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Five fab Valentine’s ideas whether you’re dating or not

Whether you’re in a relationship, on the lookout for love or happily single, The Local brings you the best ways to spend Valentine’s Day.

Published: 11 February 2016 05:52 CET
Five fab Valentine's ideas whether you're dating or not
Photo: Found Animal Foundation/Flickr

1. Go to a party in a sock shop


Photo: star athena/Flickr

Not everyone is a fan of extravagant displays of romance, so if the thought of heart-shaped chocolate boxes and enormous bouquets leaves you feeling queasy, consider marking Valentine's Day in a more practical way. The Happy Socks store in central Stockholm is spreading the love on Friday, February 12th, with special offers on socks and underwear, and the store is hosting a party from 5.30pm which continues into the night at a nearby bar. Socks and alcohol – what more could you ask for?

2. Reaffirm your faith in love at the cinema

Love comes in many forms, so whether you choose to go with a date or a group of friends, these films should put a smile on your face. Comedy How to Be Single premieres on February 14th, starring Dakota Johnson as a newly single graduate who moves to New York in search of adventure, or if you’d prefer a more traditional love story, Bollywood romance Fitoor is screening in both Stockholm and Malmo this weekend. Based on Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, it follows the story of a young boy who falls in love with a girl from a different social class. Tickets are 150 kr.

3. Snuggle up on a dog-sled


Photo: star5112/Flickr

What could be more romantic than being whisked through the snowy landscapes of Swedish lapland on a sled pulled by husky dogs? Kiruna in the far north of Sweden is the perfect couples' getaway – you'll feel like the only two people in the world. Or, grab a friend and have a giggle. Tickets start at 1,150 kr and there are options for simpler tours as well as nighttime trips to see the Northern Lights.

4. Meet other singles


Photo: Cosmic Oxter/Flickr

There are plenty of expat singles’ meets happening over the Valentine’s weekend, particularly in the Swedish capital. Grow Internationals is hosting its first coffee morning on February 12th, a free event including a talk on relationships and networking. On the 13th, you can go to Matchmakers’ Wonderful Valentine party, featuring ice-breaker games and a live performance at the Clarion Sign Hotel – tickets are 249 kr. Alternatively, the Lock and Key Singelfest at Café Opera includes a ‘hands-on’ speed-dating session and raffle, with the party lasting until 3am. Tickets are 249 kr and are already selling fast.

5. Get into a compromising position


Photo: jasmine kaloudis/Flickr

Couples’ yoga is a unique way to celebrate Valentine's Day, and could help you feel more connected as well as more relaxed. feel closer to your partner. This workshop by Infinite Yoga Malmö in southern Sweden takes place at 1pm on February 14th, with tickets for two people costing 1,200 kr, which includes food.

Don't forget to check out our interactive calendar below for more events taking place in Sweden this week

 

 

 

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EVENTS

How Cologne is preparing for the start of Carnival on Friday

Dressing up, singing, and drinking: On Friday, countless Jecken (revelers) in Cologne will once again celebrate the start of the Carnival session.

Published: 9 November 2022 10:29 CET
How Cologne is preparing for the start of Carnival on Friday

Dubbed Germany’s “fifth season” by locals, the event starts every year on November 11th at 11:11 am, and typically stretches into February or March, when colourful parades spill into the streets.

Carnival stronghold Cologne in particular is preparing for the onslaught of tens of thousands of people who will flock to its Altstadt (old town), and especially to the student quarter, starting early Friday morning. 

READ ALSO: 10 unmissable events in Germany this November

“Far too many people want to celebrate in far too small a space,” city director Andrea Blome told DPA. “We can’t stop anyone from coming to Cologne now.” 

More security this year

In the popular Kwartier Latäng student quarter, there have been regular bouts of drinking by young partygoers in the past, who crowded into a confined space, leaving litter everywhere and publicly peeing on the corners of buildings. 

Google Maps shows the location of the so-called Kwartier Latäng part of Cologne.

But with a new security plan, the city and police hope to keep the situation under control.

Several checkpoints and road closures have been set up to secure the safety of the revelers and relieve the burden on worried residents, according to Blome. Visitors will only be able to enter the closed-off area around Zülpicher Straße via a single access point. 

On Friday, Cologne is also set to send a total of 150 employees from the Ordnungsamt (public order office) onto the streets, who will be supported by 520 private security guards. 

A glass ban will again apply in the celebration zones, and several hundred toilets will be set up at the hotspots, “which nevertheless will probably not be used by all visitors,” Blome predicted.

READ ALSO: 10 words you need to know at Cologne’s Carnival

Up to 1,100 police officers are expected to be on duty on the day – about 200 fewer than last year, said head of operations Rüdiger Fink. But he expected to keep the situation “under control with a new security plan.”

What to expect

On Cologne’s Heumarkt, there will be a stage program all day with bands such as the Bläck Fööss, the Paveiern and Brings. 

Google Maps shows Cologne’s Heumarkt along the Rhine River.

According to the Willi Ostermann Society, about 10,000 tickets were sold in advance for the event, which will be aired by German WDR for several hours.

Meanwhile, in Düsseldorf, the day will start at 11:11 a.m. with the “Hoppeditz Awakening” in front of City Hall. 

According to a spokesman, the police will be adequately prepared for the start of the season, with a particular focus on the Altstadt, where there will certainly be celebrations.

“But 11.11. is a very different event here in Düsseldorf than in Cologne,” he said, referring to a more orderly start and fewer guests.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about celebrating Carnival in Germany

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