Lesbos, Greece

Romance factor: Have a gay old time in the Greek islands.

Birthplace of the poet Sappho - whose ancient odes to same-sex love have made the island she hailed from the namesake for lesbians - Lesbos (also called Lesvos) in the Aegean Sea is a gorgeous idyll of olive-tree forests, long sandy beaches and towering peaks. The island has long been a big draw for gay travellers, who come as much for the bar scene in Mytilene and Skala Eressou as to pay homage to the great lyric poet. Things may be a little on the sleepy side in the weeks around Valentine's Day, but that just means lovers will have more time to relax, enjoy the landscape and perhaps pen a couple of verses of their own...