Some years, St. Valentine's Day should be more than cards, chocolates and roses. A romantic Valentine's getaway for you and your beloved to Sarasota and Her Islands can be an aria of love, a sea of affections, a city of dreams. Pack your whimsy and your sense of romance, and chart your Valentine sojourn in a land of blazing sunsets, soaring operas, white sands and intimate dinners.

Ritzy Romance
Check into the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota (941-309-2000, www.ritzcarlton.com), set on the scalloped edge of Sarasota Bay. Spend the afternoon moving serenely from your heavenly bed to a balcony view of waters shimmering in the clear February sky. When you make your reservation, ask for the Romantic Escape package so that a

The patio of Columbia Restaurant

chilled bottle of bubbly and chocolate-dipped strawberries will be waiting for you upon your arrival.

An Evening of Beauty and Love
Don your tuxedo and evening gown. Arrange for a hotel car and driver to transport you to dinner at the Bijou Café (941-366-8111, www.bijoucafe.net) for entrées in an extraordinary French tradition. And then walk in the clear, star-encrusted night to the Sarasota Opera (941-366-8450, www.sarasotaopera.org). On February 13, a special performance, the Artists Concert, starts at 8 p.m. and presents the Principal Artists' choices in an array of opera, operetta and Broadway tunes, always popular with opera fans. Return to the hotel for a nightcap in the sumptuously cozy Ca D'Zan Bar.

A Sun-kissed Afternoon
A free shuttle will whisk you over the new bridge arching above the bay to the Ritz-Carlton Members Beach Club on Lido Key. Lunch together with a side dish of the Gulf at the Beach Club Grill. Dip your toes in the aquamarine waters. Lie under the warming sun on a bed of some of the country's finest and whitest sand on this stretch of private beach.

A Day to Explore
Stroll around St. Armands Circle (941-388-1554, www.starmandscircleassoc.com), ducking into unique shops, stopping for a refreshing cone of gourmet ice cream, sitting down for a cup of coffee, and finally settling down for an early dinner at Café L'Europe (941-388-4415, www.cafeleurope.net) or the Columbia Restaurant (941-388-3987, www.columbiarestaurant.com).

The Great Masters
A Sarasota sunset - the marriage of the sun and the sea, a

Kayaking for two off Longboat Key

brilliant celestial kiss - is undeniably a most romantic event. Not one of the world's greatest painters has ever captured the beauty that every evening adorns our Gulf Coast. Settle into one of the many hotels, resorts, bungalows, condos and guest houses that line the white-sand border of Longboat, Lido and Siesta Keys, and be sure to ask for a view of the Gulf from your room.

A Walk Through Galleries, Chambers and Courtyards
Wend your way through the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (941-351-1660, www.ringling.org) for a stunning glimpse into the art of the Renaissance, the gilded lifestyle of John Ringling's opulent bayside mansion, Ca D'Zan, and the fun and fantasy of the circus. The Museum's courtyard, complete with a replica of Michelangelo's David, will give you the chance to talk over your favorite paintings and the soirées you'd throw if you lived in Ca D'Zan.

A Valentine's Night Dream
One of Shakespeare's most fanciful plays makes an appearance as a ballet as the Sarasota Ballet (941-552-1032, www.sarasotaballet.org) presents A Midsummer Night's Dream. This forest of fairies and lovers is set to Mendelssohn's score. Shows start at 8 p.m. on the evenings of the 11th to the 14th of February. End your night of culture and beauty with a walk along the beach under moonlight - trés romantique

Houses of the Rising and Setting Sun
Nestled amid Sarasota and her islands' urbane jewels is an astounding natural diversity of dolphins, manatees, fish and birds, and the environment that supports them. A paddle in a kayak built for two gives you complete access to these serene and beautiful treasures. Several outfitters in the area will set you up with your equipment and even lead you through enchanting mangrove tunnels or across glittering bay waters.

So Close to the Water…
Stay at the Resort at Longboat Key Club (941-383-8821, www.longboatkeyclub.com) for a chance to remove yourselves from the everyday. With long stretches of private, white-sand beaches, luxurious pools and delectable dining, you can get lost in each other on a warm Gulf-coast island. The resort has many great spots to watch the sun blaze into the expansive sea.

Tales From Far-off Lands
The unmistakable Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall (941-953-3368, www.vanwezel.org) sits along the bayfront and anchors downtown Sarasota's cultural neighborhood. This Valentine's Day, the hall hosts the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players with its rendition of The Mikado or, The Town of Titipu, an ever-popular satirical classic. You can make an evening out of it - the Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner gets you into the mood with a romantic pre-performance Asian buffet.

Originally posted 12/10/04