Romantic Destinations for a Kiss on Valentine’s Day

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Looking for a special place to kiss this Valentine’s Day? From romantic statues to bridges and even a cemetery, here are five romantic destinations to kiss this Valentine’s Day. Don’t have anyone to kiss? Give yourself a hug and take a selfie instead!

Romantic Destinations

Unconditional Surrender – San Diego, California

Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt immortalized the kiss that celebrated the end of World War II in Times Square when he captured it in his iconic black and white photo. Now that kiss is a giant sculpture towering over San Diego’s idyllic waterfront. Dubbed “Unconditional Surrender,” the 20-foot bronze sculpture designed by Steward Johnson stands next to the USS Midway Ship turned museum. The statue is also known as the “Victory Kiss.” Kissing here is definitely a score.

El Beso – Lima, Peru

Located along Peru’s Miraflores coast overlooking rugged coastal cliffs, the Parque del Amor (Love Park) is a favorite destination for all types of lovers. There, quirky mosaic sea walls, colorful flowerbeds, towering palm trees and Victor Delfin’s famous sculpture “El Beso” (The Kiss) attract locals and tourists alike.

Appropriately unveiled on Valentine’s Day in 1993, the sculpture depicts Delfin and his wife locked in a passionate kiss. Newlyweds often choose to seal their marriage with a kiss at the statue. On Valentine’s Day, the statue serves as the backdrop for a kissing contest where couples compete to see who can maintain the longest kiss.

The Bridges of Madison County – Iowa

Who can forget the covered bridges in the heartstrings-pulling movie Bridges of Madison County? Nicknamed “Kissing Bridges,” romantics believe covered bridges exist for the sole purpose of stealing a kiss. The practical-minded folks say they were built to resemble barns so farm animals would feel more at home and not stampede as they were driven across rushing waters. But kissing is definitely more romantic. You can find these historic covered bridges scattered throughout the USA, but if you want to reenact the Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood romance, Madison County, Iowa, is the place to go. As the Covered Bridge Capital of Iowa, Madison County boasts the largest group of covered bridges in one area in the western half of the Mississippi Valley.

Père Lachaise Cemetery – Paris, France

If you don’t have anyone to kiss this Valentine’s Day, consider a visit to Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris and kiss Oscar Wilde’s tomb. The author and poet’s legions of fans have covered his tomb with kisses over the years. Oscar Wilde once wrote, “A kiss may ruin a human life.” Apparently, it can also ruin the stonework of a tom. As a result, in 2011, the tomb was cleaned, and a seven-foot-high glass wall was erected around it. Now his fans leave kisses on the glass. Get yourself a tube of bright red lipstick and leave your mark.

Juliet’s House – Verona, Italy

While William Shakespeare’s love story of Romeo and Juliet had a tragic ending, the romance was undeniably captivating. In Verona, Italy, this timeless story inspires a steady flow of romantics to visit Juliet’s House or Casa di Giulietta, as the 13th-century palazzo is known. Though its famous balcony was added centuries after the play was written, the romance of the setting remains. A bronze statue of Juliet stands in the courtyard, and tourists often rub her right breast for good luck in love…although her experience with love was anything but lucky. You can view the balcony from the courtyard for free, or purchase tickets to the museum for the opportunity to step onto the balcony and maybe have a lucky kiss or two.