The Exact Time the Sun Will Set Across the UK this Valentine’s Day (and the Best Places you can Watch it)

With February fast approaching, many of us are searching for sure-fire ways to set the mood and impress their special someone this Valentine’s Day. While the world is full of new and innovative ways to spend your first, second, third, or 1000th date, some date ideas can be a bit risky (say what you want, but axe-throwing on a first date seems like a recipe for disaster). Luckily, cliches exist for a reason and the old-school favourites – chocolates, flowers, candle-light and, if you’re lucky enough to catch it, a city-backed sunset – have lasted the ages. 

According to astronomers, the sun takes “150 to 200 seconds”, to set over the horizon, which works out as somewhere between two and three minutes. That’s not a lot of time to make the dash up a hill or climb up to the rooftop if you’ve not planned ahead. 

What’s more, the exact time to catch these precious minutes varies a surprising amount depending on where you live in the UK. For instance, Essex residents can catch the sun setting on February 14th from 17:09, while Cardiff couples will need to wait another 17 minutes before they can see the same sunset. And with the viewing period being so fleeting, it’s important that you check the exact time it is due to set – and make sure you’re somewhere you can see it – if you want to fit it into your Valentine’s Day schedule. 

To help with these, Watch Repair Piccadilly’s team has researched the precise time the sun is scheduled to set in 100 UK cities this February 14th. And, for good measure, we’ve also used TripAdvisor to find out the best places to see the sunset in the UK, as well as in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff.