• Whassup? World's least romantic places

    The gondolas that ply Venice's waterways are now mostly a means to fleece honeymooners. Instead, find romance on the neighboring island of Giudecca.

    By Adam McCulloch , Travel + Leisure

    You finally made it: you’re canoodling on a Venetian gondola, while a musician croons a melody that seems composed just for you two. It’d be the most romantic moment of your life — if not for that stench from the canal and the bottleneck of gondolas up ahead.

    Slideshow: See where the least romantic places are

    Romantic destinations require three key ingredients: beauty, mystery and a sense of exclusivity. But a foul smell can turn beauty into ugliness in a second, just as being one of thousands lining up to gaze upon a supposedly romantic sight can quickly rob it of its allure.

    No one expects towns in the American Rust Belt or the cluttered backstreets of Mumbai to tug at the heartstrings in the same way as, say, Venice. Yet in some respects they have it easier. Destinations that lay a claim to romance are immediately held to a far more stringent standard. If those iconic hot spots don’t deliver a swoon-worthy stay, the disappointment can be akin to being jilted at the altar.

    Paris, for example, may well have written the book on romance, but it sometimes feels like the clichéd Harlequin variety, especially during summertime around the city’s most famous sights, which lure every lovebird within 10,000 miles. The dispiriting result is hordes of camera-toting couples, jostling as they attempt to re-create scenes from "Midnight in Paris" or "Amélie."

    Similarly, trekking with your loved one to reach the ruins of Machu Picchu at sunrise seems like romantic nirvana — until you find your physical (and relationship) limits tested by being stuck for days in a 12-person group with a case of altitude sickness or vertigo.

    After all, you can’t assume other travelers will be on board with your romantic plans. That’s a lesson Philadelphia-based Travel + Leisure reader Nanette learned the hard way on a recent cruise: “I expected 'The Love Boat,' but it just ended up being a crazy booze cruise,” she posted to Facebook.com/TravelandLeisure.

    Anyone who’s tried to arrange a memorable moment for a paramour knows that romance is tricky to orchestrate. Some of the destinations on our list can live up to their reputations as dreamy getaways — it’s just a matter of navigating their hidden hazards. Others face greater obstacles. But the bottom line: with the right partner and a spirit for adventure, almost anywhere can be romantic.

    More from Travel + Leisure

  • Best new chocolate shops

    At Paul A. Young Fine Chocolates in London, the store offers different flavors every week.

    By Nikki Goldstein , Travel + Leisure

    If you think a box of chocolates is a bland Valentine’s cliché, then you’re not shopping at the right places. Chocolatiers have elevated the sweets into an art form and are opening appealing shops that cater to both locals and tourists.

    Slideshow: See the mouth-watering treats

    The finest new truffles and bonbons often reflect local tastes and unexpected pairings. Consider the white peach and apricot caramel chocolates sold in Mexico City’s artsy Condesa neighborhood or the Blanc de Noir ganache covered in gold dust available at a Basel shop also known for its wine tastings. These bite-size treats are an easy, affordable luxury — a satisfying treat in the moment and a souvenir to savor long after your travels.


    For years, the big news in chocolate has been the bean-to-bar movement, a worthy farm-to-table-inspired trend that focused more on varietals and provenance than culinary-driven flavor combinations and artful presentations. But recently, truffles have come into focus. And indeed, one trend has flowed into the next, with careful sourcing and community involvement playing a large role for some recently opened chocolate shops.

    In Berkeley, Calif.'s Elmwood district, for instance, it’s all about cocoa with a cause at Casa de Chocolates, a hacienda-inspired boutique slated to open in February 2012. Owners Amelia Garcia and Arcelia Gallardo are sourcing their beans from various South American communities, and their plan is to launch a nonprofit organization to give back to the farmers who cultivate the shop’s cacao. Their beans go into creative flavors like dark chocolate with goat’s-milk caramel.

    The market-driven tenets of farm-to-table cooking have also made their way into the chocolate lab. In London, Paul A. Young (who just released a beautiful cookbook for the chocolate-obsessed) focuses on hyper-seasonal flavors, with a selection that changes each week. Soma, Toronto’s favorite small-batch producer, has taken the approach in a different direction, opening a new factory-like space where customers can watch the bean-to-bonbon process happen before their eyes. And in Mexico City, local fruits like mango and passion fruit are put on display inside colorful chocolate shells at Tout Chocolat, a trendy new shop by a former NYC pastry chef.

    Whether as souvenirs or exercises in virtual travel, these spots satisfy the urge to indulge, bridging a familiar medium with the essence of a destination — and what can be sweeter?

    More from Travel + Leisure