Where to go for a romantic walk in London?

I – for one – believe London to be the most romantic place in Europe.

Others seem to agree London is a pretty romantic place for couples.

Why? You ask.

Well, it’s obviously not the weather, because even the staunchest London advocate will concede the drizzle can become tiresome.

Although the I believe the dodgy weather can actually be quite charming, particularly if you duck into a warm pub or cozy tea shop to get out of the rain.

Irrespective of the weather, here are 5 charming walks to enjoy in London.

Image credit: Flickr

London Walks for Couples

Lea Valley

In recent years Lea Valley has become one of the most popular places to walk in London. The most popular option is the 4 mile walk from Ponders End to Tottenham Hale. Along the way you’ll pass Wright’s Flour Mill – Enfield’s oldest working industrial building now heritage listed, Pickett’s Lock and Tottenham Marshes. Stroll the River Lea in peace as this route – although popular – is not overrun with walkers.

For a longer walk the main route is 15.6 miles from Waltham Abbey and East India Dock in the heart of London’s Docklands.

The Line Sculpture Trail

One of the most popular walks in London – this contemporary art walk runs from the 02 to Queen Elizabeth Park in Stratford. Along the 3 mile route you’ll find artwork from some of London’s finest artists including Antony Gormley and Joanna Rajkowska. What type of art will you see? Giant eggs and stacked trolleys are some of the contemporary pieces of art to deconstruct with your lover. When you’re ready to digest something alcoholic check out The Pensioner: a quiant, cosy pub turning out artisanal pizzas & Sunday roasts to pair with craft beers on draught. If you prefer to get high, you can glide over the Thames in the Emirates Air Line cable car.

Jubilee Walkway

While you may not have the time or stamina to complete the entire official walking route of some 12 miles, taking on part of the walk is lovely on a summer’s day. The official Jubilee Walkway route connects many of London’s major tourist attractions. The most popular sections are the City Loop and Jubilee Loop (both two miles). Along the way you can pop into the Guildhall Art Gallery, or you can track the Jubilee Loop for the ‘touristy’ sights like St James’s Park, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.

Image Credit: Flickr

Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk

The best park walks in London are connected via the Lady Di trail. Opened in 2000, this 7 mile route intersects 4 of London’s 8 Royal Parks: Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park and St James’s Park. It’s the perfect place to find squirrels playing or to check out lavender trees in early May. There are famous sights along the way: Kensington and Buckingham Palaces. Staying on track is easy with 90 dedicated plaques set along the way to guide you and your lover.

pretty places to travel as a couple in europe

Romantic Places in Europe for Couples

So after traveling Europe for far too long, we decided to solve an eternal debate between us by settling where are the best places for couples to travel to in Europe.

Now, beaches are always lovely vacations. And I have a soft spot for the pebbly beaches of the Mediterranean (looking at you Greece & Croatia) but for one reason or another I just don’t consider them to be that romantic.

For me, I think the more couple-y places to see in Europe are the old, cobble-stoned cities.

Maybe I’ve already revealed too much about my inclination, so without further ado here is an exhaustive list of romantic places in Europe for couples:

London

Yes, London. You know- Fish, Chips, Cup o’ tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary ****ing Poppins, London! – Dennis Farina, Snatch

I’m going to go on record and disagree with Dennis about half of this statement.

While the weather ain’t great, I – for one – think the food is actually pretty great.

Who doesn’t love a Sunday Roast, scones with jam and cream or even a good fish’n’chips for that matter.

What’s more, you’ll notice all this food is incredibly homely, which really makes the dreary weather more palatable and almost welcomed. Who doesn’t lovely a night in with a decent bit of tucker with your partner?

Not that there isn’t plenty of things to keep you occupied as a couple visiting London.

Wimbledon, West End theatres, and Graham Norton. There’s a lot of entertainment in London to keep you stimulate you. Romantic walks. Delicious cocktails and perfect pints. More to come – watch this space.

Scottish Highlands

On our first visit to Scotland we mainly visited Edinburgh save for an organized day trip out to Loch Ness and some of the highlands.

As much as we loved Edinburgh and all the pubs and shops, taking a trip together to the Highlands was the highlight. The Highland Cooes were adoreable!

We’ll post more of an itinerary soon.

Paris!

The City of Love lives up to the hype!

Every single street is taken from a romance novel and it’s a cliched as you’d expect in the best possible way.

I even saw a man in a beret cycling down the street with a 6ft baguette in his basket!

The Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Palaces are all must-sees.

But the real magic of Paris – like in many other places – is the food.

While the restaurants are delicious – if you’re staying for a longer time or if you’re on a budget, there’s absolutely no shame in venturing to your local supermarket to pick up a fresh baguette, some cheese and a bottle of cheap French wine.

We didn’t need to spend more than €6 for a better bottle of Vinot than we can get at home for $50!

Venice

Venice after dark when the tourists are gone is by far the best time to be in the beautiful old city

There’s something magical about floating along the canals in a gondola while a coked-up Gondolier sings his heart out.

Go in the evening when the hoards of day-trippers leave the city to you to enjoy quiet strolls in the moonlight.