Saint Valentine: Celebrating love and friendship without restrictions imposed by the covid-19 pandemic

Hotels and restaurants in Cidade da Praia are prepared, as usual, to offer couples from Praia an “unforgettable” night since, this year, it will be possible to celebrate love without the restrictions imposed by covid-19.

In 2021 and 2022, hotel and catering establishments were forced to reduce capacity on Valentine's Day, which is celebrated annually on February 14, one of the preventive measures to face the covid-19 pandemic that was then raging the archipelago. The Hotel Cesária, for example, even stipulated a maximum number of up to 20 people.

However, with the massive resumption of activities, as a result of the “good fight” against covid-19, everything returns to “normality”. And, as happens every year in February, the wave of love invades Praia City with hotels, restaurants, shops and the like prepared to provide “special” offers to lovers.

The strong bet of hotel and catering establishments includes menus, dishes for all palates, decorative and romantic environments and live music.

“The usual dinner accompanied by live music will be held. Demand is good, but we still have a lot of availability”, said the director of Hotel Pestana Tropico, António Santos.

The same happens at the Hotel Praia Mar, according to Zenaida Tavares, who is responsible for the reception, who also pointed out the dinner with live music to attract the clientele, having highlighted some vacancies filled.

For her part, the administrative assistant at the Nice Crioula restaurant, Suzete de Pina, revealed to Inforpress that that establishment is already receiving reservations, but hopes to have more reservations made until later.

As for the stores in the city, they are also equipped with various suggestive gifts for both men and women, accessories, perfumes, clothing and footwear.

In addition, herbal, cosmetics, electronics and household appliances stores also take advantage of this event to suggest their products to customers as a gift option.

The history of Valentine's Day, as legend has it, dates back to the third century AD when the Roman Emperor Claudius II prohibited marriages, as he believed that single combatants performed better in battle.

A bishop at the time, named Valentine, disrespected this imperial decree by performing marriages. Discovering his secret, Valentine was arrested, tortured, sentenced to death and executed on February 14, 269, the date that gave rise to Valentine's Day.

Since then, it has been a date traditionally celebrated by couples and restaurants and hotels are often their choices to celebrate love in a different way.