14th February
Have you ever realized that the best place to spendSaint Valentine’s Day is in Rome? Do you ask why?
Because Valentine’s Day started in Rome in the time of the Roman Empire.
So, let’s just briefly get through the story – here we are in
the third century, lives of young boys and girls are strictly separated,
but here comes the festival of Lupercalia and and its most
popular custom – name drawing. The names of Roman girls were written
on slips of paper and placed into jars.
Each young man would draw a girl’s name from the jar
and would then be partners for the festival with the chosen girl.
And often they would fall in love and get married.
But then under the rule of Emperor Claudius II everything changed.
He needed a big army and no young men volunteered to join,
they didn’t want to leave their wives and families, so Claudius didn’t allow any more marriages.
And here comes our hero – priest Valentine who secretly married couples, until he was caught,
sent to jail and decapitated on the 14th of February.
While he was in prison many young people threw flowers and notes up to his window to say thank you,
the daughter of the prison guard kept coming to visit him,
they would talk and she helped him to stay cheerful.
And so on the day he was to die he left her a little note
thanking her for her friendship and he signed it: Love from your Valentine.
And this is to believed that started the custom of exchanging
love messages on Valentine’s Day.
And as we want you to spend the most romantic Valentine’s Day ever,
we found you this special offer in one of the best Roman hostels
book a double room for two nights and get a bottle of Italian Prosecco for free..
SPECIAL OFFER for stay in Rome
