My wife and I recently took a two week break and chose Cyprus as our destination. We were a little wary has parts of the island have a reputation for being full of British louts. We tend to go to France for mots of our holidays and were taking a bit of a chance picking Cyprus, but it had been recommended by some friends so we gave it a go. We needn't have been worried because actually many parts of the Cyprus reminded us of France. In particular the wealth of colorful outdoor markets was a real reminder of past holidays. In fact their seemed to be an even greater selection of fresh fruit and veg here. We consulted a really good website called Guide2Cyprus that had lots of really helpful information including when and where the markets were on.

photo credit: Witt Istanbul Suites

For a romantic getaway packed full of culture and heritage you could do a lot worse then a trip to France. I would particularly recommend heading south where you will find a huge choice of charming accommodation. Arguably the most famous destination in the South of France is Provence. Some years back the authorities saw the financial benefits of tourism and a great deal of money went into that region. Many of the ancient villages were tarted up and turned into the rural idyll that you find today.

Quick on their heels was the région Languedoc Roussillon just next door to Provence and you can now find the same selection of pretty boutique hotels and B&Bs there. Perhaps more importantly, as this is an up and coming region, the prices tend to be a little more affordable. You shouldn't need to pay more than about 120 euros per night for a really luxurious place and that will include breakfast. Much of the region is right by the coast line so a sun tan is definitely on the cards too.