Don't take the traditional hearts and flowers approach to Valentine's this February, think outside the (chocolate) box and discover Norwich; a city packed with delightful hidden gems to eat, drink and be romanced.

Gothic House is an idyllic AA 4-star Gold, B&B nestled in a small courtyard on the edge of Norwich's Cathedral Quarter in the heart of Norwich. But what sets this B&B apart is its size, decor and romance, with only one beautifully styled double bedroom and a convivial host who is happy to let guests have a decent lay in and take breakfast whenever they request it. Breakfast is a grand affair with a sumptuous feast of seasonal local produce on the menu. A stay at Gothic House is £95 a night including breakfast with a two-night minimum stay at weekends.

Fancy a romantic winter picnic? Buy all you need at Louis' Deli in Upper St Giles in the Norwich Lanes. Louis' kitchen champions local food and drink; pies, bread, pastries, paté, cakes and sweet treats as well as offering culinary delights from artisan producers in Spain, France and Italy. And Jarrolds independent department store stocks the sweetest Norfolk deli treats such as Gnaw Banoffee Pie Chocolate, Big Skies Salted Peanut & Chilli Brittle and to warm the cockles of your heart; single malt whisky from England's first whisky distillery in over 120 years, The English Whisky Company.

A picnic is possibly even more romantic in winter than any other time of year and if you love to walk and the weather is amicable take your portable banquet and woollen blanket into Plantation Garden, a 3-acre secret heritage garden in the heart of the city, though you would never know it. Plantation Garden is an oasis of calm, a restored Victorian garden with gothic fountain, Italianate terrace, 'medieval' terrace wall, woodland walkways and ten meter long Victorian-style greenhouse and rustic bridge.      

Elm Hill is Norwich's most famous medieval street, soak up the architecture and romance of this beautiful cobbled setting, look out for unusual residences and small independent shops whose appearance is now almost the same as it was after the major fire of 1507. At that time prosperous merchants, craftsmen and local dignitaries lived here. The Britons Arms coffee house is the sole survivor from the 1507 fire and is one of only five thatched buildings in the city centre. Formally a 16th century Inn, it was featured as The Slaughtered Prince in the movie Stardust gaining a worldwide audience enchanted by the magical love story featuring Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer.

The Ribs of Beef is one of the best pubs in Norwich located just around the corner from Elm Hill. Offering a great range of cask ales, farm cider, wines and champagnes, its perfect location on the Wensum means you can snuggle up with a warming drink on their riverside jetty day or night.

Read all about the unique Norwich tradition of Valentine's Eve at The Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell when residents of the city celebrated 13th February as much as they did Christmas. See displays of shiny trinkets and beautifully hand stitched Victorian Valentine's cards. Across the county another tradition played out, that of Jack Valentine, a cheeky trickster who would knock at the door then run away sometimes leaving a gift sometimes playing a trick. The Norwich Lanes celebrates Jack Valentine with window displays and giveaways on 14th February.     

For heavenly dining and a very special evening out, worthy of a proposal, enjoy a £150 five-course taster menu for two with wine flight in the Maids Head private snug. Dating from 1287, though its foundations are older, the snug is one of the many original and exclusive features of the hotel. Over the years the hotel has seen some famous visitors; Edward the Black Prince, Queen Catherine of Aragon and Queen Elizabeth I. In1599 William Kemp, a member of William Shakespeare's company recuperated at the hotel having completed in nine days a 108 mile dance from London to Norwich.

For more information, images, individual press releases and press trips please contact Melanie Cook, Public Relations Manager, VisitNorwich on 01603 727939 or melanie.cook@visitnorwich.co.uk .

Christmas & New Year hours; Melanie Cook will be available until 23rd December and from 11 January. The office is closed from 24 December and open again Monday 4th January 2016 please call 01603 727979 or email tourism@visitnorwich.co.uk.

About VisitNorwich

• VisitNorwich is the destination management organisation for the Norwich area. It is a private/public sector partnership and a not for profit organisation whose sole focus is to promote and develop the destination and support its membersthrough collaborative marketing, research, information and business advice.
• For the benefit of the area as a whole, VisitNorwich strives to achieve: better profile and reputation locally, nationally and internationally; increased visitor spend; more investment; more jobs and better quality experiences for both visitors and residents.
• Tourism is worth around £700 million per year to the Norwich area, supports over 9,000 jobs (Tourism South East, 2010).
• In 2014 VisitNorwich- funded by the Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) - launched Norwich, the City of Stories a digital campaign which reached finalist status in the EDP Norfolk Tourism Awards 2015, www.cityofstories.co.uk.
• In 2014 Norwich was named as one of Britain's Top 10 cities in The Telegraph Travel Awards.
• In 2014 The Norwich Lanes was crowned Great British High Street of the Year in the city category. 
• The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts was one of the six finalists for the prestigious Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year 2014.
• The Millennium Library, based at The Forum in Norwich was named in 2014 (for the eighth year in a row) the busiest library in the UK. Figures collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA).
• Annually the Writers' Centre Norwich and the University of East Anglia hold Literary Festivals which attract acclaimed authors from all over the world. The University of East Anglia's (UEA) first literary festival took place in 1991 and over the last 22 years has welcomed a host of award-winning authors, journalists, illustrators, scientists, economists, broadcasters and more.
• In 2012 Norwich became England's first UNESCO City of Literature and the sixth in the world joining other great cities; Edinburgh, Dublin, Melbourne, Iowa City and Reykjavik. This accolade is a permanent status.
• Norwich was a finalist in the Group Leisure Awards 2012, in the Best UK City category.
• Norwich was placed 6th in volume of tourism day visits in England in 2011 (after London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool) and ahead of popular destinations like York, Brighton, Bristol, Sheffield and Chester.  17 million day visitors spent over £1/2 billion in 2011. Data from the 2011 Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS 2011).
• Norwich was in the top 10 of UK places to shop (Venuescore 2011-12, The Javelin Group), having also been previously ranked 9th in the Experian Goad retail index and 8th on the CACI index.  The outstanding quality and diversity of the city's retail offer presents a major draw for visitors to the Norwich area.
• VisitNorwich Ltd is a company limited by guarantee, a private/public sector partnership and a membership organisation representing the interests of a broad range of businesses across the visitor economy.  Its principal public sector stakeholders are Norwich City Council and South Norfolk Council.
• VisitNorwich has been operational from 1st April 2005

For further information on Norwich and its surrounding area visit www.visitnorwich.co.uk, www.cityofstories.co.uk

Melanie Cook will be available until 23rd December and from 11 January. The office is closed from 24 December and open again Monday 4th January 2016. Please call 01603 727979 or email tourism@visitnorwich.co.uk between 29 Dec -8 Jan 2016.