It’s no surprise that Romania, a country steeped in folklore, has a mystical ritual when it comes to love. Celebrated on February 24, the eponymous holiday traces back to the Romanian demigod Dragobete, said to roam the earth with the arrival of Spring. This day sees lovers exchange freshly picked snowdrops, the first flowers of spring, as symbols of their budding affections. In the regions of Wallachia and Dobruja, people exchange handmade crowns of flowers or freshly picked spring blooms which are then hung to dry and, four months later, thrown into flowing water to ward off bad luck in love.

In China, Qixi festival celebrates the annual meeting of mythological lovers Zhinü and Niulang. Their tale is literally cosmic. The lovers are representations of the stars Vega and Altair who, forbidden to be together, are found banished to opposite sides of the Milky Way. Once a year the star-crossed lovers are reunited in the night sky, on the 7th day of the 7th Lunar month (this year August 29), when the festival is celebrated with gifts, parades, and poetry.

On October 9, Valencia celebrates love with a sweet twist. The day celebrates the Valencian patron saint of lovers, Sant Dionís. Locals celebrate with feasts and fancy dress and exchange marzipan figures known as ‘mocadorà’. Traditionally, men craft the marzipan, wrap them in silk handkerchiefs and gift them to their loved ones as a sign of affection. 

Falling on January 25, the Welsh celebrate their own patron saint of lovers, St. Dwynwen, on St. Dwynwen’s Day. Dwynwen was forbidden from marrying her beloved and, when faced with an unwanted arranged marriage, she prayed to God and was granted three wishes: to be free of her proposed fiancée, to never marry, and to help other lovers in pain. The day is marked with the unique tradition of carving wooden spoons and gifting them to friends, families and lovers.

Guarantee a romantic trip by booking a hotel through ASMALLWORLD Collection. Visit The Temple House in Chengdu for the Qixi Festival, a five-storey hotel that blends ancient and modern seamlessly; or if you find yourself in Romania, stay at the elegant JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel located in the heart of the city.