Berlin: Put Berlin next to Paris and you have both sides of the coin: romance, which occasionally appeals, and eros, which never fails. Breathe the warm sea air as you gaze north, across the Straits of Florida, toward a continent that seems as distant as the setting moon. Where to set the mood: Have a frozen daiquiri at El Floridita, and grin tolerantly at the tourists having their pictures taken with the bust of Ernest Hemingway.
And yet Consider a drive to the vineyards on the outskirts of the city just before sunset to watch the lights begin to sparkle. During the October grape harvest, couples park by the side of the narrow roads and roam the vine-covered hills in search of some privacy.
Could be contagious. Vienna has other well-known temptations: coffee and chocolate. The historic inner city boasts scores of shops that will sate your caffeine and sugar needs, especially powerful at breakfast time.
Start the day at Mercat de Santa Catarina, eyeing ripe figs and fleshy peaches. Then slip into Cuines Santa-Catarina and devour oily sardines and garlicky bread smeared with succulent tomatoes. Paris: Send a Philistine to Paris, and what do you get? A well-fed Philistine. Favorite street? Rue St. Fave hotel? Sydney, Australia: This city knows how to do romance. Not only do its sparkling harbor and miles of smooth beaches make it one of the most beautiful cities on Earth, but the Aussie lifestyle seduces with fun.
Start by lounging in bed and gazing out over the iconic harbor from your room at the Darling, a boutique waterfront hotel where the likes of Clooney and DiCaprio have hidden with their honeys. Later, order up an artful organic picnic from Sydney Picnic Co. Head to Arpoador Beach for a swim with the surfers, then catch the tram back to Santa Teresa, stopping for a quick pop at Bar do Gomez, a colorful local watering hole spilling onto the cobbled streets.
