The ultimate Valentine’s Day guide: Groningen edition

Get your partner some flowers! Although the most common, no matter the occasion, it is always nice to receive flowers. This year’s 14^th of February happens to fall on a Tuesday, the same day as the fresh market at the Vismarkt. It would be perfect to buy some fresh flowers from the market. You can also use this opportunity to buy yourself some flowers and spice up your student house!

Another classic idea would be to go on a nice dinner with your partner or loved ones. Some restaurants in Groningen are famous for their formal and romantic setting – places such as Rooftop Merckt, Houdt van Eten, and Restaurant Nassau will be some options you can try in the city! Furthermore, restaurants like Dinercafe Plezant also offer a Valentine menu for this special day! Go make your reservations early to lock your spot. For those of you who prefer to have this day all to yourself, you don’t need to worry as you can easily order your favorite food from delivery apps such as Thuisbezorgd.

If you prefer staying at home chilling, or you and your loved ones share the same passion for cooking, then cooking at home might be a better option! Have your own candle light dinner at the comfort of your student home, and you can have the best quality time from start to finish: from deciding on the recipes, doing the groceries together, to cooking and eating them, and even cleaning it up afterwards! Don’t forget to get accompanied by a nice bottle of Prosecco or your drink of choice!

Not really sure what to get your partner as a gift on the special day? You can turn the stressful gift giving process into a fun day! I would suggest you going to thrift shops around the city and have fun trying to come up with a cute outfit set for your partner or friends! Some shops like Stichting Fair Back Kringloop, Kringloopwinkel What’s In, and Mamamini might just be the perfect places to go!

Fancy going to the cinema and watching some film? Then you should definitely see the ‘what’s playing’ on Pathé, or try out alternatives such as Vera or the Forum. This year, Vera has a Valentine’s Day special program to watch Punch-Drunk Love, one of the Valentine’s classics directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The ticket costs 5 euros.

If you want more than just watching, the Forum and Cineville are organizing Filmflirts, a wonderful event where you cannot only watch film, but also get to know other film lovers through film quiz, meet new people, and win great prizes. The ticket costs 15 euros, and whether you are single, on date, or have something in between, you can enjoy some warm cocktail, watch the film Falcon Lake, and immerse yourself in an amazing Valentine’s Day with fellow film enthusiasts.

If you prefer a more active evening, where you can talk while doing more competitive activities, then pool might be the perfect option! Groningen has a couple of places where you can play pool, such as All-Round Groningen, Poolcafe Streetlife, or Cue Action. You can get drinks and some snacks as you play, and have fun. You can even play other games such as darts, table football, air hockey, or billiards. This will also be perfect if you are looking to spend the special day with just your housemates or your closest girlfriends and have a fun Galantines!

Groningen is always the perfect place to go on a walk. You can choose between strolling simply around Noorderplantsoen or Stadspark, or walking around the city center exploring the different neighborhoods of the city.

If you know a pet lover, or more specifically a cat lover, then a date at the Cat Café would be the way to go! Kattencafe Op z’n Kop is the perfect place, where you can enjoy delicious drinks and cakes while petting some cute cats. You need to make reservations as spots tend to fill up pretty quick. Not only that, on this year’s Valentine’s Day, you can cuddle the cats while watching the film Ticket to Paradise. The spots are again limited, so be sure to book your spot with your loved ones to enjoy such wholesome evening with the cuties at the café.

Another smart move you can take is to wait for Valentine’s Day to be over and to go to the shops the next day to get yourself some discounted chocolates, gifts, and flowers. 

Ultimately, as romantic as Valentine’s Day is, remember that you can always express your love for the people around you on any other day, giving them some “just-because” flowers, eating out at nice restaurants, or giving, receiving, and eating insane amounts of chocolates. Do what makes you, your loved ones, and friends feel comfortable, and enjoy this special day!