New research has revealed which capital cities in Europe are the most romantic as the run-up to Valentine’s Day approaches by analysing Trip Advisor for the number of romantic restaurants and hotels in each city.
The European-based yacht charter group Catamaran Charter Croatia looked at each capital city in Europe and analysed Trip Advisor data on the number of romantic restaurants and hotels per million people in each city.
Lisbon takes the top spot in the rankings as the most romantic capital city in Europe to visit on Valentine’s Day. Despite having the ninth smallest area, the city sweeps across 100 square kilometres and has a population of 545,923. There are 588 romantic restaurants in the city, meaning there are 1,077 restaurants per million people, alongside 152 romantic hotels resulting in 278 hotels per million people. Therefore, Lisbon has the highest ratio of restaurants and hotels per million people in the city.
Monaco is Europe’s second most romantic capital city to visit on Valentine’s Day, with 54 romantic restaurants and six romantic hotels. The city has the second-smallest area in the rankings spanning only 2.1 square kilometres and has a population of just over 36,686. Per million people, there are 1,472 romantic restaurants and 164 hotels, resulting in Monaco placing second.
Paris, France, comes in strong as the third most romantic city, with a population of 2,139,907 people, 1,387 romantic restaurants and 542 romantic hotels. This equates to there being 648 restaurants and 253 hotels per million people. The city stretches over 105 square kilometres.
In fourth place is San Marino, with a population of 33,660; the city has 18 romantic restaurants and 14 romantic hotels across 61.2 square kilometres, meaning there are 535 restaurants and 416 hotels per million people.
Following behind in fifth place is Rome, Italy, with a population of 2,761,632; Rome has 1,291 romantic restaurants and 1,371 romantic hotels in total across an area of 1,285 square kilometres, resulting in 467 romantic restaurants and 496 romantic hotels per million people, putting Rome in fifth place.
Sixth place goes to Andorra la Vella, Andorra, which has a population of 22,886 and is spread across 12 kilometres squared. The city is home to 23 romantic restaurants and three romantic hotels, meaning there are 1,005 restaurants and 131 hotels per million people.
Amsterdam, Netherlands, takes seventh place with a population of 905,234 people and stretches across 219 square kilometres in area. There are 486 romantic restaurants in the city and 155 romantic hotels, which means there are 537 restaurants and 171 hotels per million people, securing the seventh place.
In eighth place are Athens, Greece, which has 367 romantic restaurants and 63 romantic hotels across its area of 39 square kilometres. The population of Athens sits at 637,798, meaning that there are 575 restaurants and 99 hotels per million people in the city.
Prague, Czechia, ranks ninth in the rankings, spreading across 496 square kilometres. The city’s population sits at 1,352,374 people, and with 399 romantic restaurants and 246 romantic hotels in the city, there are 295 restaurants and 182 hotels per million people.
In tenth place is Reykjavik, Iceland, which has a population of 135,688 people meaning there are 420 restaurants and 182 hotels per million people. Reykjavik is spread across 273 square kilometres, and there are 57 romantic restaurants and 125 romantic hotels, placing the city in the tenth position.
London, United Kingdom, has the highest number of romantic restaurants overall, and Rome, Italy, has the highest number of romantic hotels in the rankings.
Paris, France, has the highest number of Michelin-star restaurants, with 88 in total across the capital city, nine of which have been awarded three stars.
Rome, Italy, has the highest number of romantic hotels, which are rated four plus stars, currently sitting at 650 across the city.
The Most Romantic Capital Cities in Europe
Ranking | Country / City | City | Population | No. of Restaurants | No. of Romantic Restaurants per million people | No. of Romantic Hotels | No. of Hotels per million people |
1 | Portugal | Lisbon | 545,923 | 588 | 1,077 | 152 | 278 |
2 | Monaco | Monaco | 36,686 | 54 | 1,472 | 6 | 164 |
3 | France | Paris | 2,139,907 | 1,387 | 648 | 542 | 253 |
4 | San Marino | San Marino | 33,660 | 18 | 535 | 14 | 416 |
5 | Italy | Rome | 2,761,632 | 1,291 | 467 | 1,371 | 496 |
6 | Andorra | Andorra la Vella | 22,886 | 23 | 1,005 | 3 | 131 |
7 | Netherlands | Amsterdam | 905,234 | 486 | 537 | 155 | 171 |
8 | Greece | Athens | 637,798 | 367 | 575 | 63 | 99 |
9 | Czechia | Prague | 1,352,374 | 399 | 295 | 246 | 182 |
10 | Iceland | Reykjavik | 135,688 | 57 | 420 | 17 | 125 |
A spokesperson for Catamaran Charter Croatia commented:
“The fact that there is such a high number of romantic restaurants and hotels in smaller populated cities just shows how many capital cities can profit from being a go-to place for a romantic getaway.
“European countries thrive during celebrations, especially when it comes to Valentine’s Day, which is why this study is exciting to see which capital cities come out on top just in time for the most romantic day of the year.”