OTTAWA — Perhaps it's the prospect of a horse-dawn carriage ride through old Montreal or maybe it's the magnificent vista of the St. Lawrence sweeping below the ramparts of the citadel in Quebec City, but these two cities get top marks as Canada's romantic getaways.

More than one in four Canadians polled picked them as the best spots to be swept off your feet.

Decima Research conducted the survey last week with an eye on Valentine's Day. The pollsters asked people to reminisce about the most romantic places in the country, the best spots for an intimate get-together.

Other destinations were also cited as great for kindling the fires of romance. Niagara Falls, long the traditional honeymoon destination, was a frequent pick, as were Banff, Victoria and Vancouver. But 27 per cent of respondents selected one of the two Quebec cities -- 15 per cent favouring the provincial capital, 12 per cent opting for Montreal.

Men and women were equally attracted to La Belle Province, the survey found. Younger people were more drawn to Montreal for romance, while older people found Quebec City more appealing.

Bruce Anderson, Decima's CEO, said it may be as much to do about language as it is Montreal's cozy bistros or Quebec's City's history and scenery.

"The association of romance with the French language transcends literature and music, and has to do with perceptions of a way of life," he said. "This is sensed by Canadians in all parts of the country.

"One in five British Columbians, and even more people in Atlantic Canada, pick a Quebec city as the most romantic place they've been."

Richard Leigh-Bennett, Decima's tourism expert, says Quebec has seen the lure of romance and is making the most of it.

"Quebec City has certainly been successful at branding itself as a romantic destination, recognizing the importance of tourism to the local economy and making investments to support the sector, he said.

"It helps to have 400 years of history and some of the most romantic attractions in Canada, such as the Chateau Frontenac, Old Quebec, Place-Royale and the Quartier Petit-Champlain."

The Feb. 3-6 telephone survey polled 1,008 adults and is considered accurate to within 3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20.