This is a guest post from Caro, one half of the adorable duo at Passport and a Toothbrush. As Caro has a wealth of experience traveling abroad, she decided to share with us the best global cities to have a date.

When thinking of a romantic date, most of us think of a candlelight dinner, copious amounts of roses and a harp player lurking around. But when one is traveling, we don`t always have the means or space to carry around a box of chocolates and even less a 90 pound instrument. Whether you are traveling with your significant other (don’t you love politically correct terms?) or are looking to hook up with that hot Australian, I’ve figured out some perfect date ideas in a few of my favourite destinations around the world. Are you ready? Cue the Barry White album …

BARCELONA

This city may be the coolest on the list today. The sassy street of this Catalan capital are perfect for a hot and sultry date. Start things off easy by enjoying some nearly-free tapas at Atrapatapa in the neighbourhood of l’Eixample. Here, you can enjoy a beer and tapas for less than 2 Euros. Just don’t tell your date, looking cheap is a major faux-pas. Move the night along by enjoying a flamenco show at Salas Tarantos. This intimate venue is sure to set the mood with the help of the soulful flamenco singing and dancing. But this is Barcelona and the night owl is king so to shake things up a bit head over to Espit Chupitos, a small joint where they serve over 500 shots! Try the Harry Potter, you won’t be disappointment (hint : there’s fire involved). What’s best to end the night? Watching the sunrise over by the Barceloneta seaside.

ISTANBUL

Although Constantinople is clearly a more badass name, Istanbul never lost its’ edge. This city is the perfect example of the mélange of Middle-Eastern and Western cultures. To embrace this fusion, I suggest a photoshoot chasing the city’s coolest stencil graffitis. So why not take your camera and get lost in the city looking for cool city art? After a few hours of exploration, relax by heading over to the Suleymaniye Hamam for a couples turkish bath. This is the only spot in the city where men and women can get the rough, turkish bath treatment together! After this steam bath, a tall drink is in order! Check out the Sunset Bar & Grill where you can enjoy some fancy adult beverages while enjoying an amazing view of the Bosphorus. Make some reservations, this spot is very popular at sunset – hence the name.

SEOUL

If you’re currently in Seoul there’s a 95% chance that you are spending your days teaching English to 8 year olds. You are in dire need of a hot date my friend. Luckily, Seoul is a very fun city so you’re in for quite the night! Start off with a fish massage! Quite literally the act of dipping your feet in a pool full of fish that suck away dead skin. This stimulates acupuncture points and promotes blood circulation. This may be a bit of a novelty but there’s no doubt you and your date will share some laughs! Follow the massage by an intimate dinner at Blind Art restaurant where diners eat in pitch-black darkness. Let’s just hope you and your partner have clicked by now because at Blind Art, crawling out of a date has never been easier. End the night with a boom heading over to one of the city’s karaoke joints and try your hand at singing some K-Pop!

NEW YORK CITY

The Big Apple has no time for foreplay.  Get the date started with a visit to the Museum of Sex. The first museum of its’ kind in the world, its permanent collection holds over 15 000 artifacts from photographs to costumes. Things may get steamy in the museum (bet you never saw the words steamy and museum in the same sentence before eh?) and head to Central Park. I know, it may sound like a cliché but this is a must in New York. Enjoy some Chocolates by the Bald Man while soaking in the view.  Finally, check out the Astor Room. Originally built in 1920, it served as a studio for Paramount Pictures where silent and sound films were produced. It is now home to great jazz music and some amazing pork chops. And everyone knows ; you can’t spell romance without pork chops …

About the Author: Caro Leal

Caro is one half of Passport and a Toothbrush. She and her boyfriend Matt are leaving the comforts of their jobs for a trip around the world. Caro is hoping to find something she’s missed since her past travels years ago, and Matt is hoping to find something new in his first trip outside of North America. How can a young veteran traveler drag an innocent young boy across the world for a year? We’ll have to wait and see!

(CC Kullez)