Easy date night ideas

It’s exactly six months since Valentine’s Day – so it’s time to rekindle your love. You don’t always need champagne and an expensive meal to impress though – take a look at our romantic date ideas that will inspire without breaking the bank.

By Laura Anne BrownPublished: 14 August 2014

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Get romantic at London museums

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Several of London’s art hubs offer after-dark openings, meaning you can have a quiet wander with your other half.

Most of the British Museum’s exhibitions are open every Friday until 8.30pm, and history buffs can take spotlight tours of the Rosetta stone or Ancient Egyptian artifacts. Plus, you and your partner can grab a bite to eat at one of the museum’s restaurants.

Elsewhere in the UK, wander through the extensive exhibitions at Manchester Art Gallery. It’s open until 9pm on Thursday nights, so you can take your time marvelling at the Romantic artworks of JMW Turner and William Blake.

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Have a picnic under the stars

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The National Trust has shared the best outdoor landscapes where you can stare at the stars. We’d pack a picnic (see our favourite triple-tested recipes) and some warm clothes for an evening wander.

Choose from the cliff-dominated coastline at Carnewas in Cornwall, or Allan Bank house in Cumbria where you can relax with a cup of tea. The full range of Dark Sky sites across Britain are listed on the National Trust website.

Further north, the air at Galloway Forest Park is so pure that you can see the Milky Way with the naked eye. Find out how to get there on the Visit Scotland site.

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Bring the restaurant home

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Set aside a few hours after work to cook together. Don't worry, we’ve got loads of inspiration for easy dinner recipes for two.

If you’d rather not be stuck in the kitchen after a long week in the office, hit the Internet. There are a range of last-minute meal offers at vouchercodes.co.uk and groupon.co.uk.

And if you’re an O2 customer, don’t forget to take advantage of their priority offers, which feature deals from chains like Zizzi’s and Domino’s.

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Experience event cinema

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Heading to the movies has been a budget date idea for as long as we can remember. But instead of going to see the latest blockbuster, why not try out event cinema?

Companies like Cineworld and Odeon are screening live performances from Bolshoi Ballet, the Royal Opera House and the National Theatre to name a few. Ballet dramas range from Grigorivich’s The Legend of Love to enchanting The Nutcracker, which screens later in the year.

Visit cineworld.co.uk for listings.

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Head to a UK Food Festival

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Instead of going to the shops to fill up the fridge, why not head to one of the UK’s many food festivals?

Jamie Oliver hosts the Big Feastival at the end of August, where you can take part in cookery workshops and listen to a host of celebrity chefs share their secrets. Plus, there’ll be music to your ears – literally – with Jamie Cullum and Laura Mvula performing.

If you’re nearer the coast, there’s even more to whet your appetite. Both Newlyn Fish Festival in Cornwall (25 August) and Scotland’s Food and Drink Fortnight in September will showcase some superb seafood.

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