city break

THE LONDON GUIDE: Insider tips for the best art in London

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London has some of the best museums in the world, and many of them are free to visit! For such an expensive city, London is very generous with its art. Here’s my quick guide for making the most of London museums:

1. NATIONAL GALLERY

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Right at Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is a great place to see amazing art. You can easily spend a whole day wandering around, staring at masterpieces such as the Arnolfini Portrait and The Ambassadors (two of my favourites). It’s also a great place for British art, with anything from Turner to Hogarth.

It’s free to visit and there are many free talks and even drawing lessons!

Around the corner is the National Portrait Gallery. Visit on one of their late shifts to enjoy special talks and live music.

2. TATE MODERN AND TATE BRITAIN

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Split on either side of the Thames, Tate Modern and Tate Britain are among the most well-known galleries in the UK.

The Tate Modern specialises in (obviously) modern art, with exhibits cleverly displayed in a range of broad themes. The building is an attraction in itself, with the massive Turbine Hall serving as a unique venue for large displays which are specially commissioned annually.

Tate Britain is the home of British art (my words). Here you can see the best of the Pre-Raphaelites alongside Henry Moore sculptures. The building has been renovated recently, when all the displays were reorganised strictly by date.

Both are free to visit (temporary exhibitions are paid). Check for special events as well as free tours.

3. THE BRITISH MUSEUM

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It’s impossible to visit the British Museum without ending up reflecting about colonialism. This museum holds a massive collection of historic objects from all over the world, from Easter Island Moai to Egyptian mummies.

Entering the permanent collection the first thing you will see is Rosetta Stone. Just a few rooms away are the equally famous Elgin Marbles – the insides of the Parthenon are not in Athens after all.

The British Museum is located within a beautiful building with a Greek façade which is replicated inside the museum with a modern twist. The main court houses nice souvenir shops and a good cafe. Free to enter except for temporary exhibitions.

4. EXHIBITION ROAD: V&A, Natural History Museum, Science Museum

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Exhibition Road in South Kensington is home to three amazing museums.

The V&A is just too wonderful to describe. The beautiful building is home to the largest collection of design objects in the world, with room after room filled with beautiful displays. Join one of their free tours and then chill out at their fancy cafe.

Across the road is the Natural History Museum, where you can see dinosaur fossils alongside dodo models. It’s a great museum, but avoid weekends as it’s always too packed with children.

Next door is the Science Museum, a fun and interactive museum which include exhibits like a lunar module. Again it’s full of children on the weekends, so it’s best avoided then.

All of these are free to enter, except for special exhibitions.

5. OTHER POPULAR MUSEUMS

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  • Royal Academy: Very centrally located, it’s not free to visit, but it has great exhibitions on all the time.
  • Courtauld Gallery: Housed in the beautiful Somerset House, this is the best place to see impressionism in London. Tickets at £7.
  • Wallace Collection: The building has just opened after a long renovation, so it’s a good time to visit. Stop for a meal at their popular restaurant.
  • Transport Museum: I visited this recently, and it was really fun! Tickets are expensive at £16, but you can visit as many times as you wish throughout the year.
  • Soane Museum: An unusual home filled with a unique collection.

6. GALLERIES

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There are countless galleries around London, with new displays available every day. Just wander around Hoxton or Soho and you will find lots of places with great art.

Famous galleries such as the White Cube or the Saatchi Gallery are always a good starting point.

Within the Southbank Centre, the Hayward Gallery has great temporary exhibitions, with tickets at around £10.

HOW TO PLAN:

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There are endless options of museums and galleries in London. For up to date information, TimeOut and the Art Fund have comprehensive listings of what’s on at any given time.

Go get lost in a museum!

COMMUTING TO PARIS: A relaxing city break

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I’ve been to Paris many times, and it’s always WONDERFUL. There’s no way to get it wrong in the French capital, as the city is so beautiful and there’s so much to do.

