Article and photos by Liu Wen Yu

Seeing lovers holding hands and exchanging intimate looks makes people want to fall in love.

There is no building 101 or Ferris Wheel in Taichung. However, besides going to a restaurant or a movie, there are plenty of romantic places for you to spend with your loved ones. What's even better is that it's all free.

Botanical Garden---serene and poetic

The Botanical Garden is located right next to the Science Museum. There is a trail, taking you around the vast garden, a green house, and a field. It can take up a half day to walk around the place. This place is especially popular among lovers when the night falls. It is quiet and romantic, perfect for a date. At the right hand side of the entrance stands the 3.5-meter tall water clock, made up of various shapes, sizes of glass tubes. The exquisitely designed clock glows in blue light at night, and which attracts passers-by to linger and contemplate the moments of our lives.

Fong-La Sculpture Park---sense and sensibility

The park, taking up 20,000 pings is also one of popular dating sights among lovers. 52 pieces of famous sculptures are collected and displayed in various part of the park. The city government particularly had an arch bridge, Rainbow Lake, waterfalls, flowerbeds and bushes done to add to the charm of the park. Fong-La Park is busy day and night. The special light design illuminates the park with different color, which probably explains why lovers are fond of this place.

Jing-Ming 1st Street---Tea Street---European style Romance

Jing-Ming First Street is located between Da-Duen St. and Da-Lung Rd. It’s also known as Tea Street among the foreign community. On each side of the street, about 100-meter long pedestrian walkway, there are full of European style shops, outdoor cafes and restaurants, which fills the whole place with exotic atmosphere. Outdoor concerts or art exhibitions are often held here on weekends. You can even see musicians busking here as well. It's a great place for couples, who can do their shopping, sipping tea or coffee, and if they're lucky, some saxophone player might happen to be there.

Feng-Jia Night Market---holding hands and going for a stroll

Feng-Jia Night Market, Taichung’s most happening place, is regarded the best place for lovers. You can pretty much find everything popular among teenagers here, tasty snacks, the hottest music, and clothes. It's a great place for couples because there is a lot of distraction around, which is good for couples to find if they have the same taste. What's more, as the place is so crowded, you don't need an excuse to hold each other's hands to stay together. How good is that!

Wang-Gao Liao (Looking Up Hill)---Starry, Starry night

The best lookout place in Taichung has to be Wang-Gao Liao (Looking Up Hill), sitting on top of Da-Du Mountain. It's considered as the best place for sunrise, sunset and stars

because of its height. Looking to the west from the top, you can see Taiwan Strait, to the east, you can see Taichung city lights glittering. If you look further, you can probably see the landscape of Feng-Yuan and Wu-Feng. Further more, it might be a good spot to propose.

Metropolitan Park

Metropolitan Park, sitting on the ridge, which separate Taichung city and county is another great place for lookout. On one side, you can see Taichung city lights at night, on the other side, Taichung Harbor can be seen. A vast number of species of trees are arranged under different theme in various part of this vast park. It's a top choice for families during the day as you can fly kites or ride your bikes here. Of course, when the night falls, the place becomes a paradise for lovers.

Chung-Shing Lake---Can't take your eyes off it

Chung-Shing Lake, sitting inside Chung-Shing University, situated in the south of Taichung city is a renowned scenic spot. The lake shapes like a begonia. There are two ponds lying underneath the lake, one shapes like a yam and the other is like a potato. Resembling the shapes of Taiwan and Hai-Nan Island! Wild swans and geese come hang out at the lake a lot. When the night falls, with the moon reflecting on the lake and the orchestra of frogs and bugs as the background, it's an ideal place for lovers.

Dong-Hai Luce Church---to witness love

Luce Church is regarded as the best spot to propose among lovers as they have God as their witness. Sitting on top of the hill, the architecture of the church carries with itself both solemn and romance. The two slabs in the front represent the praying hands, whereas the other two represent the loving arms of God. The church, designed by I Ming Pei has its special meaning. I Ming Pei says that each slab of these four can endure strong force, such as typhoons and earthquakes, and which supports the whole building. And because of that, lovers believe that their love will be blessed and overcome the hardship, just like the four slabs.

Taichung Park---Rowing the love boat

Taichung Park is the only park, built in Japanese-ruling era in Taichung, which means the park is now more than a hundred years old. The park is lush with grass and trees. Ruins like Moon-looking Pavilion and Canon Mountain present themselves with nostalgia and recreation. Boats can be hired by the lake. Hu-Shin Pavilion, located in the middle of the lake is the most important landmark of the park. The Pavilion is designed in a traditional Chinese style, which attracts numerous lovers.

Taichung Broadcast Station

Lovers also think that Taichung Broadcast Station is a great spot for confessing your love and proposing. This place, located at 1, DianTai Street, takes up 100 pings and has 70 years’ of history. After being renovated, it has become a serene place combining sense and sensibility. Turning from ShuangShi Road to DianTai Street, what first comes into your ears is the music played in the radio program. There is a studio, where couples can record their love, inside the building in the front. The building is mainly for art activities. The building in the back is an exquisite food space; healthy meals and bakery are served here.

How would you like to spend your Chinese valentines' Day? Choosing an appropriate spot according to the comfortable level you have with your date, which bring your relationship to a higher level.