Be my Valentine

The centuries-old tradition of Valentine's Day originated in ancient Rome to commemorate a Christian martyr called Saint Valentine who secretly helped lovers to get wed under the tyrannical rule of the emperor Claudius II. And now, February 14 has become a universal festival celebrated by lovers all over the world.

Below are some delicate places around Shanghai where Cupid has definitely shot his arrow.

Chocolate and cakes

There is a phrase that says, "to catch a man's heart, catch his stomach first." Of course this works equally well for women. And chocolates and cakes are the perfect tasty gift for Valentine's Day.

Shanghai could never be accused of being short of elegant cafés, especially ones which sell chocolates and cakes. And to celebrate this important festival, HoF's (30-1 Sinan Road) signature chocolate cake - Death by Chocolate - is a good choice. Meanwhile, over at Awfully Chocolate, you are spoiled for options with chocolate ice cream and cold poached chocolate among the choices.

But if you want to make it a really special night, why not get into the kitchen yourself to impress your beloved.

At City'super Culture Club - the supermarket's own showroom kitchen - chefs offer free cookery courses. From 6 pm to 8 pm tomorrow, chefs at City'super (B1/F, IFC, 8 Century Avenue, Lujiazui) will teach people how to make handmade "love" cookies. And this Sunday, from 4 pm to 6 pm, a cooking demonstration of how to make strawberry mousse cakes will be presented. All the events are free of charge.

Find romance in DIY crafts

In Chinese culture, a cup or mug, (beizi in Chinese) has the same pronunciation as "the whole life." Because of this it is a symbol of good wishes for a couple's life. It is common among Chinese people to buy their beloved such a mug or cup.

Dongli Salon (Room 104, No.1, Lane 1363 Fuxing Road Middle, 6433-0552), sells white mugs whereby customers can paint on their own favorite pictures, words or designs. And between 1:30 pm and 9:30 pm on Valentine's Day, customers can pay 70 yuan ($11.12) for their own designs.

The 1990 movie Ghost featured a famous romantic scene where a couple construct a clay pot together. And the type of pottery wheel used can be utilized to make any sort of gift for a relative. Taoyi Gu (700 Huangpi Road South, 6384-8214), and As U Wish Pottery Studio (1039 Changle Road, 6248-9697) are a couple of places to try. After shaping the clay, customers are required to wait four to five days for the clay to dry before painting the pottery. For a Valentine's day gift, be sure to book a place several days in advance.

Romantic spots

France is known as the country of love while Shanghai is often referred to as the "Paris of the East." There are many romantic spots in the city for lovers to meet.

A visit to some old villas in the former French concession makes for a relaxing day out. YongFoo Elite (200 Yongfu Road) boasts a beautiful garden which is lit up at night.

At JZ Club (46 Fuxing Road West), it's invigorating to take a walk on the terrace. And at busy People's Park (inside People's Square) there is a Moroccan-styled bar called Barbarossa which is surrounded by a lake of water lilies.

And to get a bird's eye view of the city, you can visit the highest bar in Shanghai, the 100 Century Avenue Bar at the Park Hyatt Hotel (100 Century Avenue). While over at the Grand Hyatt (88 Century Avenue), you can visit Cloud 9 on the 87th floor which also offers great views. But be minded that it takes three lifts to get there. Over the river in Puxi, Sir Elly's on the 13th floor of the The Peninsula (32 Zhongshandongyi Road) isn't so high but still has great views of the Pudong skyline. Proof of purchasing a drink gains entry.

Say it with flowers

However, lovers can also opt for more economical Valentine's Day surprises.

At the Shanghai Botanical Gardens (1111 Longwu Road, 5435-5125 or 5436-5523), a camellia exhibition is being held in the garden's greenhouse until February 20. It is often said that the camellia represents ideal love and humility. There are also other flowers such as Bella Rosas and Moth Orchids on display.

The highlight of the exhibition is a "Claiming a Camellia" event to be held on February 12. About 100 camellias are up for sale at between 199 yuan and 499 yuan for each tree depending on the age of the tree.