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From a Parisian apartment with a view to a centuries-old Italian palazzo, there are places where romance lingers long after Valentine’s Day, writes Mandi Keighan
Paris, France | Propriétés Parisiennes Sotheby’s International Realty
Romance, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Ask any seasoned traveler—or hopeless romantic—about the world’s most enchanting city, and you’ll find yourself swept up in a passionate debate.
Is it the streets of Paris where every boulevard seems to hold the promise of amour? The historic corners of London, which whisper of romances past? Or Verona, where tales of the heart were etched into stone centuries before Shakespeare mused on his star-crossed lovers?
Verona, Italy | Italy Sotheby’s International Realty
Few places wear romance as effortlessly as Paris, long mythologised as the city of love. And no coup de foudre is complete without a cameo from the Eiffel Tower.
A beautiful light-filled fifth-floor apartment on the Champ de Mars offers rarely matched views of the engineering masterpiece from a private and leafy balustraded balcony. The property’s capacious living room opens up to the iconic view, while two bedrooms, bathroom, dressing suite and home office complete the offering. Not to mention dedicated cellar space, an elevator and the building’s traditional Parisian concierge, discreet to the very last.
Knightsbridge, London | United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty
Across the Channel, London reveals a different but no less compelling definition of romance. Here, the past is always present, never more so than in Fonteyn House in Knightsbridge, the home once owned by the legendary Dame Margot Fonteyn during her years as a prima ballerina at the Royal Ballet and now looking for a new owner.
The six-story, 15,000 square foot house is a celebration of a life devoted to beauty and performance. Rooms that once hosted the likes of Princess Margaret, Yves Saint Laurent, Peter Sellers and Rudolf Nureyev now sit alongside contemporary interiors, an expansive private spa and a walled garden.
There’s a dining room with a Persian Palissandro Bluette marble bar and even a club room with a cinema and cocktail bar for cozy date nights.
Verona, Italy| Italy Sotheby’s International Realty
Verona, Italy is the setting to one of the most romantic stories of all time, of course: William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Yet, long before its titular heroine gazed out from her balcony, this city was perfecting the language of love.
In the heart of its historic centre is a palatial residence overlooking the storied Piazza delle Erbe that traces its history back to 1300. Set in the prestigious Case Mazzanti, the home boasts 16th-century frescos by master Alberto Cavalli, coffered ceilings, Venetian terrazzo flooring and a wine cellar with its original 14th-century stone floor.
So, which of the three is the most romantic city? Each offers its own distinctive note in the grand symphony of love. The true magic lies in discovering the one that sets the scene for your own story.
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Natalie Davis
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