Posted on January 29, 2026 in Top Destinations, Travel News
Photo by Chris Meads on Unsplash
9 UK Destinations to Fall in Love With in 2026
Searching for the perfect Valentine’s getaway? If you live or travel in the UK, your back garden is brimming with fairytale castles, windswept moors, placid lakes that stretch for miles, and hidden villages yet to be discovered.
Here are our picks for the top nine destinations to take your beloved in 2026, offering you plenty of options for creating a storybook romance of your own:
1. Bodiam Castle & Rye, East Sussex
Few medieval castles capture the storybook effect of Bodiam Castle with its perfectly still moat and rising towers reflected in its water. Travel back centuries in the timeless countryside and witness the real magic come out at sunset, when the low golden light softens the stone and casts shimmering reflections in the moat.
A short drive away is the historic town of Rye. Rye offers warmth, intimacy, and the romance of stepping back into another era. The crooked timbered houses, antique shops, and cosy cafés of Mermaid Street beckon you at every turn. Enjoy a candlelit dinner at an historic inn and linger over dessert as the streets grow quiet and the town’s medieval charm takes over.
2. Durdle Door, Dorset
For couples drawn to the elemental, the wild, and the dramatic, Durdle Door delivers on every level. The limestone arch rises from the turquoise sea in a display of raw natural beauty, perfect for sunrise or sunset when the crowds are gone. This time of year, feel the wind on your faces, and let the sound of the waves create your own private soundtrack. While winter months can be brisk and the paths slippery, the solitude and drama of the coast make it a profoundly romantic spot for those willing to embrace it.
3. Cornwall: Fowey, Porthcurno, Port Isaac & Tintagel
Cornwall – land of legends – where sea spray meets storybook charm. It’s impossible to capture all of the romance of this region, but here are four dreamy places that won’t disappoint you. Fowey with its estuary views, ferry rides across the waters, and quaint harbourside cafés, will captivate the stoniest of hearts. Travel onwards to cinematic Porthcurno, considered one of Britain’s finest beaches with the stunning Minack Theatre carved into its cliffside. Port Isaac, a picturesque fishing village, invites you to wander its narrow lanes hand in hand and admire the white-washed fisherman cottages, whistling an old sea shanty or two. And of course, Tintagel, steeped in Arthurian legend with its dramatic cliffs and mythological ruins. You can almost hear the whoosh of knights riding past you. Cornwall’s rugged coastline is at its most intimate in the off-season, where every windswept path invites you to honour the past while embracing the present with the one you love.
4. Gower Peninsula, Three Sisters & Arthur’s Stone, Wales
For quieter, soul-stirring romance, the Gower Peninsula offers a mix of sweeping beaches, ancient monuments, and skies that stretch to infinity and beyond. Rhossili Bay is celebrated for its beauty and peerless sunsets. Wander to Arthur’s Stone, a Neolithic burial chamber set among rolling hills. Local legend holds that if a maiden wants proof her betrothed is true, she circles the stone three times. If he is there at the end, he is true; if not, well…maybe get yourself down to the Three Sisters cliffs toute-suite. The dramatic viewpoints are perfect for couples who relish a mix of grandeur, soul-searching and solitude.
5. Symonds Yat Rock, Wye Valley
Forests, looping rivers, and elevated viewpoints make Symonds Yat Rock a poetic escape. Its limestone cliffs rising above the River Wye in the Forest of Dean are ideal for a gentle day of talking, walking and birdwatching. As you pass through the ancient ramparts of its Iron Age hillfort, you might be rewarded in the early morning or late afternoon with mist hovering over the river and the occasional swoop of a Peregrine Falcon, Goshawk or any number of other bird species known to inhabit the hospitable environs. Perfect for couples who enjoy slow, meandering, quiet moments together.
6. Curbar Edge & Bakewell, Peak District
If a day of wild scenery followed by an evening by the fire is your idea of romantic getaway, then head to the Peak District where you’ll find these two perfectly paired gems. Curbar Edge offers a dramatic cliff line with sweeping views over the Derwent Valley. Just minutes away is Bakewell, a quintessential English market town, where you can stroll along the River Wye, feast on the original Bakewell pudding, and explore its many quaint and cozy charms.
7. Buttermere, Lake District
Quiet, poetic, and deeply tranquil, the Lake District’s Buttermere lake reflects the surrounding mountains like a mirror on still days. Its ethereal beauty and snow-dusted fells in winter only add to the drama. A circular walk around the lake is perfect for couples, ending with a cosy meal by a fireside in a nearby inn.
8. The Trossachs, Scotland
If you’re looking for a romantic Highland escape, Scotland’s Trossachs offers unparallel diversity, combining lochs, forests, and legends into one bewitching adventure. Take a boat ride on Loch Katrine or a forest walk near Callander, then spend the evening in a nearby secluded lodge to create an experience both intimate and epic. Snow or frost in winter adds a layer of magic this time of year, but the enchantment is plentiful year-round.
9. Fair Head & Ballycastle, Northern Ireland
If windswept romance is your vibe, you’ll find it in mythological proportions on the northern coast of Ireland. The intensity of Fair Head’s landscape feels elemental, every moment feels heightened and extraordinary. When you’re ready to relinquish nature’s embrace, nearby Ballycastle provides you with warmth and respite, a charming seaside town where you can settle by the fire and relive the dreamscape of your day all evening long.
Each of these nine destinations invite couples to slow down, breathe deeply, and fall in love with life again, wherever you go and whomever you’re with.
