11 Sites for Clandestine Romance - Atlas Obscura Lists

11 Sites for Clandestine Romance

Because famous—and famously doomed—lovers have been sneaking around forever.

When it comes to romance, few things are hotter than the word “forbidden.” After all, there’s a good reason some of the most memorable love stories in both literature and history have been star-crossed. Since time immemorial, lovers have been skulking off to shady motels and secret apartments, secluded pirate coves and dense forest groves.

From a luxurious Art Deco dwelling sequestered away right in New York’s Radio City Music Hall to a narrow alleyway in Mexico where teens traditionally go to make out away from prying adult eyes, these spots all have a lingering whiff of taboo about them. Whether you’re hoping to whisk your beloved off to a cinematic beach or stroll the abandoned grounds of a seedy, mostly demolished love hotel, here are places to scratch the itch.