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We hopped on the Eurostar after work on a Friday and got to Paris still in time for dinner. We ate at Cafe Pinson, a veggie cafe that served amazing food. They also had a very nice quinoa beer. Dinner for two cost 50€.

Centre Pompidou and Notre Dame

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It was a rainy day, so we decided to stay inside and visit the Pompidou Centre. The permanent collection is great, and they also had a Jeff Koons exhibition on. As you climb through the many escalators, you get beautiful views over Paris (even through the rain).

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We had lunch at a Lebanese cafe nearby and then crossed the river to get to the Notre Dame. There was a long queue, but we got in fairly quickly. But with so many tourists inside, it’s often better simply to stay outside taking in all the little details of the impressive façade.

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In the evening we had dinner at 42 Degres, a raw food restaurant. It was Valentine’s Day, so they had a special menu full of pretty dishes. The food was good and the service really friendly. A 5-course meal for two including drinks and tip for 118€ – good for a special treat.

La Villette

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We started the Sunday at Parc de le Villette, a very nice park which has many arts and entertainment venues. It’s only a few stops from Gare du Nord, but it’s already much less touristic than most attractions in the city centre.

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There were lots of people exercising about. We walked around the park, stopping to take photos of the many unusual buildings, such as the spheric Geode (which happens to be a cinema) and the new modernistic Philharmonic.

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Bastille

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We had a quick lunch at MOB, a vegan burger place. Food was nice but a bit expensive (almost 20€ for burgers and chips for 2) and quite pretentious.

We then stopped for a beer around Bastille. This is a good area to go for a drink as there are lots of bars around, and it gets quite busy in the evenings.

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We headed back to the hotel for a little break, then went for a beer at Belushi’s. I don’t normally choose to go to Belushi’s as it’s a chain of bars associated with St Christopher’s Inn hostels (just look at their website and you’ll immediately hate it), but actually this one was actually pretty good.

We ended our evening with a nice meal at Saravanaa Bhavan, a veggie Indian restaurant that served delicious dosas. Dinner for two cost 34€ including tip.

Then it was time to get back to the hotel. Early in the morning we got on the Eurostar and commuted back to work. What a nice little break!

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: The Eurostar is the best option from London, as it’s often cheaper than flying, it’s less hassle to go through security and you arrive right at the city centre!
  • Stay: We stayed at Le Rocroy, which was very convenient as it’s 5 minutes from Gare du Nord. Paris has lots of options for accommodation but prices are generally high, so do your research and book in advance.
  • Do: Paris is really easy to visit as there’s just so much to see and do. Grab a copy of the Pariscope at any news stand to find a comprehensive listing of events around the city.
  • Museums and churches: Museums in Paris cost around 15€ to get in. Check before you go as many are closed on Mondays or Tuesdays. Churches are generally free to visit but you pay to enter specific areas (such a treasury or a tower).

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A WEEKEND IN LISBON: Green wine and yellow trams

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I was thrilled to be on the road again, especially since Lisbon is such a great place for a weekend getaway. We hopped on a plane on a Friday after work, and we got to the Portuguese capital just in time to hit the bars.

CASTELO:

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Praca do Comercio is the main square in the centre. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we climbed up the big arch at Rua Augusta to see it all from above.

From there we went to Castelo, a nice neighbourhood where you get great views of the city centre and the Tagus. The area is full of little winding roads and there’s also the castle (which gives the area its name) which is very nice.

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We walked all the way up there but you can take the traditional tram n. 28, although it can get very crowded on weekends. But even if you’re walking, follow the tram tracks and you will get to the main sights.

A bit further is Feira da Ladra, a flea market which is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with stalls selling all sorts of things.

This area is also full of churches and vantage view points, so you can easily spend a whole day there.

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For lunch we stopped at Princesa do Castelo, a veggie restaurant which was simple but very nice. Lunch for two including tip cost 23€.

BELEM:

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Belem is a great area where you will find some of the main historical highlights of Portugal.

