Some say love cures all. Others say the same about sipping vino in the confines of a cosy haunt. But if you’re lucky enough to be spending Valentine’s Day testing the former, let’s ensure you’re pulling out all the stops, in all the right places. Make the most of our ten, lovingly handpicked, hot date hotspots… 

1. New Mills’ Millennium Walkway
February 14th lands on a Saturday this year, so what better way is there to kick off a romantic weekend than strolling, arm-in-arm, through a cutesy Peak District village? Cross the picturesque River Goyte on a cliffside footbridge, amble past rock climbers scaling the walls, and, for the curious of your twosome, learn about the area’s role in the Industrial Revolution. We’d also recommend rounding off your day with a warming tipple from Torr Vale Taproom, located inside a charming old cotton mill with breathtaking views of the Torr.

2. Aromatherapy Candle Making
Set in Eccles’ tranquil The Luma Practice, spend an afternoon immersing yourselves in the art of aromatherapy and create your own bespoke candles to take home. In this two-hour class, you’ll discover how to build scents and conjure up some blissful aromas. Perhaps there’s a combination to make your partner fall even more madly in love with you? At the very least, you’ll have bonded over making your all-natural, handmade keepsakes, perfect for setting the mood. We heard vanilla and jasmine work wonders…

3. ATOMECA Wine Bar
According to Shakespeare, “music be the food of love”. However, we feel oysters and aperitifs are surely a close second. Now, when it comes to ATOMECA Wine Bar, they do all three especially well. Operating from a modern diner-type refuge, at the very heart of Spinningfields, it’s an indulgent sanctuary to reside in after a spot of Valentine’s shopping. Dreamed up by the team behind Schofield’s, ATOMECA offers everything from small plates to a replete roster of red, white, and orange pairings. Could there be a more apt setting for a toast to true love?

4. Porta, Didsbury
When we think of local tapas mainstay, Porta, we think: spoonfuls of bravas, de natas for after, and a lover’s tiff over the last croquette. So, if all that sounds attractive, an evening at Porta is just what Cupid’s arrow should be aiming for. Earning Michelin status with a prior neighbourhood bistro, brothers Ben and Joe Wright have since cooked up a storm with Porta, which opened its first restaurant in Chester in 2006. With Didsbury, the latest locale to have been blessed with a branch, their offering encompasses an honest, seasonal menu, with quality ingredients cooked into delicacy.

5. iglu sauna Spa
Thinking of getting steamy this V-day? iglu sauna is the ideal locale to destress – and strip off. Situated at a pinpoint within the lush Yorkshire wilderness, pass an afternoon letting your bodies release unwanted tension inside a wood-fired, hand-built, eucalyptus-infused sauna. Then, when the 85°C temperature gets too much, simply cool off in the on-site cold plunge. It may seem less sexy, but cold exposure might enhance your mood and energy for the rest of your outing. Maybe, for a wander through Hebden Bridge Market, and a hot chocolate for the walk back to the car.

6. Slurp and Sculpt Class
Independent pottery studio, Happy Yappy Clay, is hosting a beginner-friendly, Valentine’s Special workshop this year, where getting your hands dirty is fully encouraged. Whether you’re crafting a new spark or looking for a unique date idea to shake things up, you’ll work with air-drying clay to shape some abstract, handmade sculptures. Maybe you fancy moulding the beloved family pet, making a heart-shaped trinket dish, or, if you’re willing to risk it all, why not try sculpting each other? That will definitely go down well

7. The Edinburgh Castle
Another of our choice gastronomic destinations is The Edinburgh Castle in Ancoats. Tucked inside a restored 19th century pub, with steamed windows symptomatic of its warm and intimate interior, the award-winning culinary hub bodes both ease and indulgence. Downstairs, you can dine by candlelight, pleasing the comfort foodie with an impressive pub food and ale offering except it’s the type to be cooked over charcoal and matched with a martini. Plus, when you leave, you’ll find yourselves in the à la mode Cutting Room Square, a mere hotbed for late-night cantinas and spontaneous forays.

8. Lyme Park
Now, if you’re a messy, or, rather, muddy pairing, you can gladly get your boots on for this one. Once used as the set for the television rendering of Pride and Prejudice, Lyme Park is one of the National Trust’s most picturesque locations, making for a wholesome walkabout in the nearby greenery. Take a tour around the house itself, or appreciate the local wildlife from afar, with sightings of deer, highland cows, and birds of prey a common occurrence. Spend the morning mooching as a duo, or bring your pooch along too, sipping on a coffee from the cafe and taking in the view (of your hot date, duh!).

9. Bisous Bisous
If you’ve been matched with a sweetheart who happens to have a sweet tooth, this one’s for you. Inside a pastel-painted café along a corridor of independent boutiques and businesses, Bisous Bisous is a renowned French patisserie. Whipping up artisanal tarts, eclairs and macarons from inside their spot on Beech Road, Chorlton, their team have something special in store for Cupid’s occasion this year. Bisous Bisous’ Valentine’s Afternoon Tea will offer a curation of bite-sized delights to satisfy fans of sweet and savoury, apt for a twosome’s tasting, or feeding an eternal flame.

10. Cheshire Boutique Barns
Between roaring fires, roll-top tubs, and dawn-lit scenes of the surrounding countryside, Cheshire Boutique Barns has everything you need to retreat from reality. Spend your special weekend in one of their three bespoke barns, whether you prefer The Cow Shed’s luxury jacuzzi, The Nest Barnlette’s stargazing skylight, or the Old Parlour Barn’s inviting copper bath. Plus, if you fancy a trip out (no pressure), the site is just a stone’s throw from an award-winning gastropub, a quaint canal, and many rural walking routes.

11. Louis Manchester 
A newer venue on the scene, Louis has quickly become a go-to for dancing in the twilight hours. Often, to a cacophony of swing, soul, and jazz, singing from behind a heavy, velvet curtain. Inspired in equal parts by the silver screen, cabaret theatrics, and the very best speakeasies around, Louis combines live performance with fine dining, enjoyed from the comfort of a stageside booth or poseur table. Inviting the loved-up in to let off some steam, if you’re looking for a West End experience right here in the North West, Louis on Hardman Street is the hottest ticket in town.

By Millie Throp