Verona

Forget Paris, Venice or Prague - if you want to whisk a special someone off their feet, take them to Verona. Having grown up in a city as romantic as this, it's no wonder that Romeo and Juliet got tangled up in such a besotted knot.

Your first inkling of what lies in store will come as you approach the soaring dual arches of Portoni della Bra, which afford an enticing glimpse of terracotta-hued, balconied buildings overlooking canopied cafés.

Entering, you'll find yourself in Piazza Bra, whose broad pavements and tiny central garden are favoured as ambling and dreaming turf by the locals. The massive and amazingly well-preserved Roman Arena looms on the eastern edge of the square, its ancient walls reverberating with the sounds of summer opera performances today.

Tucked into a horseshoe bend in the River Adige, much of Verona's old town is pedestrianised, happily leaving you and your companion no choice but to stroll arm and arm through its charming cobbled streets. Via Mazzini is the main shopping drag, leading directly from the Arena to the heart of the city, splendid Piazza Elbe. Seconds away, admire wall-to-wall heady architecture in Piazza dei Signori before going on to gape at the exquisitely intricate Arche Scaligere tombs.

Crossing Ponte Pietra bridge, which dates back to the 1st century, take the steep hillside path up to Castel San Pietro for breathtaking views of the city. Fortunately, if your lungs aren't up to the task, the crenellated bridge linking the 14th-century fortress of Castelvecchio with the other side of the river is an equally enchanting experience.

And, if all that doesn't work, join the throng below Juliet's supposed balcony at Casa Giulietta, adding to the sea of sentiment as you stretch, stoop or wobble on someone's shoulders to inscribe your own love note on the courtyard walls.