Heart-Warming Valentine’s Ideas for Any Budget

By Olga Kalashnikova

The St. Petersburg Times

Published: February 8, 2012 (Issue # 1694)

ALEXANDER BELENKY / SPT Couples can snuggle up and have their own fairytale romance as they ride around the city in a horse-drawn carriage. Rates run at 14,000 rubles ($460) an hour.

Whether your love is just a day old or decades old, a special Valentine’s Day celebration might be just what the doctor ordered for your relationship. After all, as the proverb goes, actions speak louder than words. Luckily, St. Petersburg is home to a range of ways to celebrate the most romantic day of the year — regardless of your budget. The St. Petersburg Times presents a variety of different ways to spend a special St. Valentine’s Day with your loved one, from costs of $1 to $1,000.

For a wallet

as bottomless

as love itself

One of the most thrilling and romantic ways to tell your partner you love them is while you’re flying high above the city in a hot air balloon. Those brave enough to face the elements can take a ride over the former imperial estates of Pushkin and Pavlovsk — some of the most beautiful areas around St. Petersburg. For 29,000 rubles ($960) you can fly for an hour at a height of 300 to 500 meters. A car follows the balloon on the ground for the duration of the trip in order to greet the lovebirds when they land. During the winter, however, balloon trips are available only in the morning. Trips also depend heavily on the weather, and the pilot has the final say on whether or not the weather is appropriate for flying. Trips can be canceled just before they are due to take off.

Another romantic trip can be taken closer to earth, in a horse-drawn carriage, allowing couples to pretend they are a fairytale prince and princess. For 14,000 rubles ($460) an hour, the horses — or rather, their driver — will take you wherever you wish to go at any time of the day.

If earth and air aren’t your elements, there’s always the option of a romantic voyage on the Princess Maria ferry to Helsinki. You will spend two nights on the ferry and one day in the Finnish capital. Onboard, you can choose a cabin to suit your budget, order a romantic dinner in the onboard restaurant and explore the splendid sights of Helsinki.

Others may wish to simply escape from the daily grind to the luxury world of the city’s finest hotels, taking a romantic mini-break right in the middle of the week. Many hotels offer special Valentine’s Day packages. The Grand Hotel Europe, for example, offers a deluxe room, a candlelit dinner with live music, and a fruit basket, flowers and chocolate in the room as well as breakfast the next morning for 25,000 rubles ($830). For a similar price, couples can take advantage of the Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg’s offer of a night in a suite, sparkling wine, fruit, sweets and breakfast served in the room.

Another option is to simply enjoy a romantic dinner, for example, at the W Hotel St. Petersburg, with special dishes for him and her at 5,200 rubles ($170) per person with a glass of champagne included. For 16,900 rubles ($564), the hotel will throw in a treatment in its Bliss spa (for the lady only) and a room with chocolate, champagne and other “romantic surprises” in addition to dinner.

Saving for a special occasion

FOR SPT Fans of the 1990 film ‘Ghost’ can act out their own pottery fantasy this Feb. 14.

To make Valentine’s Day truly memorable without breaking the bank, lovers can go to a professional photography studio to create a photo album of their love story. Prices vary from 2,000 to 3,000 rubles ($67 to $100) per hour and upwards. Photo sessions can be arranged for outdoor locations, including on St. Petersburg rooftops. Professionals recommend taking some favorite props from home to make the session truly personal.

Among life’s many adventures that can be experienced together, there may be a lesson to be learned from a pottery workshop. Create a unique, handmade item together — what could be more romantic? This costs about 3,000 rubles ($100).

Another option is to explore another city: Vyborg and Novgorod, for example, are not far from St. Petersburg and can be reached by car or bus for between 500 and 1,000 rubles ($17 to $33) for a roundtrip for two. The average price for a night in a hotel varies from 1,600 to 5,000 rubles ($50 to 165) in both cities.

If time is limited, you can always go to a restaurant and surprise your Valentine with a romantic dinner. Many of the city’s restaurants have Valentine’s offers. For example, Novotel offers a five-course dinner accompanied by live music, flowers and gifts for female diners for about 2,000 rubles per person. For 9,000 rubles ($300), in addition to dinner, you can also spend a night in a deluxe room, with fruit and champagne provided.

Money

isn’t everything

The amount of money spent on a romantic weekend shouldn’t matter as much as the most important thing on Valentine’s Day: To say three little — but important — words. Saying “I love you” costs nothing, and there are plenty of other romantic activities that are similarly easy on the wallet.

Start by making breakfast for your partner. If you don’t live together, give your loved one a wake-up call.

One romantic idea is to recreate your first date together. Where did you go? What were you wearing? What did you talk about? Who made the first move? Spend the evening reminiscing. Traditionally, first dates include a walk and a night at the movies or theater. Plan your own romantic route — St. Petersburg is a city of love and is full of romantic places. Read up on all of the legends and romantic traditions associated with some places and surprise your beloved.

Since the main symbol of Valentine’s Day is the Valentine’s card, you can make one yourself. Here you’re limited only by your skills and imagination. Use any of your favorite photos, write your own greeting or quote some classics, look for tips on the Internet or create your own style. This is guaranteed to be the best present, as it is handmade and comes from the heart.

A romantic walk can be rounded off with a trip to the cinema or theater. This year, the city’s Culture Committee has put on a surprise for Valentine’s Day — theater and cinema tickets will just cost 10 rubles ($0.33). Most St. Petersburg theaters, including the Mikhailovsky, Alexandriinsky, Molodezhny, Lensoveta and others, are participating in this event along with eight movie theaters, including Avrora and Rodina. Tickets will be sold from Feb. 9 to 12 at city box offices and on Feb. 14 in theaters and cinemas.

A budget Valentine’s Day can end with a homemade dinner and romantic evening spent alone with your sweetheart.