15 Top-Rated Romantic Getaways in North Carolina

You don't need to be a skier or a hiker to enjoy Zermatt, but if you are, everything you could ever want is right here at your doorstep. And of course, you can't help but be stunned by the majesty of the Matterhorn towering above it all.

Few places in the world are as charming as the Swiss Alps.

Despite being home to some of Tuscany's most fabulous medieval churches, as well as towers, and priceless art treasures, Lucca's biggest attraction to tourists is that it's just fun to be here.

These form a magical backdrop for one of Germany's most atmospheric Christmas markets, when 200 tradesmen gather, dressed in medieval costumes, to sell authentic crafts from the Middle Ages: pewterware, blown glass, wool, wrought iron, wood carving, and leather work are traded amid entertainment by period minstrels and jugglers.

For a well-preserved, walkable, authentic German town, it's hard to beat Esslingen.

In the heart of the Carolina Piedmont, Winston-Salem is a fun romantic getaway for couples who enjoy a nod to North Carolina's historic past.

Emerald Isle, south of Atlantic Beach, offers the same beautiful soft sand beach but is more residential and a good spot to find a vacation rental. Enj

At the north end of Atlantic Beach is Fort Macon State Park, home to a historic old fort and a fabulous beach.

In North Carolina's southern Outerbanks, in Carteret Count, are the little communities of Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach on the barrier island of Bogue Banks.

Blowing Rock is a friendly walk-about place with lots of boutiques and upscale shops.

This beautiful town draws its name from a rock cliff that towers over the Johns River Gorge at an elevation of nearly 4,000 feet.

At sunset, walk out on the boardwalk behind the Ocracoke South ferry dock to the viewing area where you can watch the sun dip below the horizon.