Some less than obscure objects of desire

There's nothing with quite as much wooing power as words, and there's nothing quite so seductive as a rare and old book. The people at one fine treasure trove, Cathach Books in Dublin's Duke Street, say that volumes of Yeats poems are a popular choice for lovers - they have a 1970s reprint of an unusual volume of Collected Poems that includes illustrations by Willy's brother Jack B. Yeats (approximately £120). For a more pointed present you might want to opt for an 1899 limited addition of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband (approximately £500£600).

ROMANCE can be as simple as a big bath of bubbles for two. One of the most aesthetically pleasing of bath goodies comes from Lush, the maker of cosmetics that are good enough to eat. Drop their heartshaped "bath ballistic" into a running bath and watch it fizz up like a sweet-smelling Alka Seltzer leaving six perfect rose buds floating in the water - just don't get carried away and do an Ophelia. Lush bath products can be found on Castle Lane in Belfast or by mail order at 0044 1202 668 545.

Share a gastronomic experience without making any decisions or doing the washing-up. At Thorntons restaurant on Portobello Road, Michelin-starred chef Kevin Thornton will magic up a surprise menu, seven courses long, that should give you plenty of time to gaze into each others eyes (Tel: 01 454 9067).

A well-chosen piece of jewellery is one of the most, em, enchanting of presents. Antique pieces are always unique. Visit a shop such as John Farrington's in Drury Street, Dublin, where there's a selection of vintage baubles - some Georgian silver earrings or a Victorian locket perhaps? Or take a deep, deep, deep breath and go for a ring.

Give yourself a chance to say "We'll always have Paris" and plan a surprise trip to the capital of lurrve. Combine it with a trip to the must-see Rothko retrospective at Musee d'Art Moderne de la Ville Paris and lay down a few memories. Aer Lingus flights start at £99 but if you're going for a really luxurious trip you could opt for premier class, which clocks in at £692.

There's something wholly romantic - and ever so slightly naughty - about booking into a hotel in your home town. Pick a plush hotel, check it has good room service and have a flutter weekend without thinking about getting back for the baby-sitter, catching planes or trying to find a taxi. Hayfield Manor on College Road in Cork is close to the city centre and has the added attraction of a private swimming pool (tel: 021 315600). Glenlo Abbey lies just outside Galway city; if you manage to leave your hotel room, check out the restaurant in an old Orient Express train carriage in the grounds (tel: 091 526666). In Belfast why not check out a brand-new but funky city centre hotel on Shaftsbury Square by the name of Benedicts (tel: 01232 591999) and in Dublin, if the penthouse suite in the Clarence is booked, for example, you might chose the Merrion Hotel, which is offering special Valentine weekend breaks and an aphrodisiac-inspired menu in the Mornington restaurant (tel: 01 603 0600).

High-Flying Romeos and Juliets could consider taking to the skies. Irish Helicopters offer pleasure trips that take in the Dublin coast, Bray Head, Powerscourt waterfall and even the Blessington Lakes and they have at least one marriage proposal to their credit. Half-hour trips for up to four people are £250, hour-long trips are £500 and they also have branches at Cork and Shannon airports.

There's nothing quite as sensual as a full body massage, and Valentine's Day is the perfect time to indulge. Either arm yourself with aromatherapy massage oils (the Body Shop has a good range) and go DIY or buy a voucher for an expert. Every town now has a fleet of aromatherapists; indeed many beauty salons and health clubs provide facials and massage. Gillian Fox, who operates in Nassau Street, offers everything from Indian head massage to shiatsu, with prices starting from £25 (tel: 01 6709324).

Valentine's Day can bring out the Greta Garbo in any couple, and you may just "vant to be alone". So why not plan the perfect night in: rent a video (Brief Encounter or Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet should do the trick) and order food for delivery from Suppers Ready, a delightful take-away that brings real food such as brochette of lamb, confit of duck and a sinful dark Belgian chocolate mousse to your home (tel: 01 475 4556). Round it all off with a surprise delivery of champagne from the Bubble Brothers who will put a personalised label on your bottle of choice (tel: 021 552252).

Put a new twist on the usual Valentine bunch of flowers; a little orange or lemon tree, complete with either fruit or flowers, is love of the most lasting kind. A lollipop bay tree complete with a big red bow is another option. Garden Centres everywhere now stock them or sculpted box plants. Prices from £60£125. Ok, so they're expensive. . .