You need more than a day to celebrate love so I’ve decided to buck tradition and declare this Valentine’s Week. Therefore, through Friday I’m blogging about romance travel.

So what’s the most romantic destination for you and your boo.

Alan Whitt

A luxurious cruise? … Paris, France? …A Sandals resort? … Hawaii?

Yes, they’re all guaranteed to stoke the fires of love and cause the heart to beat a little faster.

But here’s one that may surprise you.

Africa.

Stimulated by the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and hard times in the European economy, the former “Dark Continent” is now cast in a more romantic, exotic light.

Americans in particular were especially ignorant about what Africa has to offer, relying mostly on negative news reports about politics and other issues.

Safaris are increasingly popular getaways, including a 10-day “Intimate Enchantments of Africa” package in Kenya, staying at luxury tented camps that will surprise you with opulence in the middle of the wilderness.

The new Africa not only offers cosmopolitan cities such as Cape Town and Johannesburg, but also an expanding tourism effort across the continent.

There’s the wine country in the Western Cape, as well as the beaches of Durban and Cape Town and whale watching.

And although South Africa is further ahead than other parts of the continent in terms of tourism, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe also have much to offer, and East Africa is a growing market.

ROMANCING THE WEEK

Monday: I’m rich and famous … if only while writing this blog

Tuesday: Gulp! Honeymoon pressure’s on both travel agents and grooms

Wednesday: A sexy cruise provides many opportunities for ‘romance’

Thursday: Romancing the continent, Africa is a great travel destination

Friday: Do-it-yourself honeymoons? Call your travel agent instead