Paris is regarded as the world’s most romantic city; with the all the stunning architecture, beautiful art, elegant gardens, prim and proper boulevards and the charming River Seine flowing through its centre it’s not hard to see why it earns this reputation. London on the other hand is usually associated with urban cool; singletons living the life, partying, shopping and generally being arty and trendy. However, don’t be fooled by this cooler than cool exterior. London is a big softy at its heart and here are five things to do in London that are truly romantic.
Get a room
Stay in a boutique hotel in London’s Mayfair district and live in the lap of luxury. Enjoy chilled champagne in your room and evening aperitifs in the swanky hotel bar. Any one of Millennium Hotels’ London hotels would work, but the poshest and most lavish is the Millennium Hotel London Mayfair.
Sip champagne
Head to the world’s longest champagne bar at St Pancras Station for a champagne breakfast or pop in any time for champagne and strawberries. 20 different champagnes-by-the-glass are on offer and you can sit and wile away a few hours admiring the Victorian feat of engineering that is St Pancras Station or simply indulge in some people watching.
Whisper sweet nothings
Stunning St Paul’s Cathedral is enough to win over even the most unromantic of individuals, but whispering sweet nothings to each other in the Whispering Gallery is even better. 259 steps up into the dome is this trick of acoustics. The Whispering Gallery runs around the exterior of the dome and if you whisper your secrets on one side, your partner will be able to hear them played out on the other side.
Let them eat cake
The Hummingbird Bakery on Old Brompton Road in South Kensington boasts the most mouth-watering cupcakes in London. Choose from the likes of Red Velvet filled with red vanilla sponge and chocolate, topped with cream cheese frosting and Toffee Apple, which as the name suggests, tastes just like a toffee apple, only better.
Admire, don’t buy flowers
Why buy a bouquet of over-priced red roses, when you can promenade with your loved one through acres of flowers from across the globe. Kew Gardens is a World Heritage Site, spanning over 300 acres and boasting more than 30,000 species of plants. The 200 metre long, 18 metre high Xstrata Treetop Walkway is a must as you walk among fragrant chestnut, lime and oak trees.
