Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Whether you’re planning to spend the day with your wife, long-term girlfriend, new lover, or someone you’re simply testing the waters with, you might be wondering how you’re going to impress your partner. How are you going to sweep them off their feet and whisk them into your arms if you don’t plan the perfect Valentine’s date?
Hold on for a second, though. Remember that you’re in Malta, one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Sure, you can go the expensive route and book an expensive restaurant or hotel, and we’re pretty sure that you’ll have an incredible Valentine’s day.
However, if you really want to make the most out of the fact that you’re in Malta, you could instead opt to spend the day with a picnic at one of the most scenic landscapes our islands have to offer (and if you’re cheesy enough, you could take the opportunity to compare your partner to the breath-taking views around you. We promise it will work.)
Spending Valentine’s day in nature isn’t just more beautiful and poetic – it’s also much more personal. Forget the noise and background chattering that you get in restaurants and similar areas. Your special day should be private and intimate – shared only by you, your lover, and the wind and trees around you. The personal quality of your date will be highlighted with your choice of picnic foods. Sure, top-tier restaurants know how to cook amazing food, and they’ll know how to create a special menu that really sets the mood for Valentine’s day. You know what they don’t know, though? The unique relationship you and your partner share. Try cooking each other’s favourite foods, or creating a surprise menu for each other. Alternatively, take the opportunity to break out Maltese aphrodisiac foods, like our superb local honey!
Without further ado, here a few places to choose from when planning your perfect Valentine’s Day picnic. If you plan on making it a total surprise, do keep in mind that some of these areas are pretty cliffy, so we’d suggest not going so far as to use a blindfold.
Ta’ Qali National Park, Attard
Photo credit: http://www.panoramio.com
This park is a first-choice Sunday afternoon location for many families, but it can work just as well as a Romantic Valentine’s spot. Valentine’s is happening on a Tuesday this year, so if you’re faithful to the date it’ll probably be much quieter than usual. However, if you do keep your plans for the weekend you might find quite a few kids bustling about in the grass. On the plus side (and we think this is a huge plus), you’ll probably also get to meet a few family dogs as a result.
Buskett Gardens, Siġġiewi
Photo credit: http://www.malta.com
Allegedly, in the time of the Romans, Buskett Gardens was used as a site for sexual activity in order to celebrate their gods. In other words, it’s already been tried and tested as a perfect location for Valentine’s Day! Of course, we don’t condone getting that frisky in any public area.
Located in Siġġiewi, Buskett Gardens is a gorgeous woodlands site that has been given a lot of attention throughout history, particularly by the Knights of St John who planted various gardens in the area. As a result, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more gorgeous location for your special picnic, especially if you’re looking for shade.
Wied il-Għasel, Mosta
Wied il-Għasel is perfect for trekking, but you’ll definitely want to watch your step here. It’s a large, spacious area, making it excellent for finding an intimate spot where you can spend time with your partner undisturbed. The fact that one of the most beautiful songs to ever come out of Malta is written about it is a huge plus.
Picnics are allowed here, but do make sure you clean up and barbecues are definitely a no-no (to be fair, this is the case with all the areas on this list). Lots of environmental concern has been raised over Wied il-Għasel in recent years, and such a gorgeous spot should be respected.
Chadwick Lakes, Mtarfa
Photo credit: Walter Joseph Attard
Located in Mtarfa, Chadwick Lakes forms the longest valley in Malta, and is made up of a number of dams constructed by Sir Osbert Chadwick during the period of the British Empire. Can you think of anything more romantic than spending an evening next to so many lakes? We didn’t think so!
Għajn Tuffieħa, or any other beach
Photo credit: http://www.maltainsideout.com
If you like the idea of a picnic but aren’t too keen on grassy fields and rocky areas, choose from one of the uncountable amount of beaches we have in Malta! Do, of course, keep in mind that if you have your picnic at night, it will get pretty chilly since you’ll be next to the sea, but that would just give you extra incentive to snuggle up with your loved one.
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