Exploring the world, one place at a time
On my second day in London, I headed into town bright and early to start the day with a little touristing. My destination? Westminster. Situated on the banks of the River Thames in the heart of London, the historic district is home to a slew of the capital and the country's most iconic landmarks, including... Continue Reading →
Chic, laid-back, friendly, welcoming and playful are just some of the words I'd use to describe the historic French city of Nantes. The former capital of Brittany (it's called Naoned in Breton) has been dubbed the 'city of the dukes of Brittany'. Even though it hasn't been part of Brittany since the Second World War... Continue Reading →
The contemporary art gallery Casa de Serralves is tucked away in one of Porto's wealthier suburbs. A bus ride away away from the bustling city centre, it would be easy to miss if you didn't know it was there. Opened in June 1999, the museum sits within the extensive grounds of Serralves Villa, a strikingly... Continue Reading →
If I was ever to write an Agatha Christie-style 1920s murder mystery, I'd set it at Tyntesfield, a gloriously Gothic manor surrounded by acres of land in the middle of the Somerset countryside. It's the sort of place where you could imagine cocktail-drenched parties full of bright young things taking place and then a dead... Continue Reading →
One of my favourite places in London for a Sunday stroll is Hampstead Heath in the north of the capital. When I lived in London, I spent many a morning tramping through the heath in all kinds of weather, but I hadn't been back since I left the Big Smoke more than three years ago.... Continue Reading →
A few Saturdays ago I caught up with some friends in London. Our plan for the day was to visit the Winnie the Pooh exhibition at the V&A and then a game of crazy golf at Junkyard Golf, just off Brick Lane. I was due to meet my friends at the V&A just after midday,... Continue Reading →
As regular readers to my blog may have guessed, I'm a sucker for a castle and when I found out Milan has its very own castle, it ended up somewhere near the top of my must-visit list. Having spent the morning exploring every last inch of the city's Duomo, I made my way to the... Continue Reading →
Italy's economic capital is probably best known for its bi-annual fashion week, but there's much more to this stylish city than big name designer outlets and shopping. I spent last weekend in Milan, and before my trip, it wasn't somewhere that was on my radar. But I was looking for somewhere to go for a... Continue Reading →
Last weekend I was in London to catch up with friends and top of our to-do-list was the recently opened Design Museum in Kensington. On arriving in London, instead of taking the tube from Paddington to High Street Kensington, I strolled down to the station via Kensington Gardens. I'd forgotten how lovely Kensington Gardens can be... Continue Reading →
Straddling the Essex-Hertfordshire border, the Lee Valley Country Park is a 1,000 acre picturesque site teeming with wildlife and the home of the Lee Valley White Water Centre (where you can follow in the footsteps of the London 2012 Olympic canoers). It's also a surprisingly peaceful and calming place to while away an afternoon. Aside from the odd cyclist,... Continue Reading →
Little Old World 