-equipped kitchen and lots of space.

It is also a location quite literally full of local flavour, thanks to the half a dozen or so small, very cheap and authentic restaurants on the Calçada de Santana, a steep and narrow road.

Round the corner is the top of the Elevador do Lavra, a funicular that climbs all the steps between the Avenida da Liberdade, by which is a small park where you can take in the rooftops, coastline and breathtaking hilly landscape of Lisbon.

However, if you do want visit some of the more upmarket eateries in Lisbon, the retro fondue restaurant, Found You on Travessa dos Inglesinhos offers a unique cook-it-yourself approach to top quality ingredients, and for those who want to sample what is rumoured to be the very best, then Pap'Açorda on Rua da Atalaia is the place to eat.

Away from the modern shabby-chic restaurants of the Barrio Alto, you can find lots of classic eateries across the city.

However, some of the best can be found in the Alfama district, where you can also get a chance to watch a Fado concert, where a singer, accompanied by a guitarist will perform a moving, and usually melancholic song. There is lots of choice if you head along Rua de Sao Pedro, and a good chance of being able to take in a Fado show with an evening stroll.

Have a foodie walking break in rural Italy

Beautiful countryside, medieval villages, amazing food and a chance to get away from it all in traditional Italian style are all available with a trip to the Emilia Romagna region.

Located in northern Italy, and taking in the city of Bologna - famous for its gastronomic heritage - the region has lots to offer those looking for a romantic European break.

Among most romantic places to stay if you want a reclusive escape the Al Vecchio Convento hotel in the medieval town of Portico di Romagna, which is set beside a national park.

The family-run hotel, housed within a former convent, prides itself on the excellent local produce, and is a great place to taste some of the best food in the region.

However, if only a castle will do there are plenty dotted around the region that offer accommodation. You can find a listings of castles, and other accommodation, via the Emilia Romagna website.

If it is decadence, a private country park and a chance to take in the Adriatic coast, the Grand Hotel in Rimini is a fun and luxurious place to stay.

Made a national monument in 1994, the five-star hotel has 4,000 square metres of grounds, and boasts one of the only private beaches on Italy's Adriatic shore.

You can also get the luxury spa experience in the region, with recently refurbished hotels such as the Grand Hotel Terme Castrocaro, and the Grand Hotel Terme Della Fratta.

And if you are foodie, the Casa Artusi Cookery School in Forlipompoli, is a great place to learn Italian at the birthplace of the man considered the father of Italian cooking, Pellingro Artusi.