Posted on February 12 2021
Photo via Unsplash
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Story and Maps by Ali Harford
What makes romance? For me, it’s a view of the stars, fantastic food, and so many flowers the air is thick with their perfume. Romance could also be a fancy hotel, the beach, sparkling lights, good wine, or just Paris in general.
In any case, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of all things romantic, despite its gory and mysterious history. On Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D., the Roman Emperor Claudius II executed at least two men, all named Valentine, and the holiday could’ve started as a way to honor the Valentines. It’s also possible the holiday started as the Roman feast of Lupercalia, in which drunk and naked men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the animal hides in an attempt to make the women more fertile.
I like our modern-day celebration better.
Below, explore a map of the most romantic places in the world, according to the Maps.com team, Condé Nast Traveler, and Travel + Leisure.
… and a map of the world’s best chocolate shops, from the Maps.com team, National Geographic, and Eater Magazine.
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