Sweden

February 29 is traditionally the day when a woman can turn the tables and ask for her beau's hand in marriage, so head to northern Sweden for a romantic, wintry atmosphere.

It'll be snowy and freezing, thereby guaranteeing some night-time snuggling in a sauna or under reindeer skins, especially if your base is the Ice Hotel near Kiruna, some 965km (600 miles) north of Stockholm.

Throw in a sleigh ride, some husky-sledding, snowmobiling and a drop or two of vodka and how could he say no?

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Details: Two nights' B&B at the Ice Hotel with Discover the World (01737 218800, www.discoverlapland.co.uk), including flights from Heathrow or Manchester (via Stockholm) and transfers, are from £715pp.

New York

For something equally romantic, max out the credit card on a long weekend in New York. Virgin Atlantic leaves Heathrow at 8.10pm on the Thursday evening, and comes back on Sunday: you can jet out of JFK at 6.10pm, and be back in the UK at 6.20am Monday morning.

Shop on Friday, do museums and galleries on Saturday, and on Sunday have a lie-in before mooching round Central Park. Take Time Out's New York guide (£12.99, www.timeout.com/newyork) and check out bars, restaurants and clubs at www.newyork.citysearch.com or pose questions to locals at www.askanewyorker.com.

For a posh brunch try Balthazar (001 212 965 1414, www.balthazarny.com) but for a cheaper experience head to La Bonbonniere (001 212 741 9266) for great French toast and omelettes. Want pizza? Grab a slice at Joe's (001 212 255 3946, www.famousjoespizza.com). At the end of the day hit Pegu (001 212 473 7348, www.peguclub.com) or PDT (001 212 614 0386) for cocktails, the latter entered via a “secret” door within a phone booth inside a hotdog restaurant.

Details: Virgin Holidays (0844 5573860, www.virginholidays.com) offers three nights' room only in NYC, including flights from £479pp.

Bruges

Now that St Pancras International station is open, trips to the Continent are much easier from the Midlands and the North. Leicester to Brussels, for example, takes just over four hours, with onward connections to other Belgian towns such as Bruges that are perfect for a weekend break.

The 26-bedroom Pand Hotel has just won an award as the “best charming hotel in Europe” and is in the centre of the city. It is located in an 18th-century carriage house.

Bruges is a foodie kind of place, especially anything cocoa-based, with ten restaurants highlighting dishes such as marinated filet of duck on a coulis of mango, ginger and plain chocolate, while various spas will be getting in on the act with chocolate facemasks and massage products.

Details: Eurostar (0870 5186186, www.eurostar.com) has returns from Leicester to Bruges from £84pp. The Pand Hotel (00 32 50 34 06 66, www.pandhotel.com) has rooms from £135. Further information: www.winterinbrugge.be, www.visitflanders.co.uk

Cracow

Who would have thought a few years ago you could fly nonstop from Bournemouth or Doncaster to Poland? Now it's as easy - and often as cheap - to hop on a plane and head east as it is to go to London.

Cracow might not be as well-known a weekend-break destination as Prague or Budapest, but it has plenty to keep you occupied, most attractions are within walking distance in the Old Town and there are many good bars, cafés and restaurants.

EasyJet flies from eight UK airports, including Edinburgh, Bristol and Newcastle, while Ryanair serves it from four, including East Midlands and Prestwick. Print out a travel guide from www.inyourpocket.com, where you can also choose and book a hotel for a couple of nights. The modern Radisson SAS, for example, close to Wawel castle, has more than 400 paintings from the Cracow Academy of Art on its walls.

Details: easyJet (0905 8210905/ 60p min, www.easyjet.com), Ryanair (0871 2460000, www.ryanair.com); Radisson SAS Krakow (0080 0333 33333, www.krakow.radissonsas.com) has doubles from £95.
Further information: www.krakow.pl

Venice

Venice in winter is always a good bet. You can avoid the crowds (as long as you bypass carnival earlier in the month) and rain or fog enhance the place and give it a mysterious air.

Push the boat out for your bonus day and stay for the weekend at the Ca Maria Adele hotel, which combines 17th-century Venetian and 21st-century design, just a vaporetto-trip away from Piazza San Marco. There are five “concept” rooms inspired by Venetian history.

For a treat, a specialist tour operator such as Bellini Travel can organise a private tour of St Mark's Basilica which, while not cheap, is not as expensive as an exclusive look at the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

Details: Bellini Travel (020-7602 7602, www.bellinitravel.com) can organise two nights' B&B at the Ca Maria Adele hotel, flights, transfers and a private tour of St Mark's Basilica from £1,250pp (£595pp without the basilica visit).