A romantic getaway should be high on the agenda for all couples.

With all the stresses and strains of a busy life, some time away from family and work commitments is often needed to reignite that spark of passion. However, the flame of love can quickly be extinguished without a little bit of planning. A cramped flight here, a stay in rundown accommodation there, the possibility for unnecessary stress is high.

Here then are our planning tips for a romantic getaway. If you’re in need of some away time with your loved one, we hope the suggestions here are useful to you.

#1: Do the planning together

If you’re going away together, it makes sense to plan together. This way, you can both write down your favourite destination and bucket list ideas, and then come to a compromise on where to go. You might only come to a disagreement later on if you don’t take each other’s needs into consideration, and that could ruin your time together. And within your planning, consider your budget. You don’t want to spend over the odds on your getaway, as financial stress could hinder your relationship while at home or away. There are some money-saving tips for couples here, so have a read, and then work together with your partner on a budget for your getaway.

#2: Consider a romantic destination

Of course, you don’t necessarily need to visit a romantic destination to bring back that spark into your relationship. It all depends on your interests and what it might take to bring you both closer together. You might opt for an adventure holiday, for example, especially if you both enjoy a bit of thrill-seeking. However, if you do want to head somewhere romantic, consider Venice, and enjoy a cuddlesome gondola ride. Head to Paris, the so-called City of Love, and take a relaxing sunset cruise along the Seine. Or why not visit Rome, and take a horse-drawn carriage along those fairytale cobbled passageways. The world is your oyster, your hoped for aphrodisiac, so research the places that will ignite your love, and then consider the next point.

#3: Think about how you’re going to travel

There are many ways to travel; some more stressful than others. Sitting for hours on a cramped coach or plane, for example, can kill the romantic mood before you arrive at your destination. If you are taking either of those options, consider the shortest routes possible when planning to make both of your lives easier. Alternatively, think about travelling by train, and perhaps consider these romantic train journeys as the crux of your planning. Or consider taking a cruise, as not only will you have more time to luxuriate in each other’s company, but as with the Bolsover cruises from Southampton, you can also stop off at some of the most romantic places in the world, including Rome and Florence as part of your journey.

#4: Avoid tourist season

Tourist season can be a real romance killer, as not only will you incur the stress of higher travel and accommodation charges, but you will also have less room to explore your destination with your loved one. Therefore, try and avoid tourist season, which (depending on where you visit) is usually between mid-June and late August, or visit somewhere less touristy, but still potentially romantic, such as Thailand with its beautiful palm-tree littered beaches, or Hamburg, with its beautiful canals and gorgeous lakes.

#5: Plan for a childminder

Tourists aren’t the only people prone to cramping your style when you’re trying to have some alone time with your partner. If you have kids in tow, your romantic mood might only be dampened further. To avoid this, get a childminder. You might send your kids off to another family member for a few days, thus negating the need to bring them along with you at all. Or you might bring a dedicated childminder along with you on the trip, so while your time will be a little more limited, you should still get some opportunity to have time alone without your little ones interrupting your hand holding and eye-gazing. Think about a childminder early, so you can sort out any details ahead of time.

#6: Plan room time in your itinerary

While away, you can explore to your heart’s content, and get time to hold hands with your partner while doing so. However, there is no harm in spending some of your time alone together in your hotel room. You can stay in bed for as long as you like, and if you need anything to eat, you can call on room service, without the need to venture far for a meal. Of course, to make the most of your time together, you should also turn off the television and wifi so you can relax in each other’s company without any of your usual distractions. You might also consider researching hotels in your planning, perhaps opting for one of these romantic hotels in Europe if your budget will allow it.

#7: Plan to take time away from each other

This might seem contradictory to the theme of this article, but as you will know from your time together at home, sometimes a little space is healthy for a relationship. You might only get on each other’s nerves, otherwise, especially if you are together 24/7. Therefore, plan on things you might do while apart. There might be a swimming pool in the hotel, for example, so you might take a dip while your partner does something else. Or there might be organised activities available, some of which might be suited to one rather than both of you. Of course, you don’t want to spend a lot of time apart from each other; that does rather defeat the object. But know each other’s limits, and talk about how you might spend time apart when you’re in the planning stage.

Finally

If your love life has been impacted by work or family time, then do consider a romantic getaway. Be it for a weekend or something longer term, book time away with your partner, and together, plan an itinerary that will stoke the flames of love.

We hope our suggestions have been useful to you, but give us a shout with your thoughts, and share any further ideas you might have with us.