We started at the Monument to the Discoveries, which celebrates the age of Portuguese exploration. This is one of my favourite things in Lisbon – the massive map of the world within a compass is very impressive, especially when you’re at the top of the monument.

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We then visited Jeronimos Monastery, which is a beautiful building full of history. The tombs of historic figures such as Vasco da Gama and Luis de Camoes can be seen in the church there.

Nearby is Belem Tower, the place where Portuguese ships would leave from to explore the world.

This whole area is really nice, especially when it’s sunny.

And you wouldn’t want to miss the Antiga Confeitaria de Belem, the place where Portuguese custard tarts are originally from – it is a must see, and although the queues can be quite long, service is quick and these treats are truly delicious!

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BY NIGHT:

There are loads of great bars and restaurants in Lisbon.

Around Castelo, we stopped for a drink at Cruzes Credo. The place is nice but the menu is not particularly veggie-friendly.

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Around Baixa, the pedestrianised area in the city centre, we stopped for a nightcap at one of the many bars. Most places around there look a bit similar and are quite touristy, but it’s still cheaper than London and many places are open till one or two in the morning. Rossio is another area full of traditional cafes.

Another nice place we visited was Bio, a nice veggie restaurant around Rossio. Dinner for two including a drink for less than 20€!

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But really the main area for partying in Lisbon is Bairro Alto. It gets completely packed at night, with bar after bar selling cheap beers and cocktails. Many of these places also offer live music.

We stumbled upon a bar called Spot, which was very nice (they were playing Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes when we arrived, so I loved it straight away), and we stayed there for the rest of the night.

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: Tap and Easyjet offer the best connections from London. The flight takes around 2h30. Book in advance as tickets are not as cheap as they used to be.
  • Transportation: The Metro system in Lisbon is very reliable and easy to navigate. The best thing to do is buying a reusable card from a self-service machine and charge it with some cash. You can use it in all public transportation, and it’s really cheap (the ride from the airport costs only 1.50€). Plus if you’re in the city centre you end up seeing a lot on foot.
  • Stay: We stayed at Artbeat Rooms (this was my second time there), which is ideally located in the city centre. Gosia, the owner, is great and very helpful. But Lisbon has many good options, with award-winning hostels at a good price.
  • Money: Lisbon is significantly cheaper than London, which is always good news. A beer costs around 2€ and a meal at a restaurant costs around 10€ per person.
  • Food: Traditional Portuguese food is not really veggie-friendly, but you can get great cheese and wine (who needs anything else?). We did our research through Happy Cow in advance, and that was very helpful.
  • What to see: We only went for the weekend, but you’d need a few more days to see it all. The Calouste Gulbenkian museum is supposed to be great. Further afield, Caiscais is a nice place for a day trip in the summer – this famous beach resort is only a short train ride away from Lisbon. Nearby Sintra is also very nice: this Unesco Heritage Site is home to two unusual palaces and perfect for a day out.

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This was our first break of the year. We had a great time in Lisbon – such an awesome city!

A WEEK IN RUSSIA: Domed roofs and wildfires

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Russia was the first place I visited in Eastern Europe. In hindsight, I had no idea what I was getting myself into!

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When we arrived in Moscow, the whole city was covered in smog due to wildfires. Everyone was wearing masks to protect their noses and mouths, and it was unbearably hot.

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We spent a few days in the capital, trying to make the best of it. We visited the main highlights…

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…such as the Red Square, the Kremlin, and St Basil’s Cathedral (which is amazing!).

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Everything was different from what I expected!

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The architecture was especially unusual.

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We then took a fast train to St Petersburg, where the weather was much better – sunny days which weren’t too hot (and no smog!).

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Again we stumbled upon domed roofs on every corner!

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St Petersburg is sometimes called ‘Venice of the North’ because of the many canals around the city. And although both places are beautiful, I think they’re both quite different.

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The city is also the home of the Hermitage Museum, one of the great museums of the world, with highlights that include two Da Vinci paintings.

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You can spend a whole day there.

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St Petersburg was definitely my favourite of the two cities we visited, but I should definitely go back to Moscow when the weather is better and reassess!

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A DAY IN LONDON: A walk in the South Bank

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You could easily spend months exploring London. But if you’re short for time, one of the best things to do is walking along the South Bank of the Thames.

This is the first place I take my friends when they come to visit, as you can see a bunch of the city’s highlights at once.

So here’s a step-by-step itinerary for a leisurely day in London:

1. Eat something first:

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Start your day by taking advantage of one of many places around London that do great brunch. My suggestion is Milk, in Balham (I discovered it recently and it was AMAZING!), but there are loads of places around.

2. The London Eye

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Start your walking tour at Westminster Bridge. There you get one of the best views of the city: Big Ben and the Parliament on one side, London Eye on the other.

The view from the London Eye is awesome (on a sunny day), but the ridiculously long queues are really off-putting. If you are planning to go, book in advance as it saves time and sometimes you can get a good discount (an adult ticket costs £26.96, ouch!).

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3. The South Bank Centre

Continuing along the river, the Southbank Centre is a great venue for arts, so check out what they have going on.

4. The Tate Modern

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You will then reach the Tate Modern. Admission to the permanent collections is free, so you should really stop and have a look around.

There are also some good cafes and restaurants (as well as a great shop), so you can stop for lunch there.

5. The Globe Theatre

Right next to the Tate is the Globe Theatre, which is the original Shakespeare theatre (although it had t be rebuilt after a fire).

There are always performances on (not all of them are Shakespeare plays), and standing tickets cost only £5! I see something there at least once a year, and it’s always great.

6. Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s

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Across from the Tate is the Millennium Bridge, which leads to St Paul’s Cathedral. This is another great place to get a good view of London.

You can continue along the river all the way up to Tower Bridge, but I always prefer to split this up in two days – so I’ll leave that for a future post…

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THE 5-MINUTE TRIP PLANNER: Day trip to Liverpool

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Liverpool is a great place for a day trip from London.

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The city is easily accessible and small enough that you can cover a lot of ground in one day.

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It’s a great place for art – as well as for bars!

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: Trains from London take as little as 2h20, and prices start from £29 each way.
  • Do: Wander around the city centre, then spend some hours around Tate Liverpool – they always have great exhibitions on!
  • Drink: It’s impossible to go to Liverpool and not to think about the Beatles. Stop for a drink at the venue where it all started: The Cavern Club.

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The 5-minute trip planner: Planning a short trip in no time.

WISHLIST: New York

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I went to New York over 12 years ago, in 2002. It feels like that trip was a lifetime ago.

Back then I wasn’t even above the legal drinking age yet (!) and the city was still very much recovering from 9-11.

But I still remember how much I liked the place. At times, it was like stepping inside a film: everywhere you went there was another highlight I’d seen on tv many times before.

Somehow I never went back – for a long time all I wanted was to be in Europe as much as I could. Now that I live in London, I feel like another visit is well overdue.

Plus the city has changed too: Williamsburg is now all the rage, and the High Line seems amazing!

Where would you go back to?

THE 5-MINUTE TRIP PLANNER: A weekend in Berlin

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Berlin is a great city. At some point I should really stay there for a couple of weeks, but so far I’ve only been for short breaks.

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Aside from the main highlights, it’s a great place to wander around and explore all the different neighbourhoods.

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I really want to go back!

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HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: The flight from London only takes two hours, so go after work to make the most of the weekend.
  • Stay: Schoenhouse Aparments is great – large flats in a great location, highly recommended!
  • Eat: Brunch is massive in Berlin. You’ll be completely spoilt for choice around Prenzlauer Berg, a lovely neighbourhood to explore on a lazy Sunday morning.
  • Do: Don’t miss highlights like the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie, as seeing these up close gives you great insight on recent German history. But also make sure to spend some time just wandering around – Berlin is full of hidden gems and you don’t want to miss that!

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The 5-minute trip planner: Planning a short trip in